ExtendedPlay 2011 is announced today as the Southwest’s first, and only, digital
interactive festival open to the public. It will take place at the National
Marine Aquarium in Plymouth on 3rd – 5th November 2011, and celebrate the
notion of ‘Play’ using digital media. A brainwave of the creative network
Designed in Devon and organised by Ella Romanos, MD of local interactive studio
Remode, the festival will deliver a two-day programme of inspiration and
creativity, showcasing the region’s best talent within the gaming and
interactive industries, while addressing some of the sector’s most current
debates.
The theme for the inaugural festival is “games as a service,”” exploring the
challenges that the gaming industry faces today and in the future in terms of
moving away from the provision of games as a single use product, to persistent
online gaming, downloadable content and MMORPGs, as part of a longer term
service provided to consumers.
The
event will include industry speakers, sessions and a Game Jam for the public,
as well as a Boot Camp for independent gaming studios, stimulating the region’s
interactive industry. The festival will open with a keynote speech from Richard
Wilson, CEO of the UK games industry trade association TIGA, and continue with
panel discussions that will include, Guardian games journalist Keith Stuart,
Channel 4 Education commissioner Jo Twist, Preloaded Creative Director Phil
Stuart, and BAFTA-winning designer Andrew Smith. More speakers and event
information will continue to be announced at www.explay.co.uk.
Ella Romanos, MD of Remode and co-founder
of Extended Play, says, “The team behind Extended Play all live, breathe and
work in games. We are huge fans of Develop Indie Day and Flash on the Beach,
and Extended Play is the result of our vision to create a complimentary annual
event based in the Southwest. We are looking forward to participants creating,
sharing and inspiring each other in what is the fastest growing, and in our
minds, most exciting, sub-sector of creative industries – Games. The programme
is shaping and shifting every day as we accept an ever-growing roster of
inspirational speakers and participants, and we cannot wait to reveal all in
November.””
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO,
TIGA, says, “TIGA’s mission is to serve the interests of game developers and
developer-publishers. All our activities are geared towards helping new
interactive businesses in the UK grow, so I could not be more delighted to be
involved in the first ever Extended Play festival, which will help enable games
businesses to start up, grow and be more successful.””
Press contact:
Pavla
Kopecna |Ladbury PR| pavla@ladburypr.com
0208
969 3934 | 07702 805 887
www.explay.co.uk/press
|
Notes |
About Extended Play
Extended
Play 2011 is the Southwest’s first, and only, digital interactive festival to
celebrate the notion of ‘Play’ using digital media. The festival will deliver a
two-day programme of creative and interactive events, sharing the knowledge and
fun to students, industry and the public, whilst showcasing the best talent the
region has to offer. Extended Play will take place on 3rd – 5th November at the
National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth and is organised by local designers
network, Designed in Devon.
About the Extended Play Boot Camp
The
Extended Play Boot Camp is part of the festival, and a unique opportunity for 20
of the Southwest’s leading and emerging interactive digital development studios
to come together over a period of two days, to explore and create new products
and services that will be leading the interactive, digital and games industry
of the future. More details about the Boot Camp, which is sponsored by the
Creative Industries iNet, will be released soon.
http://www.explay.co.uk/bootcamp.php
About
the Extended Play Games Jam
Also
part of the wider festival, this competitive, yet collaborative method of
community development is a proven way to stimulate and engage those
participating. The region’s indie gaming community will develop games over a
frantic period of two days, which will be showcased to the public with a prize
giving on the final day by MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Oliver
Colville, for all teams involved.
http://www.explay.co.uk/eventinfo.php
About Designed in Devon
Designed in Devon (DiD) is a not for profit
organisation that connects and shares ideas between the design industry and
cultural agencies, national design bodies, higher education institutions and
other key public and private sector organisations. DiD provide a regional
proactive voice and the strategic development for the design industry in the
County. We help to strengthen communications and develop partnerships in the
sector, foster collaborations between the design industry, and link the region
with national and international initiatives and organisations.
About Richard Wilson,
Dr Richard Wilson
is the keynote speaker at Extended Play festival 2011, and CEO of TIGA, the
trade association representing the UK games industry. TIGA’s vision is to make
the UK the best place in the world to do games business, with a focus on three
sets of activities: political representation, generating media coverage and
developing services that enhance the competitiveness of our members. Richard
was previously Director of Communications at the Royal Academy of Engineering
(2006-2008) and Head of Business Policy at the Institute of Directors (1998 –
2006), one of the UK’s leading business representative bodies.