BAFTA have said they are now treating games as a medium equal in status to Film and Television, as a week long event in London is been announced by ELSPA and TIGA!

ELSPA (the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) and TIGA (The Independent Games Developers Association) have today announced the creation of the London Games Festival, a week long cultural and business celebration of computer and video games. Created in partnership with the London Development Association (LDA) and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) , the London Games Festival will combine key events throughout the Capital from Monday 2nd October 2006.

ELSPA, TIGA and BAFTA (that's a lot of acronyms, we know) will all be contributing events to the Festival, with other media, government and games publishing organisations expected to confirm additional business and consumer facing events shortly. ELSPA and TIGA are organising two business events: the London Games Summit will take place on the 4th and 5th October; whilst the Content Market will run for two days on the 3rd and 4th.

The growing importance of computer and video games to entertainment culture will be recognised as part of the Games Festival by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), which has elevated the sector to become an equal to those for Film and Television. Champions of the moving image, BAFTA seeks to reward artistic and creative innovation within video games as one of the principal contemporary art forms.

This newly defined status means The British Academy Video Games Awards are set to confirm their position as the most independent and valued awards in this arena; they move to October to climax the London Games Festival.

Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA, said: "London Games Festival will be an exciting week of activity that will become a focus for the International reputation of the UK. The alliance between ELSPA, TIGA, the LDA and BAFTA provides the games industry with a perfect opportunity to build substantial trade and consumer activity that will firmly establish games as the entertainment phenomenon of the 21st century."

Andy Payne, chairman of ELSPA and managing director of Mastertronic, said: "I think the idea of the industry coming together in London for a week is one that is well overdue. But rather than one exhibition company wanting to coral all and sundry into one event or series of events, we now have the two trade games associations (ELSPA and TIGA) who are providing the impetus and creating a halo around which every company with a vested interest in computer and video games can do their thing. BAFTA's statement of intent heralds the dawn of a new age, and is the signal for those talented individuals who make games to be recognised on a world wide basis."

Paul Jackson, VP and managing director Northern Europe, Electronic Arts, said: "We're incredibly excited by London Games Festival. It is something that is grabbing the industry's imagination. The hope is that it captures for games what an event like Cannes captures for film. We'll be looking to see how we can be involved in the London Games Festival in ways that best reflect the EA brand and our games."

Rob Cooper, managing director Northern Europe and Export, Ubisoft UK, said: "With publishers, retailers and developers staging their own events throughout the year, it is clear that our industry needs an event that brings all aspects of it together in a forum that really shows video games at their best and that the UK is still a world leader in this market. The London Games Festival will allow new ideas and opportunities to flourish, and will also allow the industry, in conjunction with BAFTA, to show its recognition and respect to those who have achieved great results over the year."