PARIS – September 19, 2014 – Paris Games Week, the French video game trade fair, boasts its objectives for 2014: become an essential event on the sector’s international calendar. This year’s 5th edition of the trade fair, already one of the world’s top 5 gaming events, will have a new professional appeal through its partnership with Game Connection, the international forum for video game industry professionals since 2001, organised as part of Games Paris and managed by Capital Games. Paris Games Week now federates all the sector’s major players and audiences around a unique and genuinely international event.
The success of one unique trade fair, boosted by the passion for gaming
Created in 2010 on the initiative of SELL (Union of Video Game Publishers), Paris Games Week brings together manufacturers, publishers, studios and training courses and from 29th October to 2nd November 2014 it will be celebrating its 5th edition with over 50,000m² of exhibition space at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre. In 4 years, Paris Games Week has successively positioned itself in the top 5 French trade fairs. It has become a major celebration of video gaming, with a record 245,000 visitors in 2013. The trade fair unites gaming enthusiasts and their families in their passion for video games, introducing new products for the festive season, exclusive product reveals for 2015 and the latest industry trends.
Always focused on the “gaming for all” approach, gamers in the making are also honoured with the Paris Games Week Junior: over 1,200m² dedicated to kids and their parents, where they can test a great number of new products for 3-12 year-olds.
Every year, Paris Games Week federates more industry professionals to offer the public every gaming experience on every platform.
A 5th edition: professional focus and international scope
On the back of its success, Game Connection (29th-31st October) will open its doors to professionals to coincide with Paris Games Week, illustrating its ambition to make the trade fair a huge event for the sector, a showcase for the gaming culture. Game Connection is an international event for video gaming professionals organised within Game Paris and managed by the Parisian Capital Games cluster. There will be several high points during the week:
• Game Connection Europe: leading annual European convention federating the entire professional gaming sector with business and educational content (technical conferences, master-classes, etc.);
• Game Paris Talents: a cycle of conferences on gaming sectors, organised in partnership with the best video gaming schools in France;
• the Ping Awards: 2014 Video Game Design Awards with a prestigious ceremony.
Every year, Paris Games Week federates more industry professionals to offer the public every gaming experience on every platform.
Game Connection Europe 2014
“The entire sector will be at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre at the end of October. By joining forces, Paris Games Week, Game Paris and Game Connection have created an unmissable event on the international video gaming calendar,” » explains Emmanuel Martin, the trade fair’s General Commissioner and SELL’s General Delegate.
France: a prolific industry for a healthy market
The success of Paris Games Week can also be explained by the ascent of the video game industry in France which represents 2.7 billion euros* and nearly 29 million players** in the country, 2nd on the list of cultural goods behind books.
In 2013, the inauguration of PGW by 2 French government ministers, Fleur Pellerin and Dominique Bertinotti then respectively Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Digital Business and Minister for Family Affairs, demonstrates the sector’s importance and significance for the French and European economies. Recognised all over the world for its creativity and excellence, French savoir-faire exports well and video gaming is one of France’s most dynamic industries. The combined actions of the industry and the government enhance and strengthen the French gaming sector. Remember that in Europe, France is the leader in numbers of gamers…
Press Contacts:
Game Connection : Giulia Palmieri, +33 472 444 423, gpalmieri@game-connection.com
Paris Games Week : Anne Sophie Montadier, +33 156 900 824 / +33 167 550 664, as.montadier@sell.fr
Game Paris et Capital Games : Maxime Roy, +33 669 947 146, communication@capital-games.org
About Game Connection:
Game Connection is an international conference that gives video game industry professionals the opportunity to interact, network, and promote their products, services and expertise. Since 2001, key players from the games industry have gathered in Europe and in the US —to meet, do business together, connect with new industry professionals and socialize in a lively environment where business gets done. This business-focused setting is largely enabled by the Game Connection Meeting Application, a unique match-making tool allowing attendees to schedule meetings in advance of the event – thereby effectively optimizing time spent onsite. In 2011, Game Connection launched a program of conferences, workshops, and Master Classes. As part of this program, experts in arts, game design, programming, production, communication and marketing present the latest innovation for consoles, handheld, browser games, social media, digital and mobile stores. Next event: Game Connection Europe 2014 – Paris Expo – Porte de Versailles, October 29-31. For more information: www.game-connection.com
About #PGW – Paris Games Week
Paris Games Week by Coca-Cola Zero* is the largest public video game trade show in France and is organized by SELL (Syndicat des Editeurs de Logiciels de Loisirs). Ranked in the Top 5 Best French shows, this annual event, which hosted 245,000 visitors in 2013, has become a major showcase for the video game industry. The 5th edition, which runs from October 29 to November 2, 2014 in Paris at Porte de Versailles will cover 4 halls (3, 2.2, 2.3 and 7.1) for a total of 50,000m², 50% more space than 2013. Gamers and their families will discover this season’s hottest trends and upcoming video games. Fun for the whole family, Paris Games Week has this year dedicated a large space to Paris Games Week Junior, dedicated to children 3-12 years old. www.parisgamesweek.com
About S.E.L.L. – Syndicat des Éditeurs de Logiciels de Loisirs
S.E.L.L. represents national publishers of video games and entertainment software, including all consumer software not intended for office work. It is composed of thirty members and represents, according to the GfK panel, over 95% of sales in the sector. S.E.L.L. promotes and ensures the collective interests of publishers in the various areas where they are incurred (offline and online) and under various professional, economic, and legal aspects concerning programs, and thus contributes to the structure of the market (classification, promoting the profession, anti-piracy, press, etc.) It is recognized by all professionals, governments, and consumers. S.E.L.L. supports the European PEGI standard, a genuine system of classification for the content of video games offering reliable and easy to understand labels on software packaging. S.E.L.L. represents an attitude of commitment and accountability in the digital entertainment industry. The President of SELL is David Neichel and the Managing Director is Emmanuel Martin. www.sell.fr
About Game Paris:
Game Paris has been the premiere international event for video game professionals since 2011 and is organized by Capital Games. Following its success in 2011, 2012, and 2013, the 4th edition returns on October 29, 2014 and will consist once again of several major events throughout the week: Game Connection Europe, a business convention which brings video game professionals together each year around meetings and professional training (technical lectures and master classes); Game Paris Talents, a circle of conferences for the video game industry, organized in partnership with the best video game schools in France; the Game Paris Awards, a prestigious awards ceremony for video game developers; the Gamificaton Area, organizing meetings between digital and web marketing agencies with development studios and advergaming; and many more. Game Paris is a must-attend event for professionals in the video game industry to expand their network and develop their business and skills. www.game-paris.com
About Capital Games:
Capital Games is the video game association of Paris and Île-de-France. The organization aims to promote the stability of the video game industry by providing regular support to companies in its network. Its actions unite its members in 7 areas: membership services, human resources and training, financing, international openness, marketing and events, ethics and professional conduct, and finally Game Paris. With more than 60 members (developers, publishers, and training organizations), Capital Games is the main point of contact in the Île-de-France region for medium and small enterprises in the industry. The cluster is supported since its inception by the Ile-de-France, the Mayor of Paris, DIRRECTE, Datar, and by the European Union. www.capital-games.org – @capital_games
