Capital Games, an independent cluster of videogames designers from the Paris Region, will be represented by four of its members at the Games Convention trade show to be held in Leipzig from 22 to 25 August 2007. The four companies are AD-Invaders (specialists in 3D advergaming and Virtools software), Neko Entertainment (development engines and projects on console), Tetraedge (developments on Next-Gen mobile platforms using Symbian or Windows Mobile OS), and Wizarbox (So Blonde adventure game on PC in collaboration with a German publisher).

Many of the world’s most innovative designers and developers of videogames are based in France. In the Paris Region, Capital Games has become the focus of cutting-edge games development.

Advergaming (a contraction of ‘advertising’ and ‘gaming’) brings together all the techniques aimed at using games for advertising purposes. AD-Invaders is dedicated to the designing of games showcasing the universe of a brand or its products. It uses the Virtools technology known as 3DVIA, which is the latest real-time 3D software program developed by Dassault Systèmes. The Virtools contents can be viewed for free on the internet thanks to the 3D Life player (www.ad-invaders.com).

Neko Entertainment products are put together using an open-ended platform for consoles called the Neko Game Development Kit (NGDK). This in-house technology enables the company’s teams to develop games for all types of platforms simultaneously. Neko Entertainment is licensed for Nintendo Wii/GBA/DS, Sony PS2/PSP, Microsoft XboX 360 and PC. For more information, go to: www.e-neko.com.

Tetraedge is releasing its existing adventure games on SmartPhones for the Nintendo DS nomad console. The company will be offering a preview of its prototype of the SYBERIA 1 engine (with characters in 3D on a pre-calculated background) at the Leipzig convention. Tetraedge develops and publishes games under licence and adapts them to the following media: Pocket PC Phone as well as Symbian and Windows Mobile® SmartPhones. For more information, go to: www.tetraedge.com.

Wizarbox has been developing its first adventure game on PC — So Blonde — in collaboration with German publisher DTP. Wizarbox has created a game accessible to all, which is expected to be released in November 2007. Specialising in providing services (i.e. conversion, outsourcing, development to order and consulting), Wizarbox is an official developer on the principal platforms of this segment of the market and on consoles, collectively known as Next-Gen. For more information, go to: www.wizarbox.com.