Game show to focus on Asian business
SINGAPORE--Many game developers in the United States and Europe are still unaware of the expertise available in Asia that can be tapped on to fulfill their business needs, noted an industry observer.
Jorg Zeissig, managing director of Leipziger Messe International (LMI) Asia, said Games Convention Asia (GCA) 2008 and Games Convention Asia Conference (GCAC) 2008, which will be held in Singapore next month, will aim to help game developers from the East and West find opportunities to collaborate.
"There are good [game] development studios in the region. We connect people [with the aim] to increase value for the industry," Zeissig said at a press conference Thursday to announce details of both shows.
GCA 2008 will run from Sep. 18 to 20, while GCAC 2008 will take place on Sep. 18 and 19.
According to show organizer LMI Asia, GCAC 2008 can act as a platform for Western developers to showcase their products to the Asia-Pacific games industry and source for services or expertise to fulfill their business needs.
LMI said exhibitors at the event will include companies from Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Germany, the United States, Malaysia and China.
Aroon Tan, president of Games Exchange Alliance (GXA), said his organization plans to leverage this year's GCA, which he sees as a meeting of developers, to boost the growth of the region's games industry. GXA aims to help game companies commercialize their game titles and serves as a distribution platform in Asia.
"[The goal is to] develop a game that's going to be consumed all over the world," Tan said at the press conference. "[We can help them] understand what the global market is like."
Chris Soh, president of Singapore Gamers' Association (SGGA), said apart from getting to see the latest gaming products in the Asia-Pacific region, show attendees will also have first-hand understanding of how important the video games industry is to Singapore and Asia.
To further inspire and educate future game developers, GCAC said it will--for the first time--hold a Student's Day on Sep. 20, comprising free lectures for students. Presenters lined up for this event include Joonmo Kwon, CEO of Nexon which developed Kart Rider and Maplestory, and Claude Langlais, technical director of Ubisoft Singapore, which developed the game titled Assassin's Creed.