The Swedish Games Industry form a unified organization
Computer and video games is on the fastest growing entertainment forms in the world. In Sweden the game sales has passed both record sales and cinema sales. The Swedish industry employs over 1000 people in games development and Sweden has a very strong position as one of the ten biggest export countries.
Today the industry in Sweden is represented by two trade organizations: MDTS and Spelplan-Association of Swedish Game Developers. MDTS consists of publishers and distributors meanwhile Spelplan-ASGD represents the developers. Now the two trade organizations join forces and found Swedish Games Industry, which gathers the industry's challenges, responsibilities and communication.
- The progress of games is fast and it's important for industry to keep the pace. The new organization Swedish Games Industry is one way of meeting our increasing responsibility and keeping a clear communication internal within the industry and external to our surrounding. The interest for games is very big and by uniting our resources we can increase our efforts, says Öjje Holt, chairman for Swedish Games Industry and MDTS.
Swedish Games Industry will inform about sales statistics, development questions, employment and computer and video games as culture. The organization will also function as the industry's spokesperson in the public through Per Strömbäck, who has been MD of Spelplan-ASGD and acting MD of MDTS.
- We're in the middle of a change in society were games are the spearhead. As the industry's ambassador we have a pedagogic task to put all this in perspective. That's Swedish Games Industry's mission, says Per Strömbäck, spokesperson at Swedish Games Industry.
Swedish Games Industry's vision is for games to be a natural part of the culture and economy of Sweden. Games should have the same status as other pop-culture; music, tv, movies etc. Games have a huge potential to create employment opportunities and major export earnings. Technique from games could also be used in other commercial applications, virtual worlds, simulations for the industry, education, new forms of art and much more with the imagination as the only limit. Swedish Games Industry works for that potential to become reality.
About Swedish Games Industry
Swedish Games Industry is an organization, which gathers, compiles and communicates the questions and responsibilities for the industry. Swedish Games Industry represents the industry in the public and towards the society.
The organization consists of the trade organizations Spelplan-ASGD and MDTS, which represents developers, producers (Spelplan-ASGD), publishers and distributors (MDTS). Öjje Holt (Microsoft) is chairman and Per Strömbäck is spokesperson.
About MDTS
MDTS is the trade organization for publishers and distributors of interactive entertainment. The board consists of people from the membership companies. Öjje Holt is chairman of the board and Per Strömbäck is acting MD (regular MD Maria Tjärnlund is on maternity leave until 1st August 2007).
About Spelplan-ASGD
Spelplan-Association of Swedish Game Developers is the trade organization for game developers in Sweden. The purpose of the organization is to create a better environment for a steady growth in the industry. The board consists of people from the membership companies. Chairman of the board is Martin Walfisz and Per Strömbäck is MD.
För mer information:
Martin Lindell
Communications
martin.lindell@swedishgameindustry.com
+46(0)706-62 94 96
Per Strömbäck
Spokesperson
per.stromback@swedishgameindustry.com
+46(0)708-43 62 14