COLOGNE COUNTDOWN 2013: THE UKIE PAVILION
Stand of hope and glory
UKIE’s Games Pavilion at Gamescom 2013 will be the trade body’s biggest yet, more than double the size of last year’s stand. Will Freeman asks head of commercial Sam Collins what UKIE has planned for Cologne this year
THIS year’s Gamescom is to be the biggest in the event’s five-year history, making it one of the most significant gatherings on the global games industry calendar. Coupled with sister event GDC
Europe, Gamescom today jostles with E3 for status; something unimaginable when the conference replaced Leipzig’s Games Convention all those years ago. Some of you may even be reading this as you prepare for Gamescom’s throbbing halls. When you arrive, look around and you’ll find it hard to argue that the show doesn’t represent the very best of industry events. Bolstered by the activity around
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Gamescom is for its 2013 iteration welcoming over 600 companies from 40 countries. 275,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, including some 24,500 from within the games industry. And this year UK trade association UKIE is taking a bigger-than-ever realisation of its
www.mcvuk.com
UK Games Pavilion to Gamescom, promoting the diversity and strength of its homeland’s games sector.
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We’ll give companies a hassle-free and cheaper solution than if they went to Gamescom alone.
Sam Collins, UKIE
ALL AROUND THE WORLD Previously the UKIE pavilion has visited Game Connection, San Francisco’s GDC, and former Gamescom gatherings. As with every year previously, for 2013 it will offer a base for UK studios in Gamescom’s Business Area, the heart of the expo’s industry element. For 2013 some 40 games companies have a presence at the UK Games Pavilion, which showcases the diversity and quality of titles made in the UK.
Those involved will be supported with networking and promotional opportunities, some having already received help from UK government’s Trade & Investment department, which assists UK games businesses in attending overseas trade shows and developing international business links.
“This means that companies can access competitively-priced exhibitor packages from UKIE, giving them a hassle-free and cheaper solution than if they went alone,” explains Sam Collins, head of commercial at UKIE. “Also, as the appointed partner for UKTI, UKIE can access grants for UK businesses which, in some cases, means they can secure exhibitor space for free. This means that we’ve saved UK games businesses £45,000 in exhibiting costs on the UK stand at Gamescom.” Glance at the list of companies involved (see ‘UKIE’s UK 42’, p24), and you’ll notice developers, outsourcing specialists, tech outfits, publishers, service providers, recruiters, distributors and legal firms. It’s an impressive rostrum, and one that demonstrates that the United Kingdom remains home to a diverse range of companies within the games sector, from youthful start-ups to industry legends.
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