GamesBeat 2009

SAN FRANCISCO - March 23, 2009 – VentureBeat, the leading online community and news outlet covering private companies and capital, today announced the results of a recent survey entitled “Mapping the Future of the Games Industry,” which identified the trends games industry professionals and the financial community see as the most important. More than 160 participants answered the survey which identified micro-transactions and smartphones as the top two areas of growth for the games industry. The survey gives a glimpse of the content of the inaugural GamesBeat conference which takes place tomorrow takes place at the Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco from 8:30AM – 8PM.

“The trends match closely to what is currently being funded by the VC community,” said Dean Takahashi, lead writer, digitalmedia for VentureBeat and organizer of GamesBeat. “The content of GamesBeat was designed to stimulate discussion and understanding of the current and future market trends and attendees will find each of the top trends on the agenda and under discussion both on stage and in the hallways.”

Results of the survey include more than 66 percent of respondents citing micro-transactions and 61 percent citing smartphones as the two categories which will have the deepest impact on the games industry in the coming years. User generated content came in at 43 percent with advertising revenues and voice recognition bringing up the rear at 21 percent and 18 percent respectively.

The survey also determined the platforms that the participants saw as having the largest potential in the coming years. The results were:

• iPhone – 74%

• Social Networks – 65%

• Casual Web-Based – 62%

• Console – 57%

Additional results of the survey including will be available to attendees of GamesBeat 09 after the conference as part of the show’s yearly trend reporting including information on 2010 revenue growth optimism, and attitudes on digital distribution, used video games, hardware platforms and more.

About GamesBeat

GamesBeat is the first conference to focus on the business of games and the environment for funding companies operating in the games industry. Covering both the current market and future trends, GamesBeat is poised to become the most relevant conference for companies looking to identify what venture capital and private investment communities are looking for as well as consumer trends that are critical for companies to understand and address to be successful. The conference also features the innovative “Who’s Got Game Competition” which identifies the top startups in the industry and gives them a platform to present to the GamesBeat audience.

GamesBeat is sponsored by Razer™, Sony Online Entertainment, N-Gage, Mayfield Fund, Outspark, Nvidia, AdMob, Playfish, Best Public Relations, International Digital Entertainment Agency, Elizabeth Olson Strategic Marketing & PR, Ooyala, Highwinds, Mozes, Astro Gaming, MHS Capital, IGN, DFC Intelligence, Casual Games Association, Entertainment Consumers Association, LOGIN Conference, Crispy Gamer, Mary-Margaret Network, Destructoid, MCV, CasualGaming.biz, Develop Magazine and World Gaming Executives.

The inaugural GamesBeat conference takes place March 24, 2009 from 8:30 AM – 8PM at the Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco. For more information, please visit: http://venturebeat.com/gamesbeat-2009/

About VentureBeat

VentureBeat’s mission is to provide news and information about private companies and the venture capital that fuels them. Founder Matt Marshall covered venture capital for the San Jose Mercury News until he left in Sept. 2006 to launch VentureBeat as an independent company. VentureBeat is initially focusing on Silicon Valley, and gradually expanding its coverage of innovation hubs around the globe. Its mission in each region is the same: to provide insider news and data about the entrepreneurial and venture community that is useful to decision makers.

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CONTACT

Sean Kauppinen

International Digital Entertainment Agency

(415) 299-2156

sean@ide-agency.com