GDC Europe Adds Keynote From Ikariam Free-To-Play MMO Creator

GDC organizer Think Services (also parent of Gamasutra) announced that Klaas Kersting, CEO of German browser game pioneer Gameforge, will keynote the business track at the 2009 Game Developers Conference Europe. Gameforge is best known for free browser-based RPG Ikariam, and at GDC Europe, he'll give a talk entitled "Changes in the Games Industry - Free-to-play vs. Payment Models," where he'll share his thoughts on the success of the revolutionary free-to-play model Gameforge uses. In his keynote, Kersting also present the history of Gameforge, the advantages of different payment models, and the differences between Europe and Asia in terms of attitudes toward gaming and cultural backgrounds. Kersting and Alexander Rosner founded Gameforge in 2003. In addition to Ikariam, the company's responsible for OGame and Metin2 have attracted more than 75 million gamers worldwide. "Gameforge develops pioneering and groundbreaking technologies in the browser-based game sector, which is driving the whole industry," said event director Frank Sliwka. "GDC Europe is focused on delivering content that appeals to a global audience, while presenting content that represents and showcases the European development community."