Pocket Gamer Connects Digital is back for 2021, set to bring together some of the finest voices in the games industry and beyond.
PGC Digital #5 takes place on February 8th – 12th. To give you a taste of what to expect, we’ll regularly be publishing interviews with the speakers at the show.
The conference spans across five days and will feature a broad selection of tracks, talks and speakers, as well as various fringe events and the return of our meeting system. For more details on PGC Digital and to book a ticket, head to the website.
Today’s spotlight is on Chris Taylor, a Partner at law firm Eaton Smith LLP. Taylor heads up the firm’s video game team, and his work sees him represent a range of clients in the gaming space, including developers, art studios and multinational publishers. He’ll be heading to PGC to share his expertise on a panel all about what to consider when choosing a publisher.
PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a bit about your company?
Chris Taylor: Eaton Smith LLP is a full-service law firm in Huddersfield, England that helps local, national and international clients, and we assist both business and private clients. Our commercial and corporate teams cover a wide range of sectors, including the video games industry. We recently won the Best Legal Services Supplier Award at the TIGA Games Awards 2020.
What does your role entail?
As a commercial lawyer, I cover a wide range of clients and sectors, with an increasing emphasis on the IP and tech side of the industry. Video games and legal work brings the mix of IP, IT and commercial law that I enjoy and much of my work is preparing agreements necessary to record client plans but also protect their interests.
The video games industry is a fast-moving sector and you have to stay on top of knowledge, relationships and events within it. I spend as much time as I can reading up on issues affecting the industry so that I can bring that knowledge out to benefit our clients.
Why did you want to work in the games industry?
It happened organically but with a solid early background of Atari and PS1, my interest was always there. I took all opportunities to grow our games work, went to as many events as I could manage (up and down the country), made contacts at every opportunity and concentrated on growing my knowledge. It has been a tremendously rewarding experience.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?
Network and put in a personal effort to grow your knowledge and work. It isn’t going to happen by magic.
What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?
It has been a period of consolidating the gains that it has made in recent years. The pandemic and people turning to games for coping with lockdowns etc has been an opportunity for people to see games in a good light.
How has the games industry changed since you first started?
It has become a recognised sector of the UK economy and is of tremendous value. It is seen as being a good example of what can arise out of STEAM subjects and its possibilities are now seen as being endless, rather than being viewed with distrust as it was many years ago.
Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?
Being involved in the panel event, as it will give me a chance to meet new professionals.
Want more?
The full conference schedule will be live very soon. In the meantime, you can also check out our other track rundowns and coverage of previous Pocket Gamer Connects conferences ahead of the event itself.
