The London Games Festival is set to return for its fourth consecutive run this year beginning on October 24th, 2009. Lead organizer ELSPA has revealed the details of the event, promising "something for everyone." And by everyone, they do mean EVERYONE. Even your parents.

The London MCM Expo accomplished what it set out to do this year, which was to set a new world record for most video game cosplayers under one roof. The recently-concluded Movie Comic Expo at the ExCel Center made its gaming side headline-worthy once again, and this one is literally heading for the books.

Responding to criticisms about Sony "lagging behind" the social gaming scene was the Vice President of  Worldwide Studios. During the London Game Festival, he cited several PlayStation titles featuring social gameplay and noted that Sony is poised to take advantage of the recent increase in the demand for social games in the near future.

During the London Games Festival, it was clarified that Sony is targeting the end of the year for PlayStation Home's open beta. Jamie MacDonald, Vice President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, expressed confidence that they will meet the target date and that things were going well so far.

Let's take a quick breather from all the drama and seriousness of those LittleBigPlanet and interlaced PSP-3000 news items, shall we? For now, we celebrate gaming as a whole! To usher in the London Games Festival, we hear that Sonic the Hedgehog* was crowned king of video game characters, leaving the likes of Mario, Lara Croft, and Niko Bellic in the dust.

*Disturbing photo-ops of Sonic running around London included!

Big news coming in for Europe, as we announce that preparations are underway for this year's London Games Festival. Wondering exactly when 2008's celebrations begin? Visit the full article for the rest of the details!

In light of the upcoming London Games Festival, Assassin's Creed producer Jade Raymond is scheduled for a special appearance in the HMV branch at Oxford Street. [cue shrieks of joy from the male populace] Ahem. Now let us get our bearings please. Raymond is to showcase never-before-seen levels from the latest build of the upcoming PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC title of Ubisoft.

Notch these details down your calendars: the event down at HMV is to be held on Saturday, October 27. The presentation will kick off at 3 p.m., and will be repeated at 4:30 p.m. of the same day.

But see, what's a special appearance without some audience interaction? Jade Raymond is also going to welcome open questions from the public and answer them on the spot (keep those questions clean, boys). You can also have her sign some Assassin's Creed merchandise, so better try to scuffle for that Altair figurine quick.

Buy: [Assassin's Creed (PS3)]
Buy: [Assassin's Creed (Xbox 360)]

We'll be laying down announcements for two more events expected to kick in during the upcoming London Games Festival 2007. The first will be a gaming workshop titled Design Rules!, and will have attendees taking part in a simulated professional design environment. Attendees will be randomly assigned a specific role to play, as their team attempts to create a designated game idea. The workshop will be hosted by Ernest Adams, who had this to say regarding the event:

In this workshop you gain the knowledge to develop compelling and emotive games through interactive group working with your peers. It is open to all who have a love for games whatever their background or professional interest.

Moving along, we also make mention of the ongoing preparations for the It's Showtime - with Machinima workshop. As its title implies, this workshop will educate its visitors with the finer lines of making Machinima, from learning how to make a tidy profit from your works, to understanding new creative techniques within this art. Attendees will also be treated to a tutorial of the MovieStorm engine, as well as the appearance of several noted personalities in the Machinima industry:

• Ricard Gras (LA Interactiva)
• Hugh Hancock (maker with WoW, Halo 2, Sims 2 & Never Winter Nights)
• Matt Kelland (Moviestorm, engine developer)
• Chris Carella (Electric Sheep)
• Dr Tracy Harwood (Machinima Festival Europe)
  

Later on in the day, the Machinima workshop will culminate in a screening of the winning and nominated  films from the European Machinima Festival. Both Design Rules! and It's Showtime will take place on October, and are scheduled to run from 10 am to 1 pm, and 2 pm to 5 pm respectively. The events are expected to take place at 76 Portland Place, London W1, close to Oxford Circus tube. Festival visitors interested in booking a place for either of these workshops may do so via the read link below.

 

With 2007's London Games Festival arriving in two weeks' time, organizers have mapped out the game-centric celebration starting October 22 until November 2, 2007. Though the London Games Festival will also coincide with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), it will also return with a bigger collection of consumer-related events.

First up in the organizers' lists is the Video Games Live! concert which is set to take off at opening day. It will be followed by the British Academy Video Games Awards on October 23, coupled with a session presenting Guy Debord's Game of War as part of the London Games Fringe.
 
Dare to be Digital takes flight on October 24 - apparently also the first day of the GameCity Interactive Entertainment Festival to kick off in Nottingham. Dare to be Digital is the London Games Festival's bid to expose the next generation of game developers to PR and marketing, where budding game design students can showcase their projects for attendees to see.

The London Game Career Fair, the London Gamer Geeks Quiz Night, and the Computational Brain fill the rest of the day's events. Attendees can apply for a position in the industry, try their hand at game trivia, or take a peek into the future of game interactivity: controlling games through thought.

Modding get-together Dorkfest - Console Hacks follows on October 25 with technology demo Eyes on the Game close in tow. The two events continue to delve into technology in relation to gaming, with Dorkfest showcasing mod projects made by the craziest folks to even have held a solder gun, and Eyes on the Game presenting how games can be controlled with eye movement.

Zero Gamer and Sense of Play 07 top the closing day schedule for attendees, where participants can flex their neurons and partake in a healthy discussion of how game design is viewed - from both outside and inside the game industry. The refreshing eye-opener will also be coupled by a London Games Fringe spectacle: developer and publisher media showcase of their upcoming games.

Expect London Games Festival 2007 to sport more consumer-related events and business-to-business sessions when it starts on the 22nd.

If you're somewhere near London on October 23 or 24 this year, you'll probably want to check out the London Game Career Fair which happens as part of the London Games Festival. The career fair will have a variety of activities in store for those interested in breaking into the industry. Exhibits and panel discussions with the bigwigs are all in the programme.

Industry heavyweights Electronic Arts, LucasArts, THQ, Rare, Evolution Studios, and Team 17 have all promised to support this event and share what they have to enlighten the visitors.

The London Game Career Fair, organized by Gamasutra.com and GamesIndustry.biz, attracted over a thousand visitors last year and more are expected to come in this year's gathering.

If you're interested in this free event, you can follow the Read link and visit the official site to learn more. Here's hoping that all those who attend will have a fun and productive time out there.