The European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) was an annual trade show for the Europeanvideo game industry which first ran in 1988, the final event being held in 2004.
The exposition was only open to industry professionals and journalists,[1] although it was frequently attended by members of the public who had faked credentials. Due to the wide-scale nature of this problem, many exhibitors planned stalls which appealed to both trade and public, except when alternative public shows were planned such as the Future Entertainment Show and Game Stars Live.[2]
From 2001 until 2004, the Game Developers Conference Europe was held alongside ECTS. Unlike the primarily press-oriented ECTS, GDCE focused on talks and discussions about the development of games, and was aimed at the developers themselves. In 2004, however, GDCE moved locations and ran alongside the Game Stars Live event. In April 2005, organiser CMP announced that they had withdrawn from the British trade show market, marking the end of seventeen years of shows.[4]
^ abRider, David; Semrad, Ed (November 1996). "ECTS: The European Game Show Sets London on Fire!". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 88. Ziff Davis. pp. 160–161.
^"PlayStation Dominates European Show". Next Generation (6). Imagine Media: 14. June 1995. The venue was at Olympia - instead of the regular site, the Business Design Center in London - and was attended by 8,500 people during the three-day event.
^"ECTS: Sony and Sega Battle in Europe". Next Generation (11). Imagine Media: 17. November 1995. The European game industry's bi-annual trade bash took place in mid-September at Olympia in London ...