NEWS
Trion picks Burns as European GM
Former EA and Atari veteran joins “one of the most exciting online companies today”
LEADER
IS E3 STILL RELEVANT IN AN EVOLVING MARKET?
MUCH of the attention around E3 unsurprisingly focuses on the core industry’s manufacturers and the innovations they debut at the show. As they open proceedings these days with their increasingly lengthy, increasingly hyped and increasingly pivotal press conferences, that’s not unfair.
But the more defining stories these days aren’t what the specialist press is obsessed with, but what’s going on amongst the third-party publishers. The increasingly platform agnostic publishers, that is. This is a prevailing theme this year and in the years to come. Because while the market arguably craves new games devices like whatever touchy-feely new approach Nintendo or the NGP will offer, the people that make games are spreading their bets. The ‘big three’ of Activision, EA and Ubisoft will be showing the
by Michael French
JOHN BURNS has been appointed as SVP and general manager of Trion Worlds Europe.
The online games outfit welcomes the former EA and Atari man to its exec team – he has been consulting for the firm since the start of 2011. He reports to publishing SVP David Reid. Trion only formed its UK base late last year – and the team had already scored a top 20 All Formats hit and PC No.1 with new MMO Rift in March. “John joins Trion with almost two decades of gaming experience with him, and will be essential in our continued success throughout Europe,” commented Reid. “With the launch of Rift earlier this year, we began laying the groundwork for a strong presence in Europe, which will grow as we bring premium, connected games to gamers around the world.”
www.mcvuk.com
Burns previously held roles of GM at Atari and senior director of online publishing at EA.
Burns added: ‘’Trion is one of the most exciting online companies today. With the
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Developing a world class Euro organisation is a key next step for the company. John Burns, Trion Worlds
launch of Riftas a chart topping new online intellectual property and several other high quality online titles in development the company is achieving its strategy of bringing high class connected entertainment to consumers. Developing a world class European organisation to augment and accelerate that strategy is a key next step for the company.” Trion Worlds: 020 7268 3396
likes of Call of Duty Elite, Star Wars The Old Republicand Ghost Recon Onlinerespectively next week, gaming-cum-services deliberately built to fortify a position independent from the console. In fact gaming’s biggest growth engine in recent years isn’t even at E3. Instead Apple’s pitched its own World Wide Developer Conference in the same week as the LA event, 400 miles away in San Francisco. That doesn’t diminish the power of E3, mind. But five or ten years ago people used to say that, given the show’s LA base, our industry should crack into Hollywood as the worlds of static movies and games were purportedly converging. However today, with that white elephant slain, it’s clear the core games world is just one part of a wider tapestry of interactive entertainment across consoles, computers and phones.
YOUR SPECIAL SHOW GUIDE THE themes above are hopefully reflected throughout this special E3 edition of MCV. You’re reading either through a print subscriber edition, our digital iPad version, a PDF download – or one of the many copies distributed at the show itself. We’ve spoken to the top third-parties about where they see the market going. Take-Two talks tablets (p20), LucasArts discusses its revamp (p24) and EA and Activision both address the oncoming Modern Warfarevs Battlefieldwar (p27 and p30). We’ve also got a bounty of market data for you (starting on page 61) and, as usual, the in-depth E3 show guide with maps and advice (p34). Even if the games industry itself is becoming a wider expanse than ever to navigate, MCVcan at least help you get around the E3 show floor with ease. Enjoy.
Michael French June 3rd 2011 5
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