Games Consoles Link-up With TV Announced

A far-reaching partnership that will bring the games sector together with the TV industry has been revealed.
Edinburgh Interactive - part of the Edinburgh Festival - and the Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival (MGEITF) announced plans for the link-up in early February.
They announced that on 26th August - the eve of the TV Festival and the closing day of Edinburgh Interactive - the two will host the first ever creative industries event for television and games, providing an insight into technologies.
It will also bring the decision makers from games and television together for the first time.
The MGEITF Futureview Keynote Address will be given by a games industry leader, with Edinburgh Interactive hosting a Keynote Address from television.
There will also be a Creative Masterclass at MGEITF which will bring together games developers and creatives to discuss the game development process and to explore what the opportunities may be for co-development of interactive TV and games formats.
There are 13 million new generation static games consoles in UK homes (Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox and Sony Playstation 3), giving access to games, the Internet, dedicated content channels and either the BBC iPlayer or Sky Player.
With TV formats such as I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, Countdown, Family Fortunes and Ready Steady Cook already available as Nintendo Wii and DS games, it is only a matter of time before the TV industry will develop new games formats for next generation 3D HD TVs with integrated console and internet access, a spokesman said, noting that games are already becoming "a major driver for digital entertainment usage, particularly on the internet and mobile phone platforms".
Chris Deering, Chairman of Edinburgh Interactive, said: "Games have had a significant effect on the use of the television in the home.
"Over the last 12 months this has moved on dramatically with recent research showing that 10% of all BBC iPlayer requests are being driven by games consoles. The debate between the two industries has not yet begun; it will begin in August at Edinburgh Interactive and MGEITF."
Also commenting, Deborah Turness, Editor of ITV News and Advisory Chair of the MGEITF Advisory Committee, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to explore joint format development between television and games and is a natural evolution driven by major advances in technology.
"In bringing together executives from these two entertainment industries to discuss, network and share ideas, we place both Festivals at the centre of a new global debate in Edinburgh."
Edinburgh Interactive takes place on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th August and MGEITF takes place between Friday 27th August and Sunday 29th August.
(BMcC/GK)