GDC Europe 2009 to Feature Sessions With Industry Stalwarts Viktor Antonov, Matthias Hellmund, Nils-Holger Henning, Peter Molyneux and Many More

BERLIN, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Game Developers Conference (GDC) Europe 2009 will host several top international speakers including The Building Studio's Viktor Antonov, Matthias Hellmund of Exozet Games GmbH, Bigpoint's Nils-Holger Henning, Lionhead Studios' Peter Molyneux and many more when it convenes as Europe's premier professional event addressing the needs and opportunities for developers and business professionals throughout Europe today. GDC Europe will take place August 17-19 at the Cologne Congress East Center in Cologne, Germany in conjunction with gamescom, the leading game industry European event for consumers, publishers and trade professionals.

Some of the game industry trends under discussion at GDC Europe include the growing market of new audiences for social games and iPhone products, creating new intellectual properties and strong visual identities that define the style of an IP, mobile game development and distribution using smaller teams, digital distribution, using player choice as a game mechanic, and alternative finance and new game development business models. Featured sessions also include international panels that aim to give developers a glimpse into what publishers want with participants from Capcom, Digital Development Management, Disney Interactive, Foundation 9, Jerry Bruckheimer Games, Konami, Microsoft, Namco Bandai and Paramount Pictures.

"There is certainly something for everyone at GDC Europe - we're very proud to have such high level executives and veteran developers speaking on a wide variety of topics and trends that are vital to game developers in Europe," said Frank Sliwka, Vice President European Business Development of Think Services Game Group. "We're excited for our upcoming event which will showcase Europe's strengths and recent accomplishments within our industry as well as serve as a landmark must-attend event for years to come."

GDC Europe will offer a well rounded schedule of forward-looking panels, lectures and keynotes on game development across five tracks: business management, game design, production, programming and visual arts.

Featured speakers and sessions include:

    -- Creating Visual Identity for Games
       Viktor Antonov, Creative Director of The Building Studios

    -- Mobile Impossible: Development, In-House Porting and Distribution
       with a Small Team
       Matthias Hellmund, Head of Mobile Development, Exozet Games GmbH

    -- Choice: The Ultimate Game Mechanic
       Peter Molyneux, Head of Studio, Lionhead Studios

    -- Alternative Finance and New Development Business Models:
       Re-constructing the Value Chain
       Marc Jackson, Managing Director of Seahorn Capital Group
       Risa Cohen, Consultant at RC Productions
       Sean Kauppinen, CEO of International Digital Entertainment Agency
       Kai Bodensiek, Rechtsanwalt, Brehm & v. Moers

    -- Why Have a Publisher for iPhone Products?
       Bob Wallace, Principal of Strategic Alternatives
       Alan Yu, Founder of ngmoco:)
       Sergei Gourskiof of Subatomic Studios
       Joe Wee of Chillingo
       Michael Schade, CEO/Co-Founder of FISHLABS Entertainment GmbH

    -- Ask the Decision Makers: Find Out What Publishers Want And
       How To Get What You Want
       Jeff Hilbert, Founder of Digital Development Management
       John Kavanagh, SVP Interactive of Paramount Pictures
       Jay Cohen, President of Jerry Bruckheimer Games
       Adam Boyes, Director of Development at Capcom
       Careen Yapp, VP Business Development & Licensing of Konami Digital
       Entertainment, Inc.
       Sebastien Motte, Sr. Dir./Worldwide Business Development of Microsoft
       Game Studios
       Chris Charla, VP, Business Development of Foundation 9 Entertainment
       Jean-Marcel Nicolai, Sr. VP, WW Content Organization of Disney
       Interactive Studios
       Zack Karlsson, VP Business Development of Namco Bandai Games America

As previously announced, GDC Europe will also feature keynote addresses by Matias Myllyrinne of Max Payne and Alan Wake developer Remedy, Hilmar Petursson of EVE Online developer CCP, Cevat Yerli of FarCry and Crysis developer Crytek, and Klaas Kersting of German online game leader Gameforge. GDC Europe's early registration rate ends on Midnight July 29. To learn more about the keynotes and speaker line-up, registration and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.gdceurope.com.

About the Think Services Game Group

A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the Think Services Game Group offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, GameCareerGuide.com, WorldsInMotion.biz, GameSetWatch.com, GamesOnDeck.com, SeriousGamesSource.com, the Game Developers Conference®, the Game Developers Conference® Austin, the Game Developers Conference® Europe, the Game Developers Conference® China, GDC Mobile, the Game Career Seminars, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards. To learn more, visit www.tsgamegroup.com.

About Think Services, a division of United Business Media

Think Services connects specialized communities worldwide using educational events, consulting, training, certification, membership, and innovative media. Providing comprehensive opportunities for people to learn from, network with, and inspire each other, Think Services builds strong brands and works within communities to foster a unique affinity with its products and services. The division's flagship products include the Game Developers Conference, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, Game Developer magazine, the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), and HDI. Think Services is a subsidiary of United Business Media, a global media and marketing services company with a market capitalization of more than $1.6 billion. To learn more, visit www.think-services.com.

    MEDIA CONTACT:
               Simon Wondracek, Gerriet Ohls, Europe
               +49 (0)251 7481123
               sw@fragster.de, go@fragster.de

               Ben Veechai, Brian Rubin
               Think Services Game Group, fortyseven communications
               415-947-6280, 212-391-4707
               bveechai@think-services.com, brian@fortyseven.com

    CONTACT GDC EUROPE:
               Frank Sliwka, Vice President European Business Development
               +49 (0)171 1288898
               fsliwka@think-services.com

SOURCE Think Services Game Group

SOURCE: Think Services Game Group

Web site: http://www.tsgamegroup.com/