Katamari Creator Takahashi Lends Vision To 2007 GameCity

Officials from the UK's GameCity industry festival have announced Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi as the conference's 2007 Vision Statement speaker, along with a lineup set to include a number of developers from studios like Frontier, Travellers Tales and SCEE. Best known for creating Katamari Damacy, Takahashi has also recently announced the first details of his first PlayStation 3 title, Nobi Nobi Boy. He will deliver the BAFTA-sponsored Vision Statement on October 27th, as did Oddworld Inhabitant's Lorne Lanning at the inaugural GameCity event in 2006. Said Takahashi, "I haven't had the chance to consider my plans for the day just yet but I'm definitely ready to enjoy myself! I'm hoping to share some of my works at the event so let's hope everyone can join me in October!" GameCity says the student and developer focused event is about "celebrating the culture and development of video games," and "bringing the people who make them into contact with the people who play them - and who want to make them." This year's GameCity will take place in a number of venues including cinemas, market squares, restaurants, cafes and schools across Nottingham from the October 24th - 28th. While a full schedule has yet to be announced, GameCity has said developers from Frontier, Freestyle Games, Travellers Tales, Free Radical Design, Mode 7, and SCEE have all pledged support, with more to come in the following months. Said festival director Iain Simons, "We're enormously excited that Keita has chosen to participate in the GameCity festival and deliver the Vision Statement keynote. This really is a unique opportunity for gamers to spend some quality time in the company of one of the most exciting developers working today."