Games Convention in Germany hopes for bigger audience

GC has rejected the radical downsizing at its U.S. counterpart, E3 on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Only 3,000 carefully selected industry insiders were allowed in to the E3 trade show earlier this month.

In Leipzig, a city in formerly communist eastern Germany which has been enthralled by the razzle-dazzle of gaming, more than 200,000 trade visitors and enthusiasts are expected this year after 183,000 a year ago.

The Aug. 23-26 event will have 410 exhibitors from 26 nations, fair chief executive Josef Rahmen said Friday.

Last year, its fifth year, GC had 368 exhibitors. This year, booked space has grown 28 percent to 115,000 square meters at GC, which attracts video- and computer-game fans across borders.

BIU, the German video-games industry association, forecast the fair would promote strong Christmas sales at the end of the year. BIU chief executive Olaf Wolters said interest was growing in the new high-definition games.

“On top of that there is more product available for the new target groups, older people and women,” he said.

The fair comes at a moment when big players in the industry have begun to worry that the games are too fancy.

Just before E3, John Riccitiello, chief executive of Electronic Arts, the largest computer and video game producer, called on companies to appeal more to casual game players.

“We’re boring people to death and making games that are harder and harder to play,” Riccitiello said.

The woes of Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which faces overheating problems, and the low sales of Sony’s PS3 till a deep price cut have also worried the industry. Only Nintendo’s Wii has been a solid success.

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