UK: Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2009

Dates Announced For Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2009; Partnership With Abertay University; Call For Speakers

Tuesday 3rd February 2009/… The Edinburgh Interactive Festival (EIF) today confirmed the dates for this year’s festival. The games festival will take place during the Edinburgh Festival in the week of 10th – 16th August 2009 in Edinburgh’s City centre. The world’s biggest arts festival embraces the increasing popularity, influence, growth and cultural impact of video and computer games. Importantly, the festival also offers the vibrant games and creative industries sector in Scotland the chance to demonstrate its impact both locally and around the world.

Having firmly secured itself on the gaming calendar, EIF organisers are once again inviting decision makers from game development, publishing and hardware as well as media, government, film, TV, and broader entertainment industries to participate in the world’s only cultural games festival. With a history of exciting, relevant and provocative content, the EIF is also inviting potential speakers to step forward and share their wealth of experience and expertise.

The Festival will also continue partnership with Abertay University and its Protoplay event which showcases new games talent as part of its Dare to be Digital programme.

EIF Chairman, Chris Deering said: “Edinburgh is electric with creative energy at during the Festival, which enhances the spirit of networking that attendees always cite as their reason for returning to EIF each year. The Content Committee is organizing the most creative and enlightening line-up of Conference Sessions in EIF history, looking at new frontiers in game design, and new mobile game devices as well as the expanding role of community in on-line gaming. There will be some amazing demonstrations as part of the ever popular and unique EIF Screenings and the some new business issues discussed in panels. Edinburgh attracts “thinkers” and the “vision seekers” from all facets of the interactive industry and stimulates ingenuity, which is critical in the new ‘post bubble’ age”.

Paul Durrant, Director of Business Development at Abertay University, said: “Abertay University has worked closely with EIF over the past two years and Dare ProtoPlay has attracted a new audience profile in their thousands. We plan to build on our involvement this year to bring an even wider range of our projects to excite and entertain delegates and public visitors alike.”

EIF 09 will seek to further expand the creative culture and significance of games with a stimulating mix of sessions on the frontiers of interactivity, including discussions.

Historically the most popular aspects of EIF have been the Screenings Sessions, which will once again offer delegates and members of the public alike the opportunity to catch an early glimpse of some of the year’s hottest titles. With several key games already secured, Screenings opportunities are still available but the advice is to apply early to avoid disappointment!

The EIF also works with students who have a passion for the creative culture of gaming entertainment and are keen to secure a career within the industry.

Check out the feedback and event footage from EIF 08: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FpazfKYSKcM

Please submit papers for the Edinburgh Interactive Festival conference to Wendy Rosenthal at wendy@hyperentertainment.com

Screening Submissions should be directed to screenings@edinburghinteractivefestival.com

For more details about partnership opportunities please contact jodie.holdway@edinburghinteractivefestival.com

Press enquiries should be directed to tom.sargent@bhpr.co.uk or sarah.hartland@bhpr.co.uk

Ends.

About Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2009
Now celebrating its seventh year, the Edinburgh Interactive Festival is powered up to showcase the continued popularity, growth and influence of video games. And this year, the Interactive Festival is more synchronised with the world famous Edinburgh Festival than ever, appealing to the press, public and professionals from film, television and interactive media backgrounds alike, offering a bigger event for delegates, more consumer focusing – an overall spectacle for all.

EIF 2009 will again host a Free Game Play and Recruitment areas specifically tailored to cater for the public – allowing them access to the latest games and job opportunities in games.

As ever, the Interactive Festival wouldn’t be complete without the cornerstones of conferences, keynotes, panel sessions, debates, games screenings and even more people than ever jostling to get through the doors.

The Edinburgh Interactive Festival is managed by a committee drawn from all areas of the games industry, including publishers, developers and the two industry trade bodies: The Independent Game Developers Association (TIGA) www.tiga.org and the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) www.elspa.com.