THE LEIPZIG Games Convention this week gave a record 202,000 visitors a taste of the future direction of an industry now worth $5.5 billion (€3.74 billion) worldwide.
The big players at the convention, the largest of its kind in Europe, made no bones that they have their eyes on two elusive targets: Hollywood and female players.
After three decades of evolution, the line between live action and games looked very blurred with the presentation of the highly-anticipated game Heavy Rain.
Writer-director David Cage called it an "adult thriller", not as a naughtiness euphemism, but to emphasise how players, through their actions, influence the story and characters within a "rubber band" narrative set by programmers.
"Our characters are not just a bunch of dead pixels on screen. They are real living and breathing characters," he said. "We won't tell you a story about the knight who needs to save the princess from the dragon. We'll tell you a story about real people, in real life, having real problems."
(The stunning trailer can be viewed at http://www.gametrailers.com/player/38635.html)
Other impressive releases included World of Warcraft 4, scheduled for release later this year, and Resident Evil 5.
Sony attracted headlines for new versions of its popular PlayStation games consoles. The newest version of the Playstation portable, PSP-3000, which will be released in Europe and the US on October 15th, features an improved screen and a built-in microphone for use with voice-over-IP applications like Skype.
And, just as the new 80GB Playstation 3 went on sale, Sony announced a 160GB version will go on sale in time for Halloween. Hackers in Leipzig pointed out that screwdriver-wielding owners can install their own hard drive.
This year's show made a concerted effort to bring in that great unconquered gaming demographic: women.
The game Mata Hariallows players to slip into the role of the famous dancer and secret agent. Another popular agent game was Velvet Assassin, with players in the role of MI6 agent Violette, based on a real-life character who fought against the Nazis and died in the Ravensbrück concentration camp.
The fifth Leipzig convention ended on a note of uncertainty: German games companies are pushing for the show to be moved to Cologne. Leipzig organisers are determined to resist the move, as are Leipzig city fathers.
