Official Game Developers Conference(TM) China, Part of United Business Media
LLC, Wins First of Two Year Lawsuit in Shanghai, China

    
    CGPA and Beijing Howell International Trade Fair Ruled Against for Unfair
    Business Practices





    
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<p><span class="xn-location">SAN FRANCISCO</span>, <span class="xn-chron">Nov. 23, 2010</span> /CNW/ -- On <span class="xn-chron">Tuesday, November 16, 2010</span> the <span class="xn-location">Shanghai</span> <span class="xn-person">Lu Wan</span> District People's Law Court of the People's Republic of <span class="xn-location">China</span> ruled in favor of the plaintiff, United Business Media LLC (UBM), against defendants Publishers Association of <span class="xn-location">China</span> Game Publication Committee (CGPA), and <span class="xn-location">Beijing</span> Howell International Trade Fair Co. Ltd. (Howell) with regard to actions around UBM's GDC <span class="xn-location">China</span> trade shows.  This is the first court judgment pertaining to this lawsuit in <span class="xn-location">China</span>.</p>
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<p>In the decision, CGPA and Howell were formally penalized for violation of the "PRC Anti-unfair Competition Law" and its principles of exercising voluntariness, equality, fairness, honesty and credibility, and generally recognized business ethics in the market place.</p>
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<p>The winning plaintiff, United Business Media, is the parent company of the UBM TechWeb Game Network - producers and owners of the worldwide Game Developers Conferences®, including the original GDC, held annually in California for over two decades.</p>
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<p>The first Game Developers Conference <span class="xn-location">China</span> was held in fall of 2007 as a joint partnership between UBM and IDG <span class="xn-person">China World</span> Expo. After a year of preparation between the two groups for the inaugural event, UBM and IDG added the CGPA and Howell as partners less than one month before doors opened to attendees -- in an effort to provide holistic support for the games industry in <span class="xn-location">China</span>.</p>
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<p>After the success of the first conference, the groups planned to work together for the second event in 2008.  Instead, disputes and delays caused no event to take place in 2008, with dissolution of the three partnerships.</p>
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<p>To the surprise and confusion of many, the CGPA and Howell announced an event named "<span class="xn-location">China</span> Game Developers Conference," adjacent to the Howell-run ChinaJoy consumer event in the summer of 2009 - claiming themselves as the main organizers or "Organizing Units" for the inaugural 2007 event.  UBM continued to also produce the 2nd rendition of the official event in 2009 under the name: Game Developers Conference(TM) <span class="xn-location">China</span>.</p>
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<p>Earlier last week, the courts ruled that the CGPA was just a "Supporting Unit" to the 2007 Game Developers Conference in <span class="xn-location">China</span>, with no evidence of themselves as "Organizing Units." Furthermore, the courts deemed the CGPA's subsequent acts of intentionally misrepresenting themselves as official/original show producers of the 2007 event- with no supporting facts - in writing and in invitations to its members restricting them from attending the UBM produced GDC <span class="xn-location">China</span> event was an of abuse of their power. This caused harm and damages to UBM, as well as violated the country's "PRC Anti-unfair Competition Law."</p>
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<p>The <span class="xn-location">Shanghai</span> courts also deemed that a series of actions and defaming public testimonials from CGPA after the 2007 event towards UBM is considered slander, and adversely affected UBM's business.</p>
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<p>In addition, the courts deemed that Howell knew that the CGPA were not official "Organizing Units" to the event, and yet still endorsed and aided the CGPA in promotions (sending false messages to the <span class="xn-location">Shanghai</span> Lian <span class="xn-location">Xian</span> Tang Advertisement Broadcasting Co., Ltd. to be broadcasted), further compounding negative goodwill and business effects for UBM.</p>
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    Notable court-mandated rulings against the CGPA include it being ordered:
    --  To immediately stop its unfair competition which restrains its members
        from participating in the Game Developers Conference(TM) China
    --  To immediately stop its commercial slander towards UBM
    --  To immediately stop its misleading false promotion
    --  To publish a statement of clarification on the homepage of its website
        (www.cgigc.com.cn) for 48 consecutive hours


    Notable court-mandated rulings against Howell include it being ordered:
    --  To stop its unfair competition against UBM
    --  To deliver a written statement to Shanghai Lian Xian Tang
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        Broadcasting Co., Ltd. to eliminate the adverse effects caused by its
        earlier accusations against UBM


    
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<p>"Though it has been a long struggle over the past three years, we are proud of our continued ability to produce the Game Developers Conference <span class="xn-location">China</span>," said Meggan Scavio GDC Director.  "We sincerely hope that we can now move forward to more completely fulfill our goal of supporting and serving the Chinese game community."</p>
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<p>The Official 2010 Game Developers Conference(TM) <span class="xn-location">China</span> will take place December 5-7 at the International <span class="xn-location">Shanghai</span> Convention Center, <span class="xn-location">Shanghai</span> <span class="xn-location">China</span>. For more information on this event please visit <a href="http://www.gdcchina.com">www.gdcchina.com</a>.</p>
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    About the UBM TechWeb Game Network
    
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<p>A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the UBM TechWeb Game Network - formerly known as 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 the Game Developers Conference®, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com and network of sites, the Game Advertising Online ad network, the Game Developers Conference® Online, the Game Developers Conference(TM) <span class="xn-location">Europe</span>, the Game Developers Conference(TM) <span class="xn-location">China</span>, Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Game Career Seminars and GameCareerGuide.com, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.</p>
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    About UBM TechWeb, a division of United Business Media
    
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<p>UBM TechWeb, the global leader in technology media and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the transformative power of technology.  Through its core businesses - media solutions, marketing services and professional information - UBM TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed brands, applications and services in the technology market. More than 14.5 million business and technology professionals (CIOs, IT and IT Support managers, Web & Digital professionals, Software and Game developers, Government decision makers, and Telecom providers) actively participate in UBM TechWeb's communities. UBM TechWeb brands includes: global face-to-face events such as Interop, Game Developers Conference (GDC), Web 2.0, Black Hat and VoiceCon; large-scale online networks such as InformationWeek, Light Reading and Gamasutra; research, training, and certification services, including HDI, Pyramid Research, and InformationWeek Analytics; and market-leading magazines such as InformationWeek and Wall Street & Technology.  UBM TechWeb is part of UBM, a global provider of media and information services for professional B2B communities and markets.</p>
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    Contact:       Ben Veechai
                   UBM TechWeb Game Network
                   [email protected]
                   415-947-6280
    
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                   fortyseven communications
                   [email protected]
                   323-658-1200






    

For further information: Ben Veechai of UBM TechWeb Game Network, [phone], [email protected]; or fortyseven communications, [phone], [email protected], for UBM TechWeb Game Network Web Site: http://www.cgigc.com.cn http://www.gdcchina.com