Game Connect Asia Pacific 2011 returns to Melbourne.  The think-tank talk-fest of the Australian interactive entertainment development community provides an opportunity to bring and share ideas for the future of an ever changing industry.

A hard fought campaign to win government taxation breaks has finally been won by lobbyists for the Australian interactive entertainment industry. 

It is turning into a somewhat Annus Horribilis for many in the Australian video game industry, or perhaps it is just the shifting of demand that has caught many unawares.  The Game Developer’s Association of Australia is calling for the submission of abstracts for the annual Game Connect Asia Pacific love in will be run in conjunction with the EB Games vendor show for a mini E3.

The Games Developers’ Association of Australia (GDAA), the body that oversees the interests of companies involved in the lucrative business of games development, has now included representatives from large core studios as well as small start-ups into the mix of its steering committee.

South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson has been stalwart in his opposition to the introduction of a R18+ Classification for video games.  In doing so the ire of an increasingly broad game playing community has been raised.  So much so that Mr Atkinson believes he and his family are more at risk from the gaming community than the bikers offended by his anti-motorcycle gang laws.

The speaker program for Game Connect Asia Pacific 09 has now been set.  The list of speakers presenting at next weekend’s Melbourne based conference includes international guests such as David Jaffe (Eat Sleep Play), Tim Stellmach (Vicarious Visions) and Jay Wilbur (Epic).

The Game Developers’ Association of Australia (GDAA) has announced the opening up of nominations for the annual GDAA Game Developers awards. Categories include Best Console and PC title as well as a new award for the burgeoning area of Downloadable titles.

The Game Developers’ Association of Australia (GDAA) has announced the first group of keynote speakers lined up for Game Connect: Asia Pacific 09.  Delegates will have the chance to gain industry insights from colleagues with development experience in such landmark titles as Deus Ex, Ultima Underworld and God of War.

Another one bites the dust, this time the role playing game (RPG) Risen has fallen on the bad side of the Australian Classification Board due to chatting up prostitutes and smoking imaginary drugs

Tom Crago is President of the Game Developers Association of Australia, as well as working in the game development field as CEO of Tantalus software.  He therefore is one of the frustrated when it comes to local laws of classification of his product, and is typically embarrassed when meeting international colleagues.  In the shadow of yet another game being banned (the RPG Risen) everything he has to say is still current.