SAN FRANCISCO - British Columbia's thriving video game and interactive technology sector is taking centre stage at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.

GDC is the world's largest video game industry event, drawing approximately 23,000 programmers, artists, producers, game designers and business decision-makers from Asia, Europe and around the globe. Over 40 B.C. companies and organizations are actively involved at this year's conference.

The expo floor at San Francisco's Moscone Center features a distinctive B.C.-branded booth, including game-inspired artwork by artist Michael Miller, to promote the province as a creative hub of businesses and institutions at the forefront of interactive technology.

British Columbia will be in the spotlight tonight at a networking reception that will bring together B.C. professionals and key international contacts. Senior Trade Commissioner John Zimmerman of the Consulate General of Canada (San Francisco/Palo Alto) will open the event, which is being supported by the Ministry of International Trade and Creative BC, the Vancouver Economic Commission, Invest Kelowna and the Government of Canada. The keynote speaker will be Aaron Davies, director of developer relations at Oculus VR, the makers of a next-generation virtual reality headset called Rift that is generating world-wide interest and new opportunities for B.C.'s game development community.

Throughout GDC 2014, British Columbia's U.S.-based trade and investment team is working with the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service and its partners, Telefilm Canada and Export Development Canada, on an international matchmaking program to connect B.C. companies with buyers and publishers from Asia, Europe and the United States.

British Columbia is an international hub for console, social and mobile game production, and for interactive marketing, e-learning and app design. The province offers comprehensive infrastructure with full studios and equipment, targeted incentives, and a deep well of talent, research, and training. B.C. is home to five sector-related centres of excellence, including the Centre for Digital Media, which offers graduate degrees in digital media and connects its students with studios and developers to work on collaborative projects.

For a complete list of B.C. companies and organizations at GDC 2014, see the attached backgrounder.

Learn More:

Game Developers Conference 2014: http://www.gdconf.com/

Find out more about the province's technology sectors at BritishColumbia.ca: http://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/industry-sectors/technology/film,-television-and-digital-media.aspx

DigiBC, the industry association for digital media and wireless companies in B.C.: http://digibc.org

Quotes:

Teresa Wat, Minister of International Trade and Minister Responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism -

"British Columbia's video game and interactive technology sector is world-renowned, and we are working to connect our businesses and institutions with new international opportunities and partnerships. Each new connection at an event such as the Game Developers Conference can help our studios, developers and schools open up new markets and thrive on the international stage."

Wolfgang Hamann, president and CEO, Koolhaus Games Inc. -

"The Game Developers Conference in San Francisco is the one 'not to miss' event on our calendar each year. Thousands of companies from around the world, large and small, meet to exchange ideas in order to make better games in an ever-expanding and changing marketplace. At Koolhaus, we appreciate the efforts and support that the B.C. and federal governments provide in promoting the Canadian video game industry to the rest of the world."

Media Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of International Trade
and Ministry Responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism
778-977-0298

BACKGROUNDER

B.C. companies and organizations attending Game Developers Conference 2014

• Annex Pro
• Battlefy
• Catchy Consulting
• Cebas Visual Technology
• Centre for Digital Media
• Creative BC
• DHX Media
• DigiBC
• DJArts Games
• East Side Games
• Electronic Arts
  
• Emily Carr University of Art + Design
• Gaslamp Games
• Hellbent Games
• Hothead Games
• Infobip
• InLight Entertainment
  
• Interdimensional Games
• Invest Kelowna
• Ironic Iconic Studios
• IUGO Mobile Entertainment
• Klei Entertainment
• Koolhaus Games
• Moonbase Designs
• Nerd Corps Entertainment
• Newington Group Holdings
• One Bit Labs
• Piranha Games
• Relic Entertainment
• Roadhouse Interactive
• Saturn Animation Studios
• Shailah Interactive
• Shiny Plus
• Square One Games
• The Sequence Group
• The Third Floor
• ThreeWave Software
• V7 Entertainment
• Vancouver Animation School
• Vancouver Economic Commission
• WTFast

Media Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of International Trade
and Ministry Responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism
778-977-0298