Digital distribution will outstrip retail ‘within three years’

This month’s London Games Conference will serve as a rude awakening to the games industry.

Speakers attending the October 27th event (tickets for which are available by mailing here) have already revealed to MCV key issues that they plan to address. They say that almost half the industry – around 40 per cent – are unprepared for the shift to digital distribution.

Even more pressing: digital distribution will have outstripped retail sales by 2013.

The event, which takes place at BAFTA on Tuesday, October 27th, is the first major event dedicated to digital distribution. London Games Conference will look at the major shift towards digital content that the games industry is facing.

Nick Parker of Parker Consulting is one speaker confirmed to attend. He predicts that 2013 and 2014 will be the likely launch date for the next generation of games consoles from both Microsoft and Sony – as a result, he says that from 2010 traditional box product sales will begin to fade. But he also predicated that digital distribution, along with online gaming, will potentially make up the shortfall during this period.

Said Parker: For the first time ever, the games industry has a way of alleviating the pain that traditionally befalls it during generational decline, through online gaming in its many guises – it’s a genuinely exciting time for the industry and the London Games Conference is perfectly timed to discuss these opportunities."

Other speakers set to attend the conference to dissect the future of digital distribution include Mark Gerhard from Jagex, Kristian Segerstrale from Playfish, Nick Pili from Sega, Pete Edwards from PlayStation Home and Neil Thompson from Xbox.

The Conference will also feature an opening address from Ed Vaizey, Shadow Minister for Culture.

The event forms part of the London Games Festival and is supported by ELSPA.

Tickets are priced at 229 and can be obtained by contacting Rob.Baker@intentmedia.co.uk or call 01992 535647. Discounts are available for ELSPA and Tiga members.