Takahashi stretches out for GameCity/BAFTA Vision Statement

24th July 2007. Nottingham, UK.

GameCity today announces Namco Bandai designer Keita Takahashi as their 2007 Vision Statement speaker. The unique creative genius behind the original title Katamari Damacy and recently announced Nobi Nobi Boy will deliver the 2007 GameCity Vision Statement, sponsored by BAFTA, on Saturday 27th October at Nottingham's Broadway Media Centre.

Keita Takahashi, a formally trained artist, commented, "I haven't had the chance to consider my plans for the day just yet but I'm definitely ready to enjoy myself! I'm hoping to share some of my works at the event so let's hope everyone can join me in October!"

Established in 2006 at the inaugural GameCity festival, the Vision Statement event is a platform for uniquely personal, creative perspectives from within the videogame industry. In 2006, Lorne Lanning gave an incisive and enormously well-received speech, detailing his perspective on the potential of videogames before announcing his new Hollywood movie 'Citizen Siege'.

Festival director, Iain Simons said, "We're enormously excited that Keita has chosen to participate in the GameCity festival and deliver the Vision Statement keynote. This really is a unique opportunity for gamers to spend some quality time in the company of one of the most exciting developers working today."

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is the UK's leading organisation dedicated to the recognition and promotion of excellence in the fields of the moving image. Renowned for its high profile Film and Television Awards ceremonies, the prestigious BAFTA mask has long been seen as a symbol of excellence. The Academy is now committed to the development of the contemporary art form of video games, and to lending equal weight to its British Academy Video Games Awards as that given to film and television.

Kam Kandola, Regional Programmer for BAFTA commented, âBAFTA is tremendously excited to be working with GameCity on our second Vision Statement following on from the British Academy Video Games Awards which are taking place on 23rd October in London. Opportunities for the public to meet with industry leaders such as Keita are very valuable and we are delighted to be continuing to help to bring the creative excellence behind video games closer to the people that play them. This event is part of our BAFTA in the Regions programme which is all about celebrating the very best in the fields of the moving image to as wide an audience as possible, and weâre looking forward to another great BAFTA Video games event at GameCity.â

GameCity is the only event in the UK to bring developers, students and lovers of interesting culture together in Indian restaurants, and this year promises to continue shattering expectations of what a videogame festival could be. Taking place across an entire city, the festival happens in a huge variety of venues - from cinemas, to market squares, to restaurants, cafes, schoolsâ¦

GameCity is all about celebrating the culture and development of videogames, specifically bringing the people who make them into contact with the people who play them - and who want to make them. Students from Universities across the UK will be attending in their droves to question, probe and applaud the developers taking part.

With the full programme yet to be announced, GameCity can promise the participation of some extraordinary talents. Developers already involved include Frontier, Freestyle Games, Travellers Tales, Free Radical Design, Mode 7, SCEE and more are signing up daily.

Importantly from an Industry point of view, GameCity is perhaps the most visible example yet of the public sector stepping up and explicitly supporting an industry so often under attack. Iain Simons, festival director commented, âWeâre delighted with the support that the festival has gained from the City of Nottingham and its lead partner, Nottingham Trent University. It feels like a real milestone on the journey to mainstream culture for interactive entertainment that an event like this can happen at all.â

GameCity 2007 happens all across Nottingham from the 24th - 28th October, 2007.

Register for updates at : www.gamecity.org

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About GameCity:

   * In 2006, over 3000 people attended over 40 events over four days.

   * GameCity is created by a unique partnership between the Games Industry and the public sector, in particular Nottingham City and lead partner Nottingham Trent University.

   * GameCity takes place each year during October half-term week.

âIt looks like our industry might have found its first Sundance. GameCity is a unique approach to a videogame festival that seems long overdue..â - said Lorne Lanning.

âGameCity shows us how a videogame shindig should be runâ - said EDGE.

â..promises to be the most inventively programmed new arts festival of the year..â - said The Times.

Last year, B-Boys taught kids how to dance in an abandoned nightclub, Sonic drank tea at his birthday party (with cakes by the W.I.), Lorne Lanning announced his new movie before going on to moan with Dave Doak and Jonathan Smith in an Indian Restaurant and Richard Jacques performed âSEGA:A Retrospectiveâ on solo piano in a candle-lit 14th Century church. This year however, GameCity has resolved to be far less conservative in its programming.

GameCity is delighted to talk to any developers or publishers who might want to feature work at the festival. With a whole host of opportunities available, youâre urged to get in touch as quickly as possible with some brilliant ideas.