Digital Interactive Gaming Design Competition: Winner's Announced

London ON (November 27, 2008): Winners of Digital Interactive Gaming (DIG) London's design competition were announced at a sold-out awards dinner Thursday November 27, 2008. DIG London created a design competition to engage emerging talent and identify young people who may be interested in a career in game development, and to raise the profile of some of the industries greatest talent. "The digital interactive gaming industry told us that attracting and retaining talent is vital to remaining completive in an already aggressive industry. So we designed a competition specifically for the next generation of industry leaders, " explains Peter White, President and CEO of the London Economic Development Corporation. "Our academic partners, Western and Fanshawe, were an incredible asset in this process." The DIG design competition had entries from across Canada and even garnered interest from the US. Students across North America from Engineering, Computer Science, Media Studies, Fine Arts, and Design programs participated in the competition. Keynote Jade Raymond, Senior Producer at Ubisoft, headlined the event while a sold-out crowd of industry leaders and students heard the "secret recipe" for Creating Successful Intellectual Property. Representatives from London's gaming companies and sponsors of DIG London Mike Schmalz, CEO of Digital Extremes, Damir Slogar, President and CEO of Big Blue Bubble, and Fredrik Liligren the President of RadeJade, and conference convener Larry MacKinnon of the LEDC were on-site to distribute the awards. The DIG London Competition winners in the Art category are as follows: 3rd – Jonathan Nieh $500 2nd – Donald Anderson $1000 1st – Dean Bergmann $3500 The DIG London Competition winners in the Programming category are as follows: 3rd – Aria Shahingohar $500 2nd – Dave Koschman $1000 1st – Ryan Weiss $3500 For more information contact: Peter White President and CEO, London Economic Development Corporation pwhite@ledc.com 519-661-5314