What is coming for The Stinger Report over the next year

Those of you who read the site regularly know that we get a lot of tips and news from our friends at The Stinger Report. They get a lot of fascinating and important news and I think that it has helped us provide better coverage on the arcade industry as we have progressed. The Stinger Report sent out a press release recently detailing different places where you can expect to see them championing the arcade cause or getting exclusive coverage from important events. The release also details information on the upcoming print edition of The Stinger Report, to which you can catch a preview of here. To fit the entire press release into one post, check the break below and again our thanks go out to TSR for their continued support of the site.

[Discuss on the Forum]

July 10, 2008 – London, United Kingdom – KWP Ltd., today announced the next in its busy 2008 calendar, including important seminars and media and web coverage. As the core business of consultancy, supporting the development and operation of public-space entertainment, continues to thrive KWP revealed that it has been invited to present at this year’s prestigious Edinburgh Interactive Festival and commissioned to pen a serious or arcade features in a leading consumer games publications.

►Seminar Presentations

With an extensive conference agenda already under its belt, the rest of 2008 will see continued engagements for KWP, including significant presentations:

…For the sixth year the Edinburgh Interactive Festival (EIF) 2008, which is seen by many as the most important and longest running festival of the creative culture of games and interactive entertainment has begun to announce this year’s schedule of speakers. The EIF 2008 committee has invited, for the first time, a member of the amusement and attraction industry to give a presentation.

Kevin Williams, founder and director of KWP Ltd., will be taking a session entitled “Arcade Amusements Get Wired”, to an audience of games industry luminaries and press to discuss the video amusement and attraction industry and the importance of its development in shaping UK gaming culture. The major three-day festival will feature an array of networking events, an expansion of the EIF Games Screenings programme, a major public area with gaming features, retail and recruitment sites as well as the expansive two-day conference sessions that KWP is delighted to be involved with.

EIF 2008 will take place from Sunday 10^th to Tuesday 12^th August, and will this year move to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre – the KWP conference scheduled for the 11^th of August 2008 – for more information please go to – http://www.edinburghinteractivefestival.com/

To book a delegate pass or for any registration or sponsorship information on EIF 2008 please contact Jodie.Holdway@bhpr.co.uk, +44 (0) 1462 456780.

For EIF 2008 press enquiries please contact Sarah.Hartland@bhpr.co.uk, +44 (0) 1462 456780.

…The award winning Leisure Industry Week (LIW) 2008; for 20 years, the pivotal UK exhibition for the family attractions, fitness, health and sports and leisure industry and along side of which runs an extensive program of seminars. For the fourth year, KWP has been invited to present a seminar session at the event within the ‘Attraction Industry Forum’; entitled “Interactive Attractions – The development of new systems for repeat visitation and more immersion“.

The session will be supported by a panel of experts and chart the development being made in this important aspect of the market. Last years event attracted over 14,100 visitors and 450 exhibitors marking the biggest show in decades, with 2008 is shaping up to beat all records. The crowded show floor will see new developments in all aspects of the covered sectors.

LIW’08 is taking place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), in Birmingham, on the 23-25^th of September 2008 – for more information please go to – http://www.liw.co.uk/

…Europe’s’ leading trade fair Interschau Technofolies 2008, supporting the needs of the showmen, amusement park and other amusement and leisure facilities operators – merging the industries oldest European event with the latest exhibition and conference. This groundbreaking gathering of industry professional has added to its agenda a ‘Must Attend’ event for international delegates Called ‘The BIG Debate’ – the new two day conference program, run in partnership with leading amusement and attraction association support.

On the second day KWP has been asked to moderate the Operators & Investors Debate, to be held on the afternoon of the second day. This second day conference proposes to offer a compelling and informative discussion – the primary objective of The BIG Debate is to find mutually acceptable solutions to many of the problems affecting all sectors of the industry that will be of benefit for the foreseeable future; KWP moderating over a lively and informed panel of professionals shaping the sector.

The conference scheduled for the 28 & 29 October 2008, taking place at the Messe Stuttgart, Germany, the KWP event the afternoon of the 29^th of October 2008 – for more information please go to –

http://www.messe-stuttgart.de/cms/index.php?id=10723&L=1

To book to attend, for all information regarding the ‘The BIG Debate’ please contact tsi_ltd@hotmail.com

►Magazine Features

Along with KWP’s respected and comprehensive features for the trade publications Tourist Attraction and Parks, Vending Times, RePlay Magazine and InterGame; KWP has news of major commissions to promote amusement to the public sector:

…Play Magazine began life in the winter of 1999 in America, with the goal of becoming the first video game-focused multi-media publication aimed at the emerging teen-to-adult audience; and has gone on to be a market leader. Kevin Williams of KWP has been invited to write a feature on the amusement industry and its importance in the entertainment lay space.

In his feature called “Living Death”, an in-depth commentary charting the death and rebirth of the international arcade scene. Play Magazine represents the first independent publication devoted to quality entertainment across all genres and age demographics with an emphasis on video games and anime—two mediums the company’s respective editors have dedicated the better part of their professional lives to.

For your copy of the feature, and to learn more about this leading consumer publication, please go to –

http://www.playmagazine.com/

…The Casual Game Association represents the international trade association for the casual game professional; part of their educational component the trade runs Casual Connect Magazine, an influential publication on investment and development in this new sector. KWP was invited as the build-up to the association conference season to write a feature in the magazine on the particular importance of the amusement dimension to the immergence of casual gaming trade.

In the feature “Pay-for-Play Is Where the Action Is!” the reader is brought right up to date on new opportunities and the growth of Out-of-Home Casual Gaming. This is the first time that a member of the amusement and attraction sector has been invited to comment on the development of the market, and point to the similarities and opportunities that casual gaming and amusement have; looking at a future for public-space in casual development investment.

For your copy of the feature, and to learn more about this association publication, please go to –

http://casualconnect.org/

…The publication of a brand new book on the Japanese amusement game culture has been launched this year – ‘Arcade Mania’, a colourful and compelling glimpse into the heart of a vibrant market. KWP’s Kevin Williams has been given the immense honour of writing the foreword for the book, giving an overview of the material gathered and placing into context with the modern amusement scene.

This is the most in-depth observation of the trends and factors that shape the Asian amusement scene, looking at the cultural dimension and the aspects of specific game trends that have seen Japanese arcades survive much of current international market turbulence. The book has been jointly written by Brian Ashcraft and Jean Snow, published by Kodansha International in Tokyo, released in August 2008 in Japan, with the worldwide release in December 2008. The publication packed with great images and insightful commentary on this unusual sector.

To learn more about this ground breaking book, and to be the first to read the publication, visit –

http://www.amazon.ca/Arcade-Mania-Turbo-charged-Japans-Centers/dp/4770030789

►The Stinger Report

The e-Newsletter published for the Out-of-Home interactive entertainment sector, founded and run by KWP, news of major developments:

…The Stinger Report has not only been working hard on its e-newsletters; in a amazing example of the strong interest that still remains in all things amusement related, the Stinger created a time-line of video amusement on the brand new social network site Dipity. One of the most complete timelines and among the ‘top 10’ all-time most viewed – the Video Arcade Time-line depicts the leading video amusement products that have shaped the arcade sector (both technically and popularly). Originated by Kevin Williams, the site has snowballed with over 100 different entries, each machines importance is noted along with their release date, and if available, game footage from popular video hosting sites.

The time-line is open to the public to add their comments, or add machines and information. The Stinger encourages all to visit the site and include their own perspective on the virtual history of video amusement created; please go to – http://www.dipity.com/user/editor/timeline/Video_Arcade_1

…The 15^th Anniversary of The Stinger Report; sees the leading Out-of-Home interactive entertainment e-Newsletter mark a major point in the establishment of this popular and well respected service. The service has seen subscription rocket to over 20,000 subscribers – a confirmed subscription comprising trade, professionals, media and public. With the anniversary, the Stinger has widen its coverage increasing the number of features on VenderTainment, EduTainment, Casual Gaming and the Hospitality sector, all elements touching the more conventional amusement and attraction sector.

2008 will also see the establishment of brand new services from the Stinger – to be announced later in the year, to coincide with the next major exhibition series, The Stinger Report will now field a printed version of its service available via a specialist online publishing house; a hardcopy version of all of each months reports in one publication. This will also be followed, based on demand, of Podcasting selected reports.

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Bio: KWP Limited

KWP Limited, is a leading consultancy in the Out-of-Home entertainment industry, specializing in the interactive entertainment field. Run by well known industry veteran Kevin Williams, the service focuses on market research, development, and product marketing. KWP has attracted an impressive list of clients – with regular features in leading trade publications; also owner of the leading free industry e-newsletter The Stinger Report. (http://www.thestingerreport.com) – kwp@thestingerreport.com +44(0) 7785 254 729