Hooray for Holyrood!

14th July 2005 - The Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival (EIEF) today announces a stellar line-up of world exclusive premiere Game Screenings for some of 2005's most eagerly awaited games. Taking place from Wednesday 10th - Sunday 14th August 2005 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), the festival is set to be the summer's biggest interactive entertainment event.

Regarded by many as the 'Cannes of the games world', the EIEF Game Screenings have grown to 21 screenings featuring talent from all over the world showing games of all genres and styles played on multiple gaming platforms. Worldwide premieres of never-seen-before games brings the game makers face-to-face with their consumers in an intimate and accessible environment. See for the very first time the worldwide public premieres of over 8 game releases including: Battalion Wars, The Movies and Darwinia. This year sees new focus on Culture, Made in Scotland and Insider's Guides - all designed to show unique insights to the amazing world of game creation.

Game enthusiasts can enjoy an unmissable chance to rub shoulders with their gaming heroes at the unique Game Screenings, where they are on hand to take your questions. Fans can find out everything they need to know about how games are created and how to get a job in the industry at two 'Insider's Guides' Screenings especially devoted to these topics.

FULL GAME SCREENING SCHEDULE:

Wednesday 10th August

5.30pm - Games Culture: From Geek to Chic - Presented by Ian Livingstone, Eidos Legendary Ian Livingstone (BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award for contribution to games) opens the festival with Geek to Chic, which follows video games' rapid evolution from blips and beeps to cutting edge graphics and sound in less than 30 years of video game creativity that today dominates popular culture as the latest in cool. Ian is expected to finish off his session with extra special news for Lara Croft fans everywhere.

6.30pm - Eye Toy: Kinetic - Presented by Tom Holmes, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

This soon-to-be-released revolution in gaming has been developed in conjunction with Nike Motionworks to make developing health and fitness fun.

Thursday 11th August

4.00pm - 6.00pm - NVIDIA^® PC Gaming Showcase

This PC gaming showcase promises eye-popping visuals courtesy of the latest graphics technology from NVIDIA. Topping the line up will Epic Games demonstrating the latest images from the new Unreal Engine 3.0. Also on show will be Starship Troopers from Strangelite and Serious Sam II from 2K Games.

6.30pm - PREMIERE - The Movies - Presented by Gary Carr, Lionhead Studios.

Gary Carr from Peter Molyneux's Lionhead Studios reveals the mastery behind The Movies - an inspiring and addictive simulation where the player becomes the studio boss by creating their own stars and making their own movies.

Friday 12th August

11.00am - Made in Scotland: DC Studios - Presented by Mark Greenfield

This is the first of three Made in Scotland Game screening sessions focusing on home grown local talent. DC Studios take centre stage to explain how the team behind Bratz and Tour De France went from a small office in Glasgow and grew into a major force in the games world with teams in 4 countries creating games for all the major platforms.

12 noon - Insiders guide: Making 24: The Game - Presented by Mark Green of Sony Cambridge

Here's an insiders look at what went into the making of one of the year's most eagerly-awaited releases. Find out how a TV smash hit is translated into a thrilling game.

2.00pm - PREMIERE - Darwinia and Multiwinia - Presented by Mark Morris and Andy Bainbridge, Introversion.

"Darwinia will remind you why you love gaming so much." PC Gamer 90% A unique look into the creation of this incredible game - designed and developed entirely by three guys in their spare time. This Game Screening also includes the first viewing of the follow-up release - Multiwinia.

4.00pm - PREMIERE - Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - Presented by Mike Jacob, Buena Vista Games.

Embark on a fantasy adventure beyond the wardrobe and enter the universe of Narnia. Mike will show how top games developer - Traveller's Tales, creators of Lego Star Wars^TM - have added unique gaming designs based on the blockbuster film due for release later this year. Hear about how the talent of the movie-makers and game-makers have been blended to create a unique and exciting gaming experience.

5.00pm - PREMIERE - Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit - Presented by David Braben, Frontier Developments and Rachael Carpenter, Aardman Animation.

Industry legend David Braben and Rachael Carpenter (Aardman Animations) showcase their unique collaboration on 'The Curse of The Were-Rabbit' based on Wallace and Gromit's new film due for release this autumn. The game sees the dynamic claymation duo pitted against the sinister Were-Rabbit and other shadowy adversaries, and allows the player to explore and interact with the locations and characters from the film.

Saturday 13th August

11.00am - Made in Scotland: Scotland is the new Japan - Presented by Brian Baglow

For years, Scotland has been home to a thriving technical and artistic development community that has created the world's biggest and best selling games. Find out how Scotland is putting its unique view of the world at the centre of gaming.

11.30am - PREMIERE - Nintendo: The Legend of Zelda^®: Twilight Princess - Presented by Marko Hein, Nintendo

This is the UK debut of the all-new release in the Zelda epic - The Legend of Zelda: Twighlight Princess. This gritty, sweeping adventure will set a new standard for videogames with vast landscapes, stunning visuals and amazing new gameplay that allows players to control the main character, Link, whether he travels on foot, on horseback or on all fours in lupine form! This is the big one! This is a must see!

2.00pm - Culture: Machinima - Presented by Paul Marino and Hugh Hancock

Machinima puts film making within the grasp of the masses by using PCs and computer game technology to create films and special effects sequences without expensive camera equipment or crippling 3D packages - Machinima was used to develop the running storyboards for Spielberg's AI and George Lucas' Star Wars: Episode 1. Find out how people are making their own great looking movies with a simple PC and a lot of know how

3.00pm - Insiders guide: How to Simulate the world - Presented by Clive Roberts, Deep Red.

How to create a believable virtual gaming world, from the bustling, cosmopolitan city of present day Manhattan as seen in the forthcoming Tycoon City: New York from Atari, to the heart of ancient Europe in the upcoming Heart of Empire: Rome from Deep Silver.

4.00pm - Mobile gaming: 20 greatest games

Not all mobile games are the same. See the best 20 and find out what makes a mobile gaming must-have.

5.00pm PREMIERE - Nintendo: Nintendogs - Presented by Marko Hein, Nintendo

Nintendogs is set to be the latest craze to sweep the country. Having already launched in Japan and the States, it has been named as responsible for tripling Nintendo DS sales in its first week in Japan. Nintendogs lets users choose an extremely realistic puppy and form emotional bonds with it using the touch screen and microphone. With a little practice, users can train their puppies to respond to their voice commands and reacts just like a real puppy!

Sunday 14th August

10.30am - Insiders Guide: How to get into games - Presented by Rebecca Thompson, Channel 4 IDEASfactory

Want to join the exciting world of making games? Better book your place early for this session.

11.30am - PREMIERE - Battalion Wars - Presented by Mark Washbrook and Andy Trowers, Kuju Entertainment

Kuju presents the amazing Battalion Wars - an exciting blend of action and tactics for the Nintendo GameCube. Discover the secrets to how this game was made.

2.00pm - Made in Scotland: Dare to be Digital

Enjoy some home grown gaming talent with this showcase of the new wave of Scottish games talent. Dare to be Digital http://www.daretobedigital.com is a game design competition open to College and University students supported by EIEF.

Matt Carroll, Director of Festival Screenings comments "With the enthusiasm of publishers and developers participating in the 2005 Games Screenings programme, this is an exclusive opportunity for the public of all ages and tastes to discover and see what these amazing creative people bring to the most exciting industry in the world - and one in which Scotland has excelled. We've brought the creators - now we need the people to come judge for themselves! Find out what it is all about and get yourself to a Game Screening!"

Full details of all the Game Screenings at this year's Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival can be found at www.eief.co.uk. Tickets for Game Screenings are just £3.00* for each 45 minute session. Book your place now 24/7 on 08700 600 100 or online at www.ticketweb.co.uk. *Advance tickets - add 10% of face value. No extra charge for collection at box office at EICC or cash purchases. Add £1.50 per transaction for postal delivery. Some games may be rated 18+ and children must be accompanied by an adult or guardian.

Ends

For further information please contact Taylor Herring Brand Communications

Justin Crosby T: 020 8206 5151 E: justin.crosby@taylorherring.com

Naomi Segal T: 020 8206 5157 E: naomi.segal@taylorherring.com

Keef Sloan T: 020 8206 5151 E: keef.sloan@taylorherring.com

Notes to Editors

• The Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival is a jointly owned venture between the Independent Game Developers Association (TIGA) www.tiga.org and the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) www.elspa.com. Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian supports the Festival as part of its backing of the creative and digital industries, which are key sectors for Scotland.

• The Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival's aim is to increase the awareness and understanding of interactive entertainment and its place at the heart of popular culture, highlighting the growing bond between video games and other entertainment industries notably music, literature, television and film.

• THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, NARNIA, and all book titles, characters and locales original thereto are trademarks of C.S. Lewis Pte Ltd. and are used with permission. ® Disney/Walden