Leipzig remembered

A look back at the 2007 Games Convention in Leipzig

Far and away the biggest games show in Europe, Leipzig attracts visitors from all over the globe looking to showcase new games, try the latest software, or just mingle with like-minded game fans in the impressive surroundings of the Leipziger Messe, a magnificent conference centre in East Germany topped by an expansive glass dome.

Number crunching

This year's event was the biggest yet, playing host to 185,000 visitors checking out 503 exhibitors, with coverage provided by over 3,300 journalists from 46 countries. In short, there were a lot of people. And wherever you get that many games fans packed together there's bound to be plenty of excitement and entertainment on offer.

The events came thick and fast, with Hideo Kojima presenting Metal Gear Solid 4 to a packed audience on the Konami stand and David Reeves wowing audiences with the PlayTV, Buzz!, FIFA Interactive World Cup, and Go! Explore announcements for PS3 and PSP. Activision also put on some awesome skating displays in a half pipe in the main foyer to promote Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, Medieval assassins roamed the halls promoting Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed and hordes of attendees crowded onto the SingStar stage to belt out hits from the new PS3 version.

This is gaming

The overall mood though was one of excitement and camaraderie as gamers from across Europe checked out the booths and played the latest games. This year the Sony Computer Entertainment Europe booth tied in to the This Is Living advertising campaign and featured various themed sections, including a luxurious bathroom, a hotel lobby, a beach complete with deckchairs, and the wreckage of a cargo plane. On display was the cream of the upcoming PS3 releases including Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Time Crisis 4, Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction and Heavenly Sword. Sat alongside were booths from all the major videogame publishers showing off their latest software, including such games as Pro Evo 08, Rock Band, Guitar Hero 3, Turok, Haze, Call of Duty 4 and The Simpsons Game.

With the restructuring of E3, and events like the Tokyo Game Show and PAX taking place in Japan and America, Games Convention is the place for gamers from all over Europe to come together to celebrate videogames and get their first glimpse of the future of the industry. 2007's convention may be over, but that doesn't stop you looking forward to next year. Roll on 2008!