Avni Yerli joins GDC Europe Advisory Board

Berlin, May 27, 2009 - The Game Developers Conference"® Europe today welcomed a new member, Avni Yerli, managing director of Crytek GmbH, to its advisory board. With Yerli, the advisory board gains the expertise of another well-known and highly experienced game developer. In 1999, Yerli co-founded Crytek GmbH, which today is the largest independent game development company in Germany with approximately 470 employees in six countries. Released in March 2004, Far Cry was the first game developed by Crytek and became an enormously successful title which sold 2.6 million copies. Its successor, the equally successful title Crysis, was released in November 2007 and followed by Crysis Warhead in September 2008. Crytek's proprietary CryENGINE game development solution is regarded as one of the leading technologies in the world, winning various awards. "I am flattered to have joined the GDC Europe advisory board and looking forward to working with a talented group of advisors", said Avni Yerli, Managing Director of Crytek. "Together with their strong opinions and vision, I am confident that the advisory board can create a conference that will hit the industry's nerve." "It is great to welcome Avni Yerli on board of GDC Europe", said Frank Sliwka, Vice President European Business Development of Think Services. "He is definitely one of the leading personalities in the European games industry and I am sure that his knowledge can elevate the conference to a whole new level." GDC Europe will be held in conjunction with gamescom, the leading game industry European event for consumers, publishers, and trade professionals. GDC Europe takes place August 17-19 at the Cologne Congress East Center in Cologne, Germany, and will host more than 80 sessions addressing the needs and opportunities for developers and business professionals throughout Europe today. Learn more about GDC Europe at www.gdceurope.com.
 
About Crytek GmbH Crytek GmbH ("Crytek") is one of the world's leading independent development studios for interactive entertainment with its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main (Germany) and additional studios in Kiev (Ukraine), Budapest (Hungary), Sofia (Bulgaria), Seoul (South Korea) and Nottingham (UK). Crytek is dedicated to creating exceptionally high quality video games for the PC and next-generation consoles, powered by their proprietary cutting edge 3D-Game-Technology CryENGINE"®.  Since its foundation in 1999, Crytek created the multi-award winning PC titles Far Cry"®, Crysis, awarded best PC Game of E3 2007 and Best Technology at the 2008 Game Developers Choice Awards and Crysis Warhead"®, awarded Best Graphics Technology at IGN Best of 2008 Awards. Crytek, Crysis, Crysis Warhead and CryENGINE are registered trademarks or trademarks of Crytek GmbH in the USA, Germany and/or other countries.
About the Think Services Game Group A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the Think Services Game Group offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, GameCareerGuide.com, WorldsInMotion.biz, GameSetWatch.com, GamesOnDeck.com, SeriousGamesSource.com, the Game Developers Conference"®, the Game Developers Conference"® Austin, the Game Developers Conference"® Europe, the Game Developers Conference"® China, GDC Mobile, the Game Career Seminars, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.  To learn more, visit www.tsgamegroup.com
About Think Services, a division of United Business Media Think Services connects specialized communities worldwide using educational events, consulting, training, certification, membership, and innovative media. Providing comprehensive opportunities for people to learn from, network with, and inspire each other, Think Services builds strong brands and works within communities to foster a unique affinity with its products and services. The division's flagship products include the Game Developers Conference, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, Game Developer magazine, the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), and HDI.  Think Services is a subsidiary of United Business Media, a global media and marketing services company with a market capitalization of more than $1.6 billion. To learn more, visit www.think-services.com.