PETER MOLYNEUX, A STAR AT GAMELAB 2011

PETER MOLYNEUX IS ONE OF THE MOST RENOWNED VIDEOGAME CREATORS IN THE WORLD

A VIDEOGAME STAR AT GAMELAB 2011

The “father of applied videogame AI” (the so-called God Games), will be speaking at one of the show’s most anticipated sessions. The professional community will pay tribute to him and his 25-year career.

Completing an unprecedented line-up full of international figures, Gamelab 2011 will welcome Peter Molyneux, one of the world’s most renowned videogame creators.

A pioneer and a revolutionary in his proposals, Molyneux’s career has had a strong impact on the industry. He has stirred up the gaming world and pushed the limits of interactivity. Some of his most renowned and acclaimed titles -both by gamers and the critic- include “Populous,” “Black & White,” “Theme Park,” “The Movies” and the most recent “Fable” saga.

Molyneux’s career in game development began in 1987 with the formation of Bullfrog Productions. The company achieved mainstream success with the release of “Populous,” the first title ever to utilize the “God Game” model, where players control their environments with divine or supernatural powers.  “Populous” was a massive worldwide hit and has since sold over four million copies. Peter and his team at Bullfrog went on to develop a slew of top selling games including “Powermonger,” “Theme Park,” “Magic Carpet” and “Dungeon Keeper.”

In 1997, two years after Electronic Arts bought the studio, Molyneux left Bullfrog Productions to form a new video game development company, Lionhead Studios. The studio has developed titles such as “Black & White,” (over two million copies sold since 2001) and “Fable” (only for Xbox).

Microsoft acquired Lionhead Studios in 2006 and today Peter Molyneux serves as Creative Director of European Studios for Microsoft Game Studios.

Molyneux has received several awards and honors: he has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE, 2005); knighted by the French government in Arts and Letters (2007); awarded honorary doctorates from well-respected universities across Europe such as Southampton and Abertay. In addition, Molyneux was also inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. This year he has been awarded a BAFTA and has been chosen by USA Today as the most valued professional in the videogame industry. To top it all, Gamelab will be presenting him with a Special Award to celebrate his 25 year career in the gaming business.

In addition to Molyneux, Gamelab continues to add speakers and topics as we get closer to the event. Some of the latest figures include:

• Siobhan Reddy. Director of the studio Media Molecule, creators of the innovative and successful franchise “LittleBigPlanet”. She will share the keys to success of this acclaimed title where players can generate items, stages and levels.

All videogame professionals and fans can get their tickets at Gamelab.es. Visit our website to see the complete line-up of speakers and to get detailed information about the show’s activities.

You can also connect with Gamelab through the main social networks: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

Gamelab 2011 has the support of the Ministerio de Cultura, the Asociación de Desarrolladores de Videojuegos de España (DEV), the Generalitat de Catalunya through the Departament d’Empresa i Ocupació and the Institut Català de les Indústries Culturals, the Instituto de Comercio Exterior (ICEX) and Ajuntament de Barcelona. Sponsors: Game, Sony Playstation, Nintendo, Microsoft and Orange. Collaborators: Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Interactivas, Games from Spain, Federación Europea de Empresas de Videojuegos (EGDF) and Native Prime..

Rtve.es, elmundo.es, vadejuegos.com, meristation.com, eurogamer.es and gamesindustry.biz are the official media sponsors for the 7th annual Gamelab .

Madrid, 27 de mayo de 2011