Games Convention Online 2009

GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE

(31 July - 2 August 2009)

Leipzig, 31 July 2009

Starting signal for the GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE (GCO): on Friday afternoon the world's first fair for browser, client and mobile games opened its doors to the public. After trade visitors and journalists had a chance to take a look at the halls in the morning, the gamers stormed through the corridors in a matter of minutes. "The first impression is promising. Visitors had been waiting outside the entrance since this morning. This shows that online games not only trigger enthusiasm on the internet," declared Wolfgang Marzin, Chairman of the Board of Management at Leipziger Messe. Overall, a total of 74 exhibitors will be presenting their new developments in Leipzig until Sunday. The focus here will be upon around 50 world and European premieres.

Parallel to the exhibition, tomorrow sees the beginning of the accompanying GCO Dialogue Conference. Thomas Jurk, Saxon State Minister for Economy and Labour, opened the event, which is the most comprehensive of its kind, with 100 speakers from 15 countries. "The online games sector is already growing twice as strongly as the rest of the video and computer games industry, with annual sales growth of 15 percent. The decision to offer a growth market such as this its own platform demonstrates that the Leipziger Messe has a good eye for a trend," praised Jurk. He predicted that the GCO would advance to become a driving force. Representatives from the fields of politics, business and social affairs will spend two days discussing various aspects of online and mobile games at the GCO CONFERENCE.

In addition to the central role of online communities and the blurring of the borders between real and virtual worlds, topics here also include new business models within the sector. In his keynote speech David Reeves, former CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, made it clear that online games are changing the classic marketing structures.

NHN, Korea's leading publisher and operator of the largest Korean portal, Hangame ( www.ijji.com), announced today that it is entering the European market with German and Spanish language games. 240 million users already play NHN games worldwide, declared Kim Jeong-Ho, CEO of Hangame. Up to 1.2 million players can access a game at the same time. For the launch in the German market Kim Jeong-Ho presented three games in Leipzig: "Soldier Front", "Gunz: The Duel" and "Huxley: Dystopie". "Soldier Front" will be available in German as early as this Tuesday, according to the Korean company boss. There are also plans to adapt further games for German fans, primarily sport and shooting games. Kim said that the intention was to conduct talks with portal providers and publishers in Leipzig in order to anchor NHN games in Germany.

The GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE exhibition is open until 8.00 pm today. In Event Hall 4 activities will go on right up to midnight: up-and-coming bands from throughout Germany will be playing their hits on the Community stage, ensuring the right party atmosphere. Today's lineup includes Frida, Coppelius, The Intersphere, Actionteam, Bakkushan, Revolving Door and Reisegruppe Fischer.

Contact for the Press:

Heike Fischer, Director of Press Department

Phone: +49 341 678-8181

Fax: +49 341 678-8182

E-mail: h.fischer@leipziger-messe.de

Torsten Anke, Press Officer

Phone: +49 341 678-8198

Fax: +49 341 678-8182

E-mail: t.anke@leipziger-messe.de

Internet:

www.gamesconvention.com

www.leipziger-messe.de