The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) has announced that a major exhibit dedicated to broadband videogames, dubbed "The Cable Game Arena," will be held at
The 2006 National Show, an annual trade show for the cable telecommunications industry.
The announcement of the exhibit was heralded with official NCTA organizer comments that: "With the introduction in recent years of several popular gaming consoles that can utilize a high-speed Internet connection for live competition, the consumer broadband gaming marketplace is exploding and has become a significant factor in adoption of cable modem service."
The exhibit is being jointly produced by the NCTA and Turner Broadcasting System, creators of the GameTap broadband gaming portal. Today's press release describes an "arcade-like environment" with hands-on displays for show attendees, centered around a GameTap-driven tournament with prizes and "special guest appearances."
Additionally, the exhibit has a number of planned "themed environments," including representation from traditional game consoles, broadband game portals, multiplayer online gaming, in-game advertising, and educational games.
"Because cable offers the fastest speeds with the best customer experience in America, our high-speed Internet platform is ideal for broadband video gaming, which is why these applications present such a growth opportunity for our industry," said Kyle McSlarrow, NCTA President & CEO. "The educational sessions will explore the full spectrum of broadband gaming and we expect that the Cable Game Arena will be a highlight of the exhibit show floor."
More information on The National Show, including show registration, can be found at the show's
official website.
