Games vendors flock to Milia '99 showcase

The effect of the Net on software distribution, plus Sega's console strategy. Steven Palmer reports from Milia '99.

Milia '99 is beginning to attract more games dealers to the show, instrategy. Steven Palmer reports from Milia '99. addition to the traditional media companies that have always exhibited there.

The show - which was held last week in Cannes - pulled in over 7,000 visitors, and even the media turned out in force, with more than 800 journalists descending on the French town.

A quick look at the list of exhibitors revealed that this was a global show, with stalls from Hungary, Korea, Canada, Australia, the UK and many others countries present.

The range of companies from these geographic locations was also extensive, with media companies specialising in education, the internet and packaging, as well as hardware vendors, distributors, publishers and developers, film and video producers and new media groups. There was also an area dedicated to new talent.

The scope of companies present was also varied, ranging from small developers to Intel and Sony.

There was a number of key announcements at the show. John O'Farrell, senior vice president of @Home, revealed that it will launch in Europe during the second quarter. The @Home network recently merged with portal Excite and it will start its high-speed online service in the Netherlands, before moving into the rest of Europe.

French ISP Infonie, which provides a proprietory online service as well as internet access, announced it had joined forces with supermarket chain Geant to sell a PC based on the Cyrix MII 300MHz chip for about #200.

However, to buy the machine at the price, consumers have to sign up to Infonie's service for two years. The supermarket chain has been earmarked to sell 20,000 PCs per month.

THE MAIN GAMING AWARDS

Milia d'Or Action Games Wargasm (PC - Infogrames) Milia d'Or Adventure/Role Playing Games Zelda The Ocarina Of Time (N64 - Nintendo)

Milia d'Or Strategy Games Populous III: The Beginning (PC - Electronic Arts)

Milia d'Or Simulation/Sports Games Gran Turismo (Playstation - Sony)

Grand Prize - Most Impressive Game Play Zelda The Ocarina Of Time Grand Prize - Excellence In Content Le plus beau musee du monde (PC - Gallimard Multimedia)

Grand Prize - Hottest Multiplayer Game Starcraft (PC - Havas/Blizzard)

People's Choice Award Gran Turismo (Playstation - Sony).