ELSPA ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR EGN BY GOVERNMENT AND LONDON AGENCIES

Friday 27 August 2004, London/... ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) is pleased to announce support for the European Games Network (EGN) by UK Trade and Investment and Creative London, the London Development Agency's long term programme to support the creative industries.

EGN is the new industry-facing expo for the computer and video games industry, taking place in London 1st - 3rd September 2004 and sits alongside the first ever dedicated consumer show, Game Stars Live, and the new creative conference, European Developers' Forum. It has received endorsement from the London Mayor's Office, under the banner of London Interactive.

The Mayor's London Development Agency is providing support and funding towards this networking opportunity through Creative London. EGN will offer an opportunity for senior management from overseas companies to discover the diverse offerings within the UK and outward into Europe.

ELSPA will also work in conjunction with UKT&I to bring strategic inward missions, in the first instance from USA and Canada. The DTI are also holding a special event at EGN on what the UK games industry can learn from the Korean market. Findings of the IC Cave Inward Mission to South Korea will be presented during the session on 1st September, with a particular focus on the online gaming market.

Creative London will be hosting one of the many seminars taking place at EGN. The conference programme is uniquely designed for EGN, dovetailing with the event's online meeting planner service, allowing delegates to 'dip in and dip out' of the conference programme as part of their own personalised EGN programme.

Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA, said: "There can be little equivocation now about the levels of commitment the DTI Games Sector Team and the LDA have for our industry and for European Games Network."

Sir Stephen Brown, Chief Executive, UK Trade & Investment said: "The entertainment software business is one of the fastest growing information communication technologies in the UK, and the government strongly supports the innovative and creative work that is being developed in this global sector."

Michael Frye, Chair of Creative London, said: "The UK developed games sector has a sustained growth of 20 per cent a year and so is an important sector for London. That's why Creative London is working with UK Trade & Investment and ELSPA to host strategic inward missions from USA to London and to broker meetings between games designers, mobile phone operators and developers."

Frye added: "With the large number of overseas visitors to the show forecast, we have a great opportunity to show them that London has the infrastructure, support networks, business, financial, legal and creative skills to be their No 1 choice for a European HQ location for product distribution."

EDITORS NOTES

About ELSPA - http://www.elspa.com

ELSPA (The Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association) was founded in 1989 to establish a specific and collective identity for the computer and video games industry. Membership includes almost all companies concerned with the publishing and distribution of interactive leisure software in the UK.

ELSPA's activities include: Official Chart and Industry Reports, Anti-Piracy UK and EU, PR and Communication, Events. More information on all these activities can be found at http://www.elspa.com.

The UK Interactive Leisure Software Industry - Facts & Figures from ELSPA/Screen Digest/Chart-Track:

• The UK is a world centre for games development.

• In 2003, UK sales of video games, other leisure software products and games consoles topped £2 billion, for the second year running.

• Over 20,000 people are employed in the UK leisure software sector.

• British developed games generated more than £1.1 billion in retail sales outside the UK in year 2000. 33% of all PS2 games bought in Europe originate in the UK (the same proportion as US originated products and ahead of Japan and any other country).

About UK Trade & Investment

UK Trade & Investment is the government organisation that provides integrated support services for UK companies engaged in overseas trade and foreign businesses focused on the UK as an inward investment location. It brings together the work of teams in 200 British embassies and FCO posts overseas and government departments across Whitehall. In England, UK Trade & Investment services are delivered through the 45 Business Links and other partners including Regional Development Agencies and Chambers of Commerce, coordinated by nine regional International Trade Directors. The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements for local delivery of services. UK Trade & Investment's work ensures UK and overseas companies benefit from the organisation's continuing commitment to provide an integrated service, delivering business opportunities through a global network. For more information visit the web site www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

About Creative London

Creative London works to promote and grow the diversity, depth, quality and energy of the creative industries in London. Already a global success story, London's creative economy generates over twenty billion pounds in turnover and is responsible for more than half a million jobs. Creative London seeks to build on this success, with an ambitious, long-term programme that aims to:

• Build the infrastructure and support needed to help the sector grow at grass roots level

• Nurture new and emerging talent across the creative industries

• Showcase London's creative achievements

• Promote London as an international centre for culture and commerce

• Galvanize London's creative sector, and bring businesses and people together to make more combined noise

• Leverage public and private investment in the creative sector