Turkey's leading entertainment and gaming fair "Gaming Istanbul" (GIST) will be taking place at the Istanbul Congress Center next month from Feb. 2-5, gathering professional names from the digital-gaming world.

The show is expected to cater to consumer and trade visitors with areas for exhibition, eSports, indie showcases and multiple stages through the venue, hosting games and entertainment shows. The venue will also house conferences, careers and B2B zones to facilitate investment and partnership opportunities.

The exhibition space has been designed to offer an array of options for international publishers, and with the publishers already signed up to the event, it promises to put Turkey on the map for international gaming events.

Gaming Istanbul Brand and Marketing Manager Meriç Eryürek said: "Game marketing has become a significant tool in the sector. In Turkey, an average game player spends around 39 minutes on one game session." There are more than 1.7 billion active game players and the sector grows 20 percent annually.

Visitors can look forward to virtual reality-specific content, a wide range of panels and presentations on art, design, concept and programming, all linked directly to one of Europe's largest in-event career zones, which are specifically designed to put talent in touch with job creators. Online matchmaking apps will make introductions easier than ever before.