Sun Backs eGames 2006

It was announced today that Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) will host the 2nd eGames Conference, 9 - 11 December at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. “We’ve carried out extensive research on the mobile gaming market and it’s evident that it’s booming. Over the next few years people will be spending thousands of Rials to play games on their mobiles,” says Ibtisam Al Faruji, Head of Marketing at KOM.

Mobile games have gained worldwide popularity for providing personal entertainment on the go and are seen by many as the next big thing. "2005 – 06 has been a very good period for mobile gaming. It’s estimated that the global market for mobile entertainment will be worth a stunning US$42.8 billion by 2010,” said Al Faruji. This growth is excellent news for mobile phone companies, which are always on the look out for innovative ways to generate revenue from their subscriber base. With the number of mobile gamers around the world expected to reach 220 million by 2009, the mobile gaming business is projected to expand to higher levels and constitute a bigger portion of the profit pie for telcos and handset makers.

"With 2006 being a year of growth for the industry, this is a must attend three-day event for all game industry professionals involved in mobile and serious gaming,” said Mulkie Al Hashmi, eGames Co-ordinator and a member of the KOM Marketing Team. "The conference agenda is built around industry leaders presenting the latest research, marketing strategies and the all important case studies for a true view from the trenches. Attendees will learn how industry leaders have dealt with some of the same challenges they currently face, and which solutions worked and which didn't."

The three-day event will focus on mobile and serious gaming and is supported by Sun Microsystems; Java; Infocomm Group; Oman Economic Review and the Faculty of Art and Design at De Montfort University in the UK. Graham Porter, Marketing Manager, MENA Region, Sun Microsystems (pictured) and a supporter of eGames said: “Judging from our experience of eGames 2005 this is more than just a sea of faces in a conference hall – it’s a major learning and networking opportunity for those in the games business. KOM's highly acclaimed conference format gives attendees ample opportunity to meet key industry figures, learn the latest techniques and technologies and build relationships with peers and industry leaders.”

“In addition to the two-day conference we’re also running a full-day, free pre-conference gaming workshop at KOM on Saturday 9 December – this high-octane workshop is limited to 100 attendees and will cover storyboarding, character design and development, animation, narrative storytelling and visual effects. We’re very excited about the entire programme,” commented Al Faruji.