The Definitive Game Developers Conference Serving the Chinese Games Industry Will Also Preview Outreach Activity for the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco

SHANGHAI, China, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Think Services' Game Developers Conference (R) China (GDC China) will host a press conference on Wednesday, March 18 at the Beijing Marriott Hotel announcing that it has secured support from key divisions of the Ministry of Culture, the ministry responsible for managing the China game industry. Philip Chapnick, CEO of Think Services, and GDC Event Director Meggan Scavio will also address the gathering of media and VIPs by giving them a historical overview of the GDC and reaffirming the GDC's commitment to the Chinese game development community and the industry as a whole.

GDC China 2009, to be held in Shanghai, October 11-13, continues in its mission to advance the state of China's game industry by featuring top-quality, unbiased content and incorporating the GDC's global development community perspective. Supported by an advisory board that includes representatives from Shanda, Epic Games China, 9you and DJL International, and endorsed by key government agencies associated with the game industry, GDC China will once again bring the GDC's authoritative content and global reach to the region.

"As someone who runs a studio in China, it is reassuring to see key governmental Ministries now supporting GDC China," noted Paul Steed, President and Chief Creative Officer of Exigent. "The GDC has always been committed to bringing the most relevant learning experience to each of its conferences. I view the GDC's influence as being critical to driving the success of the Chinese game development community, and in turn, the regional games industry."

Building on the success of the 2007 event, the second GDC China will serve as a global extension of the universally respected GDC, held in San Francisco, California each spring, which attracts the most successful and renowned development and industry leaders to each of its events. The GDC China Management Team will be attending next week's GDC (March 23-27) to meet with the most innovative international developers who will not only help to inform the content for GDC China, but will also be invited to speak about the unique game development challenges and opportunities driving the global industry today. Soon after the GDC in San Francisco, GDC China will launch its Call for Papers, welcoming the regional and international development community to share their best practices with the burgeoning Chinese game development market.

"With support from all major government entities and the international game development community as a whole, we are excited to return to Shanghai in October to repeat the success of our launch event in 2007," noted Meggan Scavio, GDC Event Director. "Momentum for GDC China is really growing, and we will further enhance support for the event when we solidify critical relationships with prospective speakers and supporting organizations at GDC in two weeks, launch the call for papers soon after, and hold our second Advisory Board meeting in April."

Earlier this year, two other government agencies officially endorsed GDC China. The Economic and Informatization Commission within the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Administration Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film and TV within the China Ministry of Culture urged relevant industry associations, organizations, and professionals to fully support the organization of GDC China. These influential agencies also indicated that GDC China is critical in driving the success of the development of the Chinese software and information technology industry by facilitating international cooperation within the game industry.

GDC China will serve as the last global event in 2009 for the GDC's global event calendar which includes the main GDC in San Francisco in March, GDC Canada in Vancouver in May, GDC Europe in Cologne, Germany in August, and GDC Austin in Austin, Texas in September. The GDC and GDC China are not affiliated with any other event operators in China.

The full website is now available. For more information, please visit www.China.GDConf.com.

About the Think Services Game Group ( www.tsgamegroup.com)

A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the Think Services Game Group offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, GameCareerGuide.com, WorldsInMotion.biz, GameSetWatch.com, GamesOnDeck.com, SeriousGamesSource.com, the Game Developers Conference(R), the Game Developers Conference(R) Austin, the Game Developers Conference(R) Europe, the Game Developers Conference(R) China, GDC Mobile, the Game Career Seminars, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.

About Think Services

Think Services connects specialized communities worldwide via professional services including educational events, consulting, training, certification, membership, and innovative media. Providing comprehensive opportunities for people to learn from, network with, and inspire each other, Think Services builds strong brands and works within communities to foster a unique affinity with its products and services. The division's flagship products include the Game Developers Conference, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, Game Developer magazine, the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), and HDI. Think Services is a subsidiary of United Business Media, a global media and marketing services company with a market capitalization of more than $1.6 billion. To learn more, visit www.think-services.com.

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