Mixed debut for games show

FOR A NEW London trade show
launched in something of a hurry,
Games Market Europe can consider
its debut last month a success ? but
more support, particularly from the
retail community, is needed if it is to
flourish.

Amongst the senior industry
executives who enjoyed the sane
environment, where people?s voices
could be heard and focus could be put
on Q4 products and local issues, was
Lisa Morgan, the UK CEO of specialist
retail giant GAME.

?The show was completely different
from E3 in the US, but I actually got a
good feeling from it,? she told games
industry trade weekly MCV.

?Even
though it was a small-scale event, I
bumped into a lot of people while I
was there. For networking, it was
excellent. You only need two or three
good conversations and the thing is
worthwhile. It was not a bells and
whistles show, but there is the
opportunity there to build on the
event for next year.?

More than 40 companies exhibited
at the two-day event, held in the
popular Business Design Centre,
Islington, with total visitor numbers
estimated to be around 1,800.

Most exhibitors were cautiously
optimistic about the event?s future,
but turnout from those working in
retail was clearly disappointing.

?There are a fair number of visitors,
but the people that it?s for haven?t
turned up. The will is there to make
this show a success, but there aren?t
enough retailers,? said Gem?s
marketing director Dean Van Velsen.