The annual Games Convention Asia (http://www.gc-asia.sg) event concluded on the 20^th September.  It was held in Singapore at Suntec Singapore International Convention&Exhibition Centre. The public exhibition and business centre had a participation of over 80 stalls from 11 countries. Major industry players like Microsoft, Electronic Arts, IAHGames, Cherry Credits, Replay Interactive showcased their latest games. Upcoming game companies were also present to showcase their talent and make a mark in the gaming field.

Delegates at the opening ceremony.

Countries that took part included China, Malaysia, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore and Sri Lanka from Asia. It was the first time that a Sri Lankan company was represented at a Games exhibition and GTS took the honour of being the first company to do so.

GTS stall at exhibition

GTS was able to showcase a few published games and a few upcoming games. The first Sinhala mobile game ‘Colombo Ride’ was showcased at the event and a large number of business participants were overwhelmed by the idea behind the game. A few demo levels of the game ‘Saradiel’ was also on display for the Xbox360 enthusiasts. ‘Aba Hatana’ and ‘Colombo WTC Challenge’ were other games showcased at the event.

Managing Director of GTS W.G.T.Fernando in discussion with Parul Sharma from Hansoft AB, Sweden.

Kimberley Ong, Chief Operating Officer from Expara in discussion with MD of GTS.

A large number of participants from over 15 countries visited the GTS stall and were happy to see Sri Lankan talent being showcased. It was a joy to see the positive feedback given towards our work and our country. It was also an ideal platform for partnerships and a number of business meetings took place for GTS to link with game publishers. (More information on these partnerships would be revealed once the negotiations are complete).

A keen gamer enjoys a game created by GTS

Microsoft premiered the full version of Forza Motorsport 3, the upcoming triple-A Xbox 360 title developed by Turn 10, and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Singapore-based Matchmove Games launched its new online game distribution platform (www.matchmovegames.com) at GCA.

A gamer has a first experience of Forza Motorsport3

Some quotes from GCA 2009

Ian Livingstone, Life President, Eidos:

"I was very pleased to attend the conference, meet local developers, visit studios and find out what the latest gaming and technology trends are in Asia. It was also great to meet officials to find out more about how the government is supporting its growing games industry in Singapore."

Takahiro Murakami, Executive Producer, Electronic Arts Japan:

"It has been an interesting journey for me at GCA 2009, being a speaker at D.I.C.E. Summit Asia and Students' Day. It has given me an opportunity to not only meet and share experiences with other luminaries in the global gaming industry but also interact with students eagerly seeking a career in gaming."

W.G.T. Fernando, Managing Director, Gamos Technology Solutions (GTS):

"This is our first year participating at GCA. During the convention thus far, we've met a wide variety of companies from countries like Indonesia, India, Korea and Thailand who have shown interest in our offerings. As a regional platform, it's a good starting point and a great opportunity for companies to gain exposure."

D.I.C.E Summit Asia

D.I.C.E (Design Innovate Communicate Entertain) Summit Asia also took place in conjunction with GCA 2009. At the inaugural D.I.C.E Summit Asia, the importance of creativity in gaming was discussed in five keynote sessions by leaders of the interactive entertainment industry. More than 200 attendees of the forum listened to Masaya Matsuura (NanaOn-Sha), Eundo Chae (Wizet Studio, Nexon Korea), Yasuhide Kobayashi (Japan Studio, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios), Takahiro Murakami (Electronic Arts) and Chris Taylor (Gas Powered Games) on the first day.

The various aspects of developing a video game from creating IP through to financing, pitching and global outsourcing were covered on the second day at GC Asia Conference. More than 450 delegates attended keynote sessions and panel discussions offered by 50 international speakers. Keynotes from Tetsuhiko Yasuda (Sony Computer Entertainment Asia), Scott Foe and Ian Livingstone (Eidos) as well as panel discussions examined the trends, opportunities and challenges driving this business in the Asia Pacific region.

About Games Convention Asia/GC Asia Conference (Extracted from http://www.gc-asia.sg)

Founded in 2007, the GCA Games Convention Asia is the only business platform for developers, publishers, distributors, manufacturers and service providers of the games industry, focusing on interactive entertainment, infotainment, edutainment, hardware and the latest server technologies for the entire Asia-Pacific region. The event takes place over four days in Singapore and is organized by Leipziger Messe International Asia Pte Ltd., a subsidiary of Leipziger Messe. The innovative concept, consisting of the four pillars of exhibition, a business center, matchmaking area, and GC Asia Conference, attracted more than 92,000 visitors to the Suntec Singapore International Convention&Exhibition Centre in 2008. The GC Asia Conference, the only game developer conference in the Asia-Pacific region, allows developers and industry experts to exchange knowledge and know-how in panels and lectures and grow their international networks of business connections. For more information, please visit: http://www.gc-asia.sg