Meet the Games Press & App Tech Media Event

Event:  LAUNCH: Meet the Games Press & App Tech Media Event
Date:     Wednesday 4th April 2012
Venue: Birmingham Science Park Aston, Faraday Wharf, Holt Street, Birmingham. B7 4BB.

Birmingham Science Park Aston are delighted to welcome you to “Meet the Games Press & App Tech Media” event taking  place in Birmingham on Wednesday 4th April 2012.  The event is kindly sponsored by:

Meet The Press!
One of the best ways to generate interest in your latest product is to get media coverage about your game or games business.  Unbiased media coverage by respected media in the online and physical press can have a huge impact on your business.

So how do we get the journalists excited to write your story?  What makes them tick?  How has the media world changed?  How important is twitter, Linked-in and many forums and blogs.

To answer these questions, we have assembled a panel of game-media giants and industry experts to tell you about how they view the world.  Find out what makes them buzzing, what they want to write about, and what annoys them!  The panel will be on hand to provide one-to-ones and presentations to inform attendees on how they operate.

Lunch (not included in price) is available in the onsite facilities at Faraday Wharf

The main event will run from 10am-1.30pm and press meetings will take place between 2-3.30pm

Following the presentations, members of the press have agreed to pre-arranged  ‘speed’ meetings lasting 10-15 minutes.  If you would like to have a private meeting(s) with members of the press, we need you to supply some further details on your company.  This information will be sent to the press to allow them to select the businesses they wish to meet.  We will confirm with you by 21st March if you have been selected.  Please be assured that the information you supply will be treated as confidential and will only be sent to the press/ speakers taking part in the event.  Please keep your answers brief and to the point.  We cannot guarantee you will be selected for meetings, this is dependant on the information you provide when registering. 

Will Freeman, Video Games Journalist. Develop Magazine (Editor), The Observer (reviews)

Respected journalist leads the essential industry magazine as editor of Develop.  Will drives the publication’s editorial direction and has day-to-day responsibility for the print magazine, reporting to editor-in-chief Michael French.  London-based Freeman joined Develop in December 2008 as staff writer and became deputy editor in March 2010. Will also writes about games every week for UK broadsheet The Observer. www.develop-online.net   

Matt Martin, Editor of GamesIndustry.biz at Eurogamer Network Ltd

Matt has been with GamesIndustry.biz since in August 2006, and was promoted to editor in September 2008 with responsibility for the entire editorial content and day to day running of the site.  Matt has over ten years experience in journalism, working in-house and freelance for a variety of trade, business to business and consumer publications from Informa Group, Intent Media, Future Publishing, Imagine Publishing and Tudor Rose, amongst others.  His work has appeared in a diverse selection of publications including MCV, Finance on Windows, Television Business International, PlayStation Gamer, Xbox World, PC Retail, Prime, Reach, i-D and Hip Hop Connection.    www.gamesindustry.biz

Richard Eddy, Director of Communications at Codemasters

Rich has been the Director of Communications at Codemasters since 2003 managing global communications for video games including DiRT, Dizzy and F1 2011. Codemasters is an award winning games developer and publisher with a 25-year heritage and annual revenues in excess of US$ 150 Million. Our popular game brands include DiRT, GRID, Cricket and Operation Flashpoint.  The company also retains the exclusive worldwide video game rights to FORMULA ONE.  Around the world, Codemasters employs over 500 people in development and publishing.  We have  two development studios in the UK– one at our Warwickshire HQ with a further site in Birmingham.  An additional art studio is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  www.codemasters.com
 

Keith Stuart, Guardian, Games Correspondent

Keith is lead games correspondent for The Guardian newspaper and a veteran technology journalist.  He regularly writes for industry bible Edge as well as the Official PlayStation Magazine and The Observer.  Keith has also covered games and consumer technology for T3, FHM, Sleaze Nation, PC Gamer, Games Master and PSM3.  He has chaired discussions on game culture at the Bradford Animation Festival, Bafta, Gamescom and GameCity.  www.guardian.co.uk/technology/games  

 Alex Wiltshire, Online Editor, Edge Magazine at Future Publishing

Alex edits Edge’s website, having previously been the magazine’s deputy editor, and contributes to all aspects of the publication.  He developed his journalism and writing career on the launch editorial team of design and architecture magazine Icon and as an editor on the Channel 4 website.  He has also written about videogames, design and architecture for publications including New Statesman, PC Gamer, Official Xbox Magazine, Design Week, Gamesmaster and The Architects’ Journal. 

Natalie Griffith, Head of PR & Marketing, Blitz Games Studios

Natalie joined Blitz Games Studios in 2000 to establish the company’s PR and marketing department and now heads up the company’s PR, marketing and communications strategies, with particular focus on business development, recruitment and internal communications. Varied games industry experience prior to her time with the company includes over five years as Editor of the Official Nintendo Magazine Australia, two years in the marketing design department at Codemasters, and three years for contract publishing house Catalyst Publishing where she wrote and designed a variety of game publications for Nintendo, Sega, THQ and others.  www.blitzgamesstudios.com

Keith Andrew, Deputy Editor, PocketGamer.biz

Keith is a freelance writer, currently serving as PocketGamer.biz’s Deputy Editor, but also working for PocketGamer.co.uk, Games TM, ElectricPig.co.uk and GameZebo, amongst others. Specialties include ability to write large amounts of copy, daily. Can also manage about 20 cups of coffee a day. www.pocketgamer.biz

Parking:  Car parking at Faraday Wharf is £5 for a token purchased from Faraday reception. Please bring change!

By Train: – Come into Birmingham Moor Street (nearest station with Chiltern Railways, London to Bham from £25 rtn), or Birmingham New Street Station or Snow Hill Station. It takes about 5 mins via taxi and will cost under £10 to reach the Science Park. Or you can walk which will take about 15-20 mins (circa 1.1 Mile or 2000 steps).

Hotels: please visit the Venue Page

Delegate List (as of 17/2/12):

• Philippe Ingels, CEO, GrinLock Ltd
• Nick Clarkson, Communications Manager, Team 17
• Philip Tossell, Game Creator, Nyamyam Ltd
• Jennifer Schneidereit, Game Creator, Nyamyam Ltd
• Nia Wearn, Senior Lecturer, Staffordshire University
• Paul Virapen, Managing Director, Big Pixel Studios
• Will Luton, Creative Director, Mobile Pie
• Andrew Roper, Programmer, IndieSkies
• John White, Managing Director, 4T2 Multimedia Ltd
• Matt Morris, PR & Marketing Manager, Moshen Ltd
• James Wood, Creative Director, OOP!™ Games Studio Ltd
• Charlie Horn, Creative Director, OOP!™ Games Studio Ltd
• Philip Bulley, Creative & Development Director, 2Fold20 Play Ltd
• Neill Watson, CEO, 2Fold20 Play Ltd
• Martin Caine, Indie Developer, Retroburn Games
• James Woodrow, Director, Utopian World of Sandwiches
• Mark Steadman, App Director, Flaming Tarball
• Cliff Dennett, Commercial Director, SoshiGames
• Kevin Corti, CEO, SoshiGames
• Jeff Coghlan, Director, Matmi New Media Design Ltd
• Stewart Morton-Collings, New Business & Development, Matmi New Media Design Ltd
• Jude Ower, CEO, PlayMob
• Caroline Howes, COO, PlayMob
• John Sear, Co-Founder, wallFour
• Kieran Nee, Director, Bit By Bit Games
• Matthew Hanlon, Director, Bit By Bit Games
• David Bozward, Director, dojit
• Keith Andrew, News Editor, PocketGamer.biz
• Alex Wiltshire, Editor, Edge Online
• Keith Stuart, Games Correspondent, The Guardian
• Matt Martin, Editor, GamesIndustry.biz
• Natalie Griffith, Head of PR & Marketing, Blitz Games Studios
• Rich Eddy, Director, Communications, Codemasters Software Co. Ltd
• Will Freeman, Editor, Develop Magazine
• Matthew Hidderley, Business Development Manager, Birmingham Science Park Aston
• Joe Barron, Community Evangelist, Kwalee Ltd
• Bruce Everiss, Chief Marketing Officer, Kwalee Ltd
• Lizzie Stabler, Brand Evangelist, Kwalee Ltd
• Ramin Z, Software Engineer, Independent Developer