The Videogames Election
Eurogamer launches video series discussing the games industry with British politicians.
For Immediate Release
Brighton, England, 6th May 2010. As the UK goes to the polls in the tightest general election for a generation, Eurogamer, Europe’s leading independent games media specialist, presents a unique half-hour investigation into the contentious debate between the UK videogames industry and British politicians.
A new documentary series, The Videogames Election, looks beyond the inflammatory headlines of an often-negative mainstream press, highlighting the huge economic and cultural contribution of the UK's biggest entertainment industry.
The first episode in the series, Playing Politics, can be viewed here: https://www.eurogamer.net/videos/the-egtv-show-the-videogames-election-episode-1
Eurogamer TV, the broadcasting arm of Eurogamer.net, Europe’s leading independent videogaming website, has spent six months on the trail of gaming's own political campaign: following the industry's fight for cultural recognition and financial support; its efforts to improve education and protect children; and, alongside some of the biggest names in the games business, tackling leading Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians.
EPISODE 1: Playing Politics [Synopsis]
How well does the UK Government understand gaming? From last November's landmark launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Eurogamer follows the industry's fight for recognition as leading figures explain how Parliament has failed the UK; meets the Labour, LibDem and Tory gaming champions; and provides a unique view on the campaign for games tax breaks, as gaming forces itself onto the political agenda and into the Government's election manifesto.
SERIES INTERVIEWEE LIST
Stephen Timms, Minister for Digital Britain
Ed Vaizey, Conservative Shadow Minister for Culture
Don Foster, LibDem Shadow Secretary of State for Culture
Tom Watson, Labour, West Brom East; Founder, Gamers' Voice
Marc Goodchild, Head of Interactive, BBC Children's
Ian Livingstone OBE, Life President, Eidos
Ray Maguire, Managing Director, Sony Computer Entertainment UK
Keith Ramsdale, VP, General Manager, Electronic Arts UK
Andy Payne, Chairman, ELSPA, Managing Director, Mastertronic
Peter Moore, President, EA Sports
Michael Rawlinson, Director General, ELSPA
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO, TIGA
Shigeru Miyamoto, General Manager, Nintendo EAD
David Braben, Chairman and Founder, Frontier Developments
Peter Molyneux OBE, Creative Director, Microsoft Games Studios Europe
Jonathan Smith, Head of Production, TT Games
David Austin OBE, Senior Policy Adviser, BBFC
Patricia Vance, President, ESRB
Martin Wright, Director, GameLab London
Simon Soffe, Head of Investor Relations, GAME
Dr Matt Capehorn, Clinical Director, National Obesity Forum
Dr Mick Donegan, Director, SpecialEffect
Matt Hampson, Patron, SpecialEffect
For more information about the programme and the Eurogamer Network please contact:
Catherine Channon:
E: cat@eurogamer.net
T: +44 (0) 1273 712 562
M: +44 (0) 7855 444 608
About Eurogamer Network:
Founded in 1999, Brighton-based Eurogamer Network is the publisher of Europe’s most popular independent videogames website, Eurogamer.net. The site is available in eleven languages across Europe. The company also hosts the Eurogamer Expo and publishes the world's market-leading industry resource, GamesIndustry.biz. Its newest launch is Megaton.co.uk, a games site for kids. See www.eurogamer.biz for more information on the company’s products and services.