The latest in electronic gaming hardware, software and accessories will be featured prominently at the 2004 International CES, the world's largest annual tradeshow for consumer technology.

"Electronic gaming is such a natural fit at CES as it relates to consumers' home and mobile entertainment experiences," said Karen Chupka, vice president of events and conferences for the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the producer of CES. "In addition to a Digital Games Summit held right before the show, CES attendees can expect to see the latest from Sony Playstation, X-box and wireless gaming companies and catch up on the state of the gaming market in several CES conferences and SuperSessions."

New for 2004, CES has partnered with iHollywood Forum to produce its first-ever Digital Games Summit on Wednesday, January 7 at the Riviera Hotel. The summit focuses on business issues for the electronic games industry, including industry outlooks, market trends, new business opportunities, marketing and distribution, publishing, licensing, sports, music, online, wireless, new platforms, retail sales, investments, and how to form strategic partnerships and alliances. Experts in the gaming press and executives from such companies as Electronic Arts, EB Games, Intel Games, Nokia and Sony Digital Entertainment will participate in 15 conference sessions during the day-long Summit. Robbie Bach, chief Xbox officer for Xbox, will kick off the summit with his vision for the gaming future. View the agenda at www.iHollywoodForum.com or call 310/815-3884.

In addition, CEA is also bringing the ATI/AMD Cyber X Games Championship, the world's largest gamer festival, to the 2004 International CES. Thousands of the world's top computer and video game players will travel to CES to compete for the chance to win a share of $600,000 in cash and prizes by tackling some of the latest games to hit the market. This event will give game hardware manufacturers the opportunity to demonstrate their products directly to the general gamer public. Attendees of the festival will also be given a competitor pass to see the CES show floor.

CES also plays host to a special electronic gaming exhibit in the Experience CEA: One Digital World area of the LVCC Grand Lobby. Attendees can experience first-hand the latest in electronic gaming hardware and software in an "extreme" setting thanks to a new controller produced by Powergrid Fitness offering an high-powered workout while playing.

On the education side of CES beyond the Digital Games Summit, two SuperSessions and a conference track address the latest trends in electronic gaming. On Thursday, January 8, the Next-Gen Gaming Console SuperSession reviews new integration strategies inserting gaming applications into home products such as media servers, PVRs and DVD players. In addition, the evolution of interactivity and the future roles of gaming hardware are discussed. On Friday, the Wireless SuperSession touches on the role of the wireless phone in electronic gaming.

Some of the other CES conference sessions on gaming include:



Hollywood and Games - The Next Threshold of Entertainment

Game Distribution: Evolution or Extinction?

Mobile Phone Apps - Gaming, Text Messaging and Beyond

Next-Gen Entertainment

For more news on CES before, during and after the show, visit www.CESweb.org, the interactive source for CES information.