Game Developers Conference 2009

Immediate release

January 26th 2008

Tiga has secured £56,000 from UKT&I to help UK games businesses attending the Game Developers Conference, which will take place March 23rd-27th 2009 in San Francisco.

Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, said:

“As an accredited trade organisation, Tiga can provide substantial financial assistance for games developers, technology and middleware providers attending trade shows. I am delighted therefore that we have been able to secure significant financial assistance from UKT&I to support businesses attending this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC).

“UKT&I’s Tradeshow Access Programme is open to small and medium-sized enterprises to enable them to participate in overseas trade fairs. UKT&I’s funding will enable Tiga potentially to support up to 40 games businesses attending GDC 2009. One of the advantages of sterling’s dramatic devaluation against the American dollar over the last year is that it makes UK games developers extremely competitive in the USA. We look forward to helping UK games developers make the most of this opportunity.”

UK companies who wish to apply for funding will need to fill in a form to assess eligibility. Please contact Steff Rickwood at Tiga, Stephanie.rickwood@tiga.org for application forms and further information.

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. Tiga is the national trade association that represents games developers in the UK and in Europe. We have 160 members, the majority of whom are either independent games developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have outsourcing companies, technology businesses and university departments that are members.

2. Tiga's vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business. We focus on three sets of activities: political representation, generating media coverage and developing services that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This means that Tiga members are effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.

3. For further information, please contact: Dr Richard Wilson, Tiga CEO on: 0845 0941095; Mob: 07875 939643; or: Email: richard.wilson@tiga.org.

4. About UKTI: UK Trade & Investment is the UK Government's international business development organisation, supporting businesses seeking to establish in the UK and helping UK companies grow internationally. The services offered by UK Trade & Investment bring together a network of business sector specialists and support teams in British embassies and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) posts all around the world, as well as key experts in government departments across the UK. UK Trade & Investment works with a wide range of partner organisations in the UK, including Regional Development Agencies and the Devolved Administrations, Business Links, Chambers of Commerce and trade associations like TIGA. For more information, visit the web site at www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk. For latest press releases, visit the online newsroom at http://www.newsroom.uktradeinvest.gov.uk.UK Trade & Investment identified the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector as one of five priorities for action in UKTI’s strategy “Prosperity in a changing World” launched in July 2006. To download a copy of this initial strategy please go to: www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk.