You have called GAMESCom the leading European convention and compared the Games Convention to an regional event. How do you plan to reach leading status and make this a reality?
We will try to finalise more international media cooperation and through a direct connection to the publisher it makes it possible to emphasise the importance of the fair. We are also in contact with foreign associations to ensure their collaboration. All of these points are already marked down in conception and will be realised in a number of steps over time...
One of the key questions is who really made the decision - who wanted the move more, you or the publisher?
The contract with Leipzig ends in 2009, so we have to think together about the future of the German convention. Especially the German publishers had to decide what will happen after that, because they have to invest more money.
So first we asked our members to talk internally. At first the result was chaotic, but in the end the conclusion was that we had to move, to make the German fair more international. Without that need, we would have stayed in Leipzig.
Leipzig communicated the internationalisation too early. We had problems with their European leadership statements. For us the Games Convention was a regional affair. First we tried to slow them down, but that didn't help. Now, with the decision of our members and the move to Cologne the statement becomes true - that GAMESCom will be the leading European convention...
So what happens next? Do you expect a conflict with Messe Leipzig?
First of all we want to have a successful Games Convention 2008. After that we will see what plans Messe Leipzig has for 2009. At the same time we will start preparing GAMESCom - we are very confident of success with that.
If Leipzig decides to run its own convention, we're pretty sure that most exhibitors will come with us to Cologne. If that happens I don't know what kind of content they want to present. The German publishers will support us and so press and retailers will join us, not the Games Convention.
