With the advent of digital technology, one of the fast growing areas attracting much attention from businesses and users alike is the digital entertainment ("DE") field. Hong Kong, having its infrastructure firmly laid down for digital development, is one of the world's most capable city in offering internet and mobile communication services with sophisticated infrastructural outlays, talents, and business opportunities. With much commitment, the Government aims to build up Hong Kong into a wireless digital city through public infrastructural support and human resource development. To date, the vibrant ICT industry accounts for approximately 4% of Hong Kong's GDP with about 75,000 employments in the sector. Situated at Cyberport, The Multimedia Entrepreneurial Research, Education and Creativity Laboratory (MERECL) stays very much at the frontier of the challenges and opportunities brought about by its active involvement in the international DE arena. Founded by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Design in 2005, MERECL houses a pool of multi-disciplinary creative professionals backed up by sound scholarly research and development
	for application in digital entertainment. The integrated media lab offers a wide range of related consultancy services to commercial video games design, production, technology and applications. To support Hong Kong's manpower development for the sector, MERECL also offers technical and creative training in related areas, such as advanced character animation for console video games. Within a couple of years since its establishment, MERECL has already contributed to blockbuster games such as High School Musical (Wii), Power Rangers (PS2), Spider Man (PS2), Indiana Jones (Wii), WET (Wii), and other Nintendo DS and PlayStation 3 titles in the making. For the welfare of the community, MERECL also develops meaningful video games such as teaching about AIDS. Prof. Lorraine Justice, Director of PolyU's world-renowned School of Design, said "MERECL will help Hong Kong affirm its leading position in the highly competitive digital entertainment industry." She stressed that "MERECL is not just set up for Hong Kong, but also for the Mainland China, serving the region and the rest of the world." "MERECL was instrumental in helping us establish Eutechnyx Hong Kong. For an academic institution, their understanding of the technology and art aspects of game development is outstanding. Their understanding of the Asian market, business environment, and network of talent has also helped us expand our outsourcing capabilities into Mainland China." - said Brian Jobling, Managing Director, Eutechnyx, UK. MERECL has its solid track record in developing entertainment software for local, North American and European clients. The LUCID Platform developed by School of Design is a platform for 3D online virtual worlds such as massive online multiplayer games. Its development was supported by the Hong Kong government, the engine is widely licensed for use by education institutions and game developers in the Asian region. To learn more about what MERECL can do for you, please contact Miss Kit Chan at Tel: 3400-2713 or Miss Kennis Ng at 3400-3400, or visit www.merecl.com.