Ten B.C. mobile gaming companies will showcase their products and services on the international stage at the upcoming Pocket Gamer (PG) Connects conference Jan. 16-17, 2017, in London, England, reinforcing British Columbia’s global reputation as a hub for mobile gaming.

“The Pocket Gamer Connects global-mobile games conference provides a unique opportunity for B.C. gaming companies to connect with buyers and potential partners from all over the world,” said Teresa Wat, Minister of International Trade and Minister Responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism. “Our ministry is committed to helping B.C. businesses take advantage of the opportunities this presents. British Columbia companies will have the chance to showcase their world-class games and make industry connections.”

At this industry flagship event, companies will have access to more than 1,600 developers, investors, publishers, media discussion sessions, networking meetings and events.

British Columbia is home to a growing sub-sector of mobile game developers, many of whom are avid participants in PG Connects. With B.C. emerging as an international gaming hub, the gaming sector benefits from B.C.’s targeted incentives, comprehensive infrastructure and pool of highly-skilled talent.

“Vancouver and all of B.C. has seen huge economic growth in the screen-based industries over the last few years,” said Nancy Mott, executive director of the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC)’s Film & Media Centre. “Our companies are extremely busy with content creation and new tech advances, but they still need to get their content noticed around the world. Industry conferences like PG Connects are an efficient way for companies to grow connections, get exposure for their projects and meet international stakeholders on a global stage. The VEC is proud to play a part in showcasing our remarkable Vancouver-based companies at PG Connects in London.”

The 10 B.C. companies confirmed to attend PG Connects are:

• Archiact
• East Side Games
• Greenstone Initiatives
• Koolhaus Games Inc.
• Motive.io
• Smoking Gun Interactive Inc.
• Steampunk Digital
• Tutela
• V2 Games Inc.
• Work at Play

“Archiact is looking forward to attending PG Connects 2017 in London,” said Derek Chen, president, Archiact. “The event is world-renowned and provides great opportunity for international networking. The B.C. government has been supportive of local Vancouver games companies through initiatives like pass sponsorship, speaking opportunities, and branding.”

In 2016, PG Connects was held for the first time in Vancouver, because of B.C.’s established cluster of video game developers. More than 120 studios are located within the city, producing top-flight games with fans around the world.

“I’m attending PG Connects London to build our connections and push our apps out to an important demographic,” said Joshua Nilson, CEO, East Side Games. “The B.C. government has been a valuable asset to independent studios such as East Side Games as it has helped in networking and match making. I'm really excited to show off our booming game sector in B.C.”

“Smoking Gun Interactive is attending the Pocket Gamer Conference in London as it is an important networking event in the gaming industry.” said John Johnson, CEO/creative director, Smoking Gun Interactive. “The conference allows us to showcase our Vancouver studio to a global audience and create new business opportunities abroad. The support of the B.C. government makes it possible to present our successful products to international investors further establishing our company as a leader in the industry.”

The delegation is organized by the Ministry of International Trade, with support from B.C.’s Trade and Investment Representative Office in London as well as the Vancouver Economic Commission. B.C.’s participation will also help recruit executive visits to B.C. during the summer 2017 PG Connects conference in Vancouver.

Learn More:

For more information on the Pocket Gamers Connect conference visit: http://www.pgconnects.com/

For more information on trade and investment in British Columbia, visit: www.britishcolumbia.ca

The BC Jobs Plan Trade Strategy: www.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplantradestrategy

Find out how international trade is creating new jobs in British Columbia: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca