Mark Howsen of Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe will keynote the annual European licensing trade show.

EUROPE–Gaming will be a major theme at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe, taking place Oct. 10-12, with a gaming-focused keynote already confirmed.

The annual European trade show will debut a dedicated Gaming Activation Area, which will serve as both a showcase and demonstration area, as well as provide visitors a chance to gain insight into some of the ways popular gaming IP can be taken from the screen to the store. It will also include a mock retail environment, which will feature a range of IPs.

Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe has signed on to serve as the theme’s headline partner and will be on-site to explain how gaming can help reach a broader audience with examples from PlayStation 4’s back catalogue.

In addition, Mark Howsen, commercial development director of Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, has been announced as the first keynote participant in the event’s seminar series. Howsen’s keynote is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 12 p.m.

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“Games have such a broad fan base today,” says Howsen. “Of course, there are those who have been playing for years and grew up with certain characters who provide an opportunity to brand holders, but there are also newcomers to the field attracted by technological advancements such as smart phones and AR. Playing games is accessible to all, and we’ve discovered there are lots of different ways to appeal to players of all styles and walks of life. We are looking forward to discussing the opportunities our industry offers.”

Other video gaming companies that will be exhibiting at the trade show include SEGA, Capcom, Ubisoft, King, Activision Blizzard and Rovio.

“Gaming has been a feature of BLE for many years; but this year, we’re seriously ramping up our content,” says Anna Knight, brand director, BLE. “Despite being one of the most creative, exiting, forward-thinking and lucrative entertainment markets in the world, worth just shy of $100 billion, when it comes to licensing it remains largely untapped thanks in part to a lack of understanding about the end user, the products and the potential. At BLE, we hope to change this by educating our visitors about the industry and the opportunities it offers them.”

Organized by UBM and sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association, BLE is the largest licensing event in Europe–attracting more than 7,500 visitors and 280 exhibitors. This year’s event will take place Oct. 10-12 at London’s Olympia exhibition hall.

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