CARY, N.C. - Research Triangle Park, a region once known for its technical innovation in the Old Economy, has successfully reinvented itself as a driving force in the emerging era of digital entertainment. The buzz about town has shifted from textiles and tobacco to Conan the Barbarian and Tom Clancy.
Today the Triangle is home to more than 30 video game companies employing more than 1,000 people, making it one of the largest concentrations of video game companies in the U.S., according to the Wake County Department of Economic Development.
With companies focused on game design and development, game engine technology, publishing, simulations, interactive marketing and advanced learning technology, the local community of video game companies is playing a significant role in fueling the $38 billion global games business.
The region's top video game companies are coming together for the first time to offer a first-hand look at the technologies that are driving the future of digital entertainment worldwide.
The event - a Video Game Technology Showcase & Career Fair - will feature more than a dozen companies and schools within the greater Triangle area and will showcase the latest advancements in 3D modeling and animation, virtual environments, artificial intelligence and other technologies that are key to the video game and interactive media industries.
The participating companies look forward to meeting prospective employees who can fill the more than 100 open positions in technical, marketing and sales departments in video game companies throughout the region. More than 200 new video game-related jobs were added to the local economy in the past 12 months, as determined by the Wake County Department of Economic Development.
The event will be held at One Eleven Place in Cary, N.C., on November 17 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., with a social event from 3-5 p.m. Admission is free.
Participating companies and schools include:
* Carolina Games Summit: The Carolina Games Summit is a hybrid festival of industry speakers, video game tournaments, product promotions, exhibition booths, student recruitment and family fun! Formerly known as the Goldsboro Gaming Expo (G2Expo) due to overwhelming popularity and growth the event was re-branded in June 2007 to Carolina Games Summit.
http://carolinagamessummit.com/
* Destineer Studios: developer and publisher of cutting-edge video games for home consoles, handheld game devices and personal computers; also a developer of highly realistic training simulations for the world's leading military and intelligence organizations.
http://www.destineerstudios.com/
* Electronic Arts: the world's largest independent video game publisher has opened a sports racing development studio in Morrisville. The initial project in development is the NASCAR 09 video game. The Morrisville operation is expected to grow to 50 employees and focus on a number of game titles over the next few years.
http://www.ea.com/language.jsp
* Emergent Game Technologies: developer of Gamebryo, an award-winning game development technology framework and The Emergent Platform, the industry's first comprehensive development and deployment platform designed to reduce "stand-up" costs and shorten time to market for online PC and multi-platform games.
http://www.emergent.net/
* Funcom: a world leading independent developer and publisher of computer and console games with a focus on Action Adventure and Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG).
http://www.funcom.com/
* Icarus Studio: focused on helping clients launch online virtual worlds, massively multiplayer online games, simulators and 3D collaborative and educational products.
http://www.icarusstudios.com/
* RedStorm Entertainment: specializing in CD-ROM games, console games, and related merchandise. Red Storm is currently working with the U.S. Army to bring the America's Army Franchise to the Xbox 360 Console.
http://www.redstorm.com/
* School of Communication Art @ Digital Circus: offers careers in High-End Animation, Digital Filmmaking, Graphic Arts, Interior Design, or Pro Tools Audio Production at the Digital Circus, a new Monolithic Dome campus where graduates head for jobs in the studios and create their own animation, art or audio studio.
http://www.higherdigital.com/
* Themis-Group: provides integrated marketing services and community management, as well as publishes gaming related media, through three separately branded operating divisions.
http://www.themis-group.com/
* Vicious Cycle: a premier developer of interactive entertainment software for next generation video game consoles and the PC. Vicious Cycle is also responsible for the Vicious Engine, a comprehensive and fully portable middleware solution for current generation consoles, handhelds and PC.
http://www.viciouscycleinc.com/
* Wake Tech Community College: offers the Simulation and Game Development lab - the most advanced digital game computer lab in the Carolinas.
http://www2.waketech.edu/index.php
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Emergent: At the core of progressive game development
Emergent Game Technologies provides flexible technologies and services that give developers an unmatched range of integrated capabilities for building, testing and managing games. These proven, stand-alone solutions, known as Emergent Elements, include the award-winning Gamebryo game engine used to create hit next-generation games for the PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™, and PC. Emergent Elements give developers the flexibility they need to fuel creativity while reducing risk.
Emergent is headquartered in Calabasas, Calif., and has offices in Chapel Hill, NC, Austin, Texas and London. To learn more, visit http://www.emergent.net
Contact:
Susan Kramer
Double Forte for Emergent Game Technologies
415.848.8113
skramer@double-forte.com