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TIGA, the computer games industry body, is facilitating links between publishers and computer games developers by inviting its members to create briefs for live publishing-based projects.
TIGA project manager Lorna Evans said: "The way to get companies talking to each other is through discussions about a live project. A publisher may end up with 20 briefs for quite a small project, but it means they will have met 20 games developers that they won't have known before."
The organisation is currently working with Penguin and Bloomsbury on potential iPhone projects and is keen for other publishers to get involved. Publishers can meet developers online via the Creative Industry Switch initiative which TIGA is running with NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and Education) for a further six months, focusing on TV, films and books.
Chief operationg officer of Monumental Games, Paul Mayze, points to the "thousands of unexplored opportunities in literature" for games developers. He said: "Every game developer knows that working with existing IP (Intellectual Property) is a great way to improve the risk/reward ratio in a highly competitive industry." However, many collaborations are limited to video game renditions of Hollywood blockbusters, such as Harry Potter, he said. "Why were we waiting for Hollywood when
we should have been checking out Waterstone's?".
Publishers will also be able to meet with games developers in a networking session following The Bookseller Digital Conference on 2nd December. The companies present will include Rebellion and Monumental.
Jason Kingsley, c.e.o. and creative director of Rebellion, said, "We're already a digital book publisher as well as a games developer, with almost 50 titles available to buy from the Abaddon and Solaris imprints, and we're interested in sharing our knowledge with other publishers."