All indications are that the traditional European games show's, ECTS, days are numbered, according to UK trade paper MCV.

London trade show ECTS was obviously feeling the strain last year, with virtually all major games companies pulling support; the emergence of a rival event was only a matter of time. British industry paper MCV reported today that bosses from EA, Infogrames, Microsoft, Vivendi, UK gaming watchdog ELSPA and its French and German equivalents SELL and VUD are meeting in Brussels on March 4 to discuss the formation of a new European show. Which means us hard done-by British journalists should get a nice trip abroad at least once a year. Yummo.

"We want to take back control of our industry event and have a Euro showcase," said ELSPA chief John Pirie. "The existing trade show ECTS, run by CMP, has floundered and all the major publishers and format owners have left it." The first show may be held as early as 2003.

This doesn't exactly come unexpected as ECTS was really going downhill. This is nothing but good news for European Gamecube fans as Nintendo needs to improve its image here. More on this as it arrises.