GLOBAL leaders from the computer games industry will descend on York this week for an international self-publishing conference.

By hosting the State Of Independence conference, which focuses on the changing business landscape of the gaming sector, at York Racecourse on Thursday, organisers are confirming the city’s status as a centre of the industry.

York-based games developer Charles Cecil will speak at the event to an audience including guests from Microsoft, Intel, and Conservative Shadow Culture and Creative Industries Minister Ed Vaizey MP.

Mr Cecil is managing director and co-founder of Revolution Software- the company responsible for one of the world’s most popular computer adventure games series, Broken Sword.

The director’s cut of Broken Sword became one of the top three highest-grossing apps on the iPhone in January this year.

He said: “Yorkshire has some of the most innovative developers in the world, and the market place is a totally level playing field at the moment, with new digital distribution methods.

“The conference will allow the companies to share their ideas and suggestions, and also new developers to learn and network.”

The event is supported by Game Republic and Screen Yorkshire, the regional screen agency responsible for promoting the film, television, gaming and media sector in Yorkshire and Humber.

With the development of digital distribution networks such as Sony’s PlayStation Network, Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade and Apple’s App Store, independent games developers have more potential than ever for commercial success.

Jamie Sefton, Game Republic’s manager at Screen Yorkshire said the conference would be ideal for new developers.

“State of Independence is the perfect one-stop shop for everything indie developers need to know about new routes to market and digital self-publishing,” he said.