TRACK DETAILS | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
DETAILS | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO CASINO DETAILS
DETAILS | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES BUSINESS OF GAMES DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION MARKET NAVIGATION DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION UNITED IN ACTION DETAILS
9:30AM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
9:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP Developing Interactive Experiences for Today’s Gamers
Kyle Laughlin, SVP, Games & Interactive Experiences, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media
Hear from Kyle Laughlin, the head of Disney’s Games and Interactive Experiences division, about developing new experiences across gaming platforms, and the key considerations that should be taken in order to appeal to a broad audience.
10:00AM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
10:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP Lineage 2: Revolution – Bringing South Korea’s Massive Mobile Hit to the West
Simon Sim, General Manager, Netmarble US
Lineage 2: Revolution conquered the #1 top grossing mobile games charts across eight countries during the first year of the game’s lifespan. We will share what we did to prepare for the western launch of the game, an IP that didn’t have the same historical impact as it did in Asia. We will go over the successes, pitfalls, and strategies that led to Netmarble’s biggest western launch in history.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Getting Direct Engagement: Developing with Discord
Andy Swanson, Head of Publisher Relations, Discord
With 90M+ users worldwide, Discord knows something about connecting gamers through voice, video and text chat. Discord’s Head of Publisher Relations, Andy Swanson, will talk about tools and products within Discord that allow developers to engage with fans and let players seamlessly connect with PC games and playing friends. Andy will take questions from devs and share examples of how the industry has evolved to allow two-way feedback between developers and players.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO State of the Social Casino Industry – Q4 2017
Adam Krejcik, Principal, Eilers & Krejcik Gaming
In this session you will learn about the latest trends and data as it relates to the social casino games industry including: market size, top publishers, revenue by platform, biggest titles, KPIs, marketing expenses, latest M&A activity and sector outlook. A must-attend session for anyone involved or wanting to learn more about the $4B+ social casino games market from one of the industry’s most respected analysts.
10:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: Can Publisher/Developer Partnerships be Smooth for F2P Games?
Samir El Agili, Chief Operating Officer, Tilting Point
Josh Larson, Chief Revenue Officer, Kongregate
Henry Lowenfels, VP of Business Development, Scopely
Lawrence Koh, General Manager, NEXON M
MODERATOR: Julia Palatovska, Games Publishing Consultant, Games Industry
Guests of this panel have tried it all: they've worked with third-party developers, developed their own games, and acquired other studios. As a result they've developed their own best practices and at this panel they'll share what works and what doesn't! You will learn how publishers and developers divide responsibilities, how to publish on different territories, and if a publishing deal can lead to an acquisition offer.
10:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION The State of the App Economy: Trends and Tactics for 2018 and Beyond
Eric Seufert, Platform, N3TWORK
In this session, Eric Seufert, head of Platform at N3TWORK and owner of Mobile Dev Memo, will present a broad, macro overview of the current state of the App Economy and identify the trends that are fundamentally changing the mobile landscape. Attendees will leave this session equipped with a set of practical, actionable strategies for dealing with the changes that will develop within mobile over the course of 2018 and beyond.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 1: Company Management
Patrick Sweeney, Founding Partner, Interactive Entertainment Law Group
Louis-Rene Auclair, Chief Jumper, RocketJump Games
Lyle Hall, President & CEO, Heavy Iron Studios
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. This workshop will dig deep into the complexities of managing a company like a true business. It will cover the following key areas: legal/entity formation, vision and mission, production/staffing, management/culture, admin/budgeting/biz dev, planning, tactics, and investment preparedness. We will also explore sources of funding, and when/why you would approach each. Finally, pitching tips will also be covered.
10:30AM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
10:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP Opportunities and Challenges in Location Based Entertainment
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Blowing Up the Moon: A Process for Finding the Courage to Make Bold Decisions
Ryan Schneider, Chief Brand Officer, Insomniac Games
Using Insomniac Games' recent studiowide re-brand as a case study, Ryan will share insights he's honed through 15-plus years of videogames marketing, community-building and public relations work to help you tame the Doubt Monster as you make important decisions inside your own studio.
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO What Can Real Money Gambling (& Social Casino) Teach Video Gaming About The Viability Of HTML5 As An Enabling Technology for Instant Games?
Ngozi Watts, Managing Director, RelEX Studio LLC
Casino games are currently intersecting atypically with video games on the new Instant Games platforms. Dare I say RMG is showing video gaming the power of HTML5 Canvas. Unquestionably, we are witnessing heavy investment in an entirely new channel premised on the adoption of HTML5. Let’s explore: Why Instant Games? Why HTML5 Canvas? How to export your Unity games “INSTANTLY” to HTML5!
10:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: Can Publisher/Developer Partnerships be Smooth for F2P Games?
Samir El Agili, Chief Operating Officer, Tilting Point
Josh Larson, Chief Revenue Officer, Kongregate
Henry Lowenfels, VP of Business Development, Scopely
Lawrence Koh, General Manager, NEXON M
MODERATOR: Julia Palatovska, Games Publishing Consultant, Games Industry
Guests of this panel have tried it all: they've worked with third-party developers, developed their own games, and acquired other studios. As a result they've developed their own best practices and at this panel they'll share what works and what doesn't! You will learn how publishers and developers divide responsibilities, how to publish on different territories, and if a publishing deal can lead to an acquisition offer.
10:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION Improving your Game's Engagement with New Tools from Twitch
Jon Pulsipher, Integration Success Engineer, Twitch
Making a game stream-worthy and popular on Twitch requires more than just creating something fun to watch and play. Now, developers have more tools than ever at their hands to build features just for live streaming and viewing on Twitch. Join Jon Pulsipher, Integration Success Engineer at Twitch, as he explores how to best incorporate the wants of players and content creators, and covers the newest developer-focused features on Twitch.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 1 CONTINUES: Company Management
Patrick Sweeney, Founding Partner, Interactive Entertainment Law Group
Louis-Rene Auclair, Chief Jumper, RocketJump Games
Lyle Hall, President & CEO, Heavy Iron Studios
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. This workshop will dig deep into the complexities of managing a company like a true business. It will cover the following key areas: legal/entity formation, vision and mission, production/staffing, management/culture, admin/budgeting/biz dev, planning, tactics, and investment preparedness. We will also explore sources of funding, and when/why you would approach each. Finally, pitching tips will also be covered.
11:00AM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP The Future of User Acquisition – Creative Marketplaces, Machine Learning & UA Bots
Brian Bowman, Founder & CEO, Consumer Acquisition
Rich Jones, Client Solutions Manager, Facebook
Tom Young, CMO, Consumer Acquisition
In this session, we reveal the secrets to help you achieve profitable mobile app user acquisition. Mobile advertising is constantly changing. What is effective today is irrelevant tomorrow. Come see the creative techniques and best practices for sustained, profitable user acquisition growth. Learn how emerging tech like creative marketplaces, machine learning, automatic bidding and UA Bots are drastically altering the industry as we know it.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL: Messaging, Messenger, iMessage & More: Learnings & Predictions from the Leaders
Claire Watanabe, Senior Product Manager, Zynga
Jia Shen, VP of Product, Blackstorm Labs
Albert Lai, CEO, Big Viking Games
Lance Priebe, CEO, Hyper Hippo Games
MODERATOR: Josh Burns, Founder, DigitalDevConnect
While the mobile market is nothing short of mature, there are emerging messaging focused platforms within the market seeing very rapid growth. Come learn from those studios on the forefront of this market segment to better understand the current opportunity as well as forecasts for the future as both small & large companies rapidly enter this space. Is a new multi-billion dollar platform appearing before our eyes?
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL: Customer Acquisition & Retention in a Crowding Casino Space
Monty Kerr, SVP of Games, Zynga
Cyrus Lee, Senior User Acquisition Manager, PlayStudios
Thomas Hopkins, Director of Marketing & UA, Penn Interactive Gaming
MODERATOR: Frank Pracukowski, Director, iGaming Capital
The burning topic for the increasingly crowded casino space is customer acquisition and retention. Casino game developers are launching social gaming apps and venturing into new industries, but it is becoming more and more expensive to acquire and retain players. Studios have to constantly develop, reward and entertain their players or risk them jumping ship. In this climate, where should developers be looking for users and how can they retain them?
11:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: Where Venture Money is Going: The Leading (and Bleeding) Edges of Games Investment
Gregory Milken, Co-Founder, March Capital Partners
Rob Simmelkjaer, Senior Vice President, NBC Sports Ventures and Comcast Ventures
Jon Goldman, Venture Partner, Greycroft
Clinton Foy, General Partner & Managing Director, Crosscut Ventures
MODERATOR: Eric Goldberg, Managing Director, Crossover Technologies
Earlier-stage VCs making multiple investments in the market describe the higher-risk, higher-reward – and more polarizing – opportunities in games start-ups. Is esports passing through its peak, as VR had by this time last year? Is AR a next big thing, or is it chiefly a feature to sell the next wave of smartphones? What are the prospects for next major games platform, from voice assistants to the cryptocurrency ecosystem? And how must the planets align in 2018 for a game studio to raise venture capital?
11:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION Evolving Your Mobile Attribution Strategy in 2018
Grant Cohen, General Manager, Kochava
Today’s mobile advertising landscape is complex. With thousands of networks, publishers, and sub-publishers it’s important to ensure your mobile attribution strategy is allowing you to efficiently optimize your spend to reach the highest ROI. Join Garrett MacDonald, SVP of Sales at Kochava, to understand how fraud prevention, configurable attribution, and full funnel analysis can drive your 2018 success.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 1 CONTINUES: Company Management
Patrick Sweeney, Founding Partner, Interactive Entertainment Law Group
Louis-Rene Auclair, Chief Jumper, RocketJump Games
Lyle Hall, President & CEO, Heavy Iron Studios
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. This workshop will dig deep into the complexities of managing a company like a true business. It will cover the following key areas: legal/entity formation, vision and mission, production/staffing, management/culture, admin/budgeting/biz dev, planning, tactics, and investment preparedness. We will also explore sources of funding, and when/why you would approach each. Finally, pitching tips will also be covered.
11:30AM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP SESSION CONTINUES: The Future of User Acquisition – Creative Marketplaces, Machine Learning & UA Bots
Brian Bowman, Founder & CEO, Consumer Acquisition
Rich Jones, Client Solutions Manager, Facebook
Tom Young, CMO, Consumer Acquisition
In this session, we reveal the secrets to help you achieve profitable mobile app user acquisition. Mobile advertising is constantly changing. What is effective today is irrelevant tomorrow. Come see the creative techniques and best practices for sustained, profitable user acquisition growth. Learn how emerging tech like creative marketplaces, machine learning, automatic bidding and UA Bots are drastically altering the industry as we know it.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL CONTINUES: Messaging, Messenger, iMessage & More: Learnings & Predictions from the Leaders
Claire Watanabe, Senior Product Manager, Zynga
Jia Shen, VP of Product, Blackstorm Labs
Albert Lai, CEO, Big Viking Games
Lance Priebe, CEO, Hyper Hippo Games
MODERATOR: Josh Burns, Founder, DigitalDevConnect
While the mobile market is nothing short of mature, there are emerging messaging focused platforms within the market seeing very rapid growth. Come learn from those studios on the forefront of this market segment to better understand the current opportunity as well as forecasts for the future as both small & large companies rapidly enter this space. Is a new multi-billion dollar platform appearing before our eyes?
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL CONTINUES: Customer Acquisition & Retention in a Crowding Casino Space
Monty Kerr, SVP of Games, Zynga
Cyrus Lee, Senior User Acquisition Manager, PlayStudios
Thomas Hopkins, Director of Marketing & UA, Penn Interactive Gaming
MODERATOR: Frank Pracukowski, Director, iGaming Capital
The burning topic for the increasingly crowded casino space is customer acquisition and retention. Casino game developers are launching social gaming apps and venturing into new industries, but it is becoming more and more expensive to acquire and retain players. Studios have to constantly develop, reward and entertain their players or risk them jumping ship. In this climate, where should developers be looking for users and how can they retain them?
11:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: Where Venture Money is Going: The Leading (and Bleeding) Edges of Games Investment
Gregory Milken, Co-Founder, March Capital Partners
Rob Simmelkjaer, Senior Vice President, NBC Sports Ventures and Comcast Ventures
Jon Goldman, Venture Partner, Greycroft
Clinton Foy, General Partner & Managing Director, Crosscut Ventures
MODERATOR: Eric Goldberg, Managing Director, Crossover Technologies
Earlier-stage VCs making multiple investments in the market describe the higher-risk, higher-reward – and more polarizing – opportunities in games start-ups. Is esports passing through its peak, as VR had by this time last year? Is AR a next big thing, or is it chiefly a feature to sell the next wave of smartphones? What are the prospects for next major games platform, from voice assistants to the cryptocurrency ecosystem? And how must the planets align in 2018 for a game studio to raise venture capital?
11:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION The Next Phase of Mobile App Monetization: What Developers Need to Know to Maximize Revenue
Adam Carey, Senior Director of Ad Monetization, SEGA Networks
Boris Logvinskiy, Head of Product, MoPub at Twitter
Mobile app monetization is changing quickly. Header bidding has become an increasingly hot topic, but what does this mean for the mobile app ecosystem, where there's no such thing as a header? What are the pitfalls in today's waterfall setup and what's coming next? This session will cover what's needed to make a true advanced-bidding solution successful in the mobile app world and how the monetization landscape is changing in order to maximize revenue in 2018 and beyond.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 1 CONTINUES: Company Management
Patrick Sweeney, Founding Partner, Interactive Entertainment Law Group
Louis-Rene Auclair, Chief Jumper, RocketJump Games
Lyle Hall, President & CEO, Heavy Iron Studios
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. This workshop will dig deep into the complexities of managing a company like a true business. It will cover the following key areas: legal/entity formation, vision and mission, production/staffing, management/culture, admin/budgeting/biz dev, planning, tactics, and investment preparedness. We will also explore sources of funding, and when/why you would approach each. Finally, pitching tips will also be covered.
12:00 NOON | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
12:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS LUNCH BREAK
Sponsored by Gamesauce
1:00PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
13:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP Video Games and the 1st Amendment: The Importance of Pushing Boundaries and Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Brandon Huffman, Attorney, Odin Law & Media
This presentation will explore the history of video games as expression, legally protected speech, and the future of video games as a tool for dissent. Video games have long been at the forefront of innovation in tech and legal impact. Games are entitled to 1st Amendment protection after a 2011 Supreme Court battle. In today’s political climate, all media is under increased scrutiny and pressure. Developers should be aware of this history and its potential future impact.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Building VR for Today and Tomorrow in Unity: Utilizing Analytics, Immersive Advertising and Cross Platform Tools
Daniel Miller, XR Evangelist, Unity
Learn about what Unity can offer for Virtual Reality development. From understanding data and how a player is immersed to building applications across the wide range of headsets. This talk will give some practical examples, show some recently developed tools and give a small glimpse into the future of immersive advertising.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL: Hype vs. Real Deal – Taking a Look at 2018’s Next Big Trends
Phillip Runyan, Director, Truly Social Games
Jamison Selby, VP Games, b spot
Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital
Rich Roberts, CEO, FaceOff
MODERATOR: Derrick Morton, CEO, FlowPlay
Blockchain is revolutionizing in-game goods and cryptocurrency is the new dollar. Legalization of real-money gambling is knocking at the United States’ door, while online sports betting is turning the fantasy sports industry upside down. Which of these emerging trends is over-hyped and what’s the real deal? Join our panel of experts as they look into their crystal balls to predict which trends are worth keeping an eye on and which ones are poised to be one-hit wonders.
13:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: Import/Export – Understanding the Current Trends Around China's Place in the Global Gaming Market
Summee Farooqi, Director, Business Development, 360 Games
Henry Ning, Director of Strategic Development, iDreamSky
Gary Huang, Overseas Business Director, Linekong
Ringo Zhu, Director Business Development North America, China Mobile Games and Entertainment Group (CMGE)
MODERATOR: Josh Burns, Founder, DigitalDevConnect
The answer as to what country has the largest market for video games is simple, but that is where the simplicity ends as it relates to China. Come hear from a panel of leading China-based video game companies about the latest trends in market around mobile, console, PC and VR gaming, including where opportunities exist for Western companies, as well as how Chinese companies currently view expansion into the West.
13:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION PANEL: The Gain & Pain of Ad Monetization – Publisher Stories
Jarkko Rajamaki, VP Advertising, Rovio
Dave Yonamine, Chairman, MobilityWare
John Boog-Scott, COO, PeopleFun
Karim Farghaly, Director of Business Development, Bandai Namco
MODERATOR: Ayala Rudoy, Director of Strategic Customers, SafeDK
Ad monetization has become a crucial part of how mobile game publishers are generating their revenue. In this panel, top publishers will be sharing their personal experiences on the benefits and best practices when monetizing through ads and will shed light on the main risks and issues that come along with displaying ads in mobile games.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 2: Bullseye! The Moving Targets of Marketing, Community, PR & User Acquisition for Mobile & Indie Games
Elizabeth Olson, Consultant, Strategic Marketing, PR & BizDev Consulting
Louis Tanguay, Founder, App Growth Experts
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. Getting your game discovered is tough in a market dominated by franchises, Top 10 titles and big-budget games. Come discover strategies for marketing, PR, community and user acquisition. We’ll provide tips for messaging/positioning, community building, and PR/influencer outreach done right (and wrong!). We’ll discuss high-impact, low-cost ways to get traction in stores via paid and organic growth, SEO, ASO, app readiness, and performance marketing.
1:30PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
13:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP Bringing Esports to Mobile
Anatoly Ropotov, CEO, Game Insight
With the release Guns of Boom, Game Insight used a mobile-first mindset to solve a tricky conundrum: how to make a first-person shooter for touchscreens? Their next challenge was equally tricky: bringing esports to smartphones. CEO Anatoly Ropotov will share insights into how to build a successful mobile esports game that works for pro players, esports enthusiasts and casual gamers alike.
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Open Standards for Cross-Platform Gaming, Virtual & Augmented Reality
Neil Trevett, VP, Nvidia/Khronos
Cutting-edge VR and AR experiences need to leverage the very latest in silicon and platform capabilities. Too often this means using proprietary APIs that lock content into a single platform. The Khronos Group is developing royalty-free industry standard APIs to enable advanced games and experiences to be widely shipped across multiple devices and markets.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL CONTINUES: Hype vs. Real Deal – Taking a Look at 2018’s Next Big Trends
Phillip Runyan, Director, Truly Social Games
Jamison Selby, VP Games, b spot
Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital
Rich Roberts, CEO, FaceOff
MODERATOR: Derrick Morton, CEO, FlowPlay
Blockchain is revolutionizing in-game goods and cryptocurrency is the new dollar. Legalization of real-money gambling is knocking at the United States’ door, while online sports betting is turning the fantasy sports industry upside down. Which of these emerging trends is over-hyped and what’s the real deal? Join our panel of experts as they look into their crystal balls to predict which trends are worth keeping an eye on and which ones are poised to be one-hit wonders.
13:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: Import/Export – Understanding the Current Trends Around China's Place in the Global Gaming Market
Summee Farooqi, Director, Business Development, 360 Games
Henry Ning, Director of Strategic Development, iDreamSky
Gary Huang, Overseas Business Director, Linekong
Ringo Zhu, Director Business Development North America, China Mobile Games and Entertainment Group (CMGE)
MODERATOR: Josh Burns, Founder, DigitalDevConnect
The answer as to what country has the largest market for video games is simple, but that is where the simplicity ends as it relates to China. Come hear from a panel of leading China-based video game companies about the latest trends in market around mobile, console, PC and VR gaming, including where opportunities exist for Western companies, as well as how Chinese companies currently view expansion into the West.
13:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION PANEL CONTINUES: The Gain & Pain of Ad Monetization – Publisher Stories
Jarkko Rajamaki, VP Advertising, Rovio
Dave Yonamine, Chairman, MobilityWare
John Boog-Scott, COO, PeopleFun
Karim Farghaly, Director of Business Development, Bandai Namco
MODERATOR: Ayala Rudoy, Director of Strategic Customers, SafeDK
Ad monetization has become a crucial part of how mobile game publishers are generating their revenue. In this panel, top publishers will be sharing their personal experiences on the benefits and best practices when monetizing through ads and will shed light on the main risks and issues that come along with displaying ads in mobile games.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 2 CONTINUES: Bullseye! The Moving Targets of Marketing, Community, PR & User Acquisition for Mobile & Indie Games
Elizabeth Olson, Consultant, Strategic Marketing, PR & BizDev Consulting
Louis Tanguay, Founder, App Growth Experts
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. Getting your game discovered is tough in a market dominated by franchises, Top 10 titles and big-budget games. Come discover strategies for marketing, PR, community and user acquisition. We’ll provide tips for messaging/positioning, community building, and PR/influencer outreach done right (and wrong!). We’ll discuss high-impact, low-cost ways to get traction in stores via paid and organic growth, SEO, ASO, app readiness, and performance marketing.
2:00PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
14:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP PANEL: Strategics: Triple Threats & the Leading Financial Actors
Shanti Bergel, Executive Vice President, FunPlus
Scott Rupp, US Managing Director, Modern Times Group
Michael Chang, SVP of Corporate Development, NCSoft
Chris Heatherly, EVP, Games and Digital Platforms, NBCUniversal Media
MODERATOR: Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat
Game strategics, the dominant acquirers and funding sources, play across three dimensions: equity investment; M&A; and delivery of business value (such as top game IP). This panel of billion-dollar global game publisher-investors will describe: investment criteria; routes to M&A; and value delivered in greater revenues & profits; together with market trends, such as a lag in investment.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Industry Lifecycles
Raph Koster, Designer, Independent
Here we go again – “________ are dead! ______ is the new hot thing in videogames!” Whether it’s Indiepocalypses or E.T. carts in Alamogordo, haven’t we been here before? Why yes, yes we have. Some things march forward – like costs – and some spiral around the same familiar patterns. In this talk Raph will describe general patterns of platform shifts in the game industry, the inevitable logic of maturing markets, and how that impacts what the audiences look for.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO The Rise of the Interactive Casino Experience: Implications for Casino Gaming
Daniel Sahl, Associate Director, UNLV Center for Gaming Innovation
Wynn Las Vegas is currently transforming its golf course into an ambitious resort and entertainment experience called Paradise Park. This new space will take the spectacle and extravagance of Vegas to deliver tangible interactive experiences for guests. How will this next phase change the casino gaming product? Have decades of video gaming increased our expectation for interactivity in all aspects of leisure and entertainment?
14:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES Tricks of the User Acquisition Trade: How Advertiser Tools are Changing and What You Need to Know to Drive More Revenue
Martin Price, VP of Product, Vungle
The mobile app landscape is ever-evolving and as new challenges arise, so do innovative solutions to solve for these problems. In this session, Martin Price, VP of Product at Vungle, will take a candid look at today’s user acquisition challenges and examine how creative optimization combined with data can transform the way game audiences are grown. He’ll show ways that creative optimization and self-serve advertising tools are helping to empower a new kind of mobile advertiser.
14:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION PANEL: Getting in the Game: How Publishers Can Help Brands Reach Their Players
Chandra Hill, VP, Monetization, MobilityWare
Sameer Sondhi, VP & GM Business Development, InMobi
Sally Lu, Senior Director, Ad Monetization, Jam City
Andrew Gerhart, Chief Operating Officer, AerServ
David Edwards, Senior Vice President, Digital Marketing - Theatrical Films, Lionsgate
MODERATOR: Grant Cohen, General Manager, Kochava
Over 190 million Americans play mobile games every year — a figure which equals 60% of the U.S. population and 80% of all mobile phone users. The types of people who play mobile gaming apps are diverse, ranging from mothers to Millennials (and sometimes both), so brands are now beginning to understand the value in reaching these highly-engaged audiences. With game inventory being such a perfect fit for brands, how can publishers capitalize on the rising demand? Join us for a stimulating panel discussion featuring industry leaders representing brands, mobile developers and ad monetization platforms as they discuss the present and future of brand advertising in mobile gaming.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 2 CONTINUES: Bullseye! The Moving Targets of Marketing, Community, PR & User Acquisition for Mobile & Indie Games
Elizabeth Olson, Consultant, Strategic Marketing, PR & BizDev Consulting
Louis Tanguay, Founder, App Growth Experts
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. Getting your game discovered is tough in a market dominated by franchises, Top 10 titles and big-budget games. Come discover strategies for marketing, PR, community and user acquisition. We’ll provide tips for messaging/positioning, community building, and PR/influencer outreach done right (and wrong!). We’ll discuss high-impact, low-cost ways to get traction in stores via paid and organic growth, SEO, ASO, app readiness, and performance marketing.
2:30PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
14:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP PANEL CONTINUES: Strategics: Triple Threats & the Leading Financial Actors
Shanti Bergel, Executive Vice President, FunPlus
Scott Rupp, US Managing Director, Modern Times Group
Michael Chang, SVP of Corporate Development, NCSoft
Chris Heatherly, EVP, Games and Digital Platforms, NBCUniversal Media
MODERATOR: Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat
Game strategics, the dominant acquirers and funding sources, play across three dimensions: equity investment; M&A; and delivery of business value (such as top game IP). This panel of billion-dollar global game publisher-investors will describe: investment criteria; routes to M&A; and value delivered in greater revenues & profits; together with market trends, such as a lag in investment.
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT ROUNDTABLE: Indies Helping Indies
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO Upping the Fun Factor through an Addictive Audio Treatment
Mike Raznick, Composer & Audio Lead, Dreamcraft Music & Sound
This unique session explores how music and sound can be leveraged for increased user acquisition and monetization. Topics include real world examples of what works and doesn’t work, music and IP licensing, as well as discussion of how to create a compelling, fun and exciting audio experience for casino games.
14:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES How To Find The Best Publishing Deal For Your Video Game
Louis-Rene Auclair, Chief Jumper, RocketJump Games
There are many ways a game developer can work with a publisher, but in order to find the right publisher for your game, you have to find out your needs, what you are already good at and ultimately, what you are not good at. Publishing deals are complex, we'll review some of the key points of a deal to maximize what your team will get out of them!
14:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION PANEL CONTINUES: Getting in the Game: How Publishers Can Help Brands Reach Their Players
Chandra Hill, VP, Monetization, MobilityWare
Sameer Sondhi, VP & GM Business Development, InMobi
Sally Lu, Senior Director, Ad Monetization, Jam City
Andrew Gerhart, Chief Operating Officer, AerServ
David Edwards, Senior Vice President, Digital Marketing - Theatrical Films, Lionsgate
MODERATOR: Grant Cohen, General Manager, Kochava
Over 190 million Americans play mobile games every year — a figure which equals 60% of the U.S. population and 80% of all mobile phone users. The types of people who play mobile gaming apps are diverse, ranging from mothers to Millennials (and sometimes both), so brands are now beginning to understand the value in reaching these highly-engaged audiences. With game inventory being such a perfect fit for brands, how can publishers capitalize on the rising demand? Join us for a stimulating panel discussion featuring industry leaders representing brands, mobile developers and ad monetization platforms as they discuss the present and future of brand advertising in mobile gaming.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 2 CONTINUES: Bullseye! The Moving Targets of Marketing, Community, PR & User Acquisition for Mobile & Indie Games
Elizabeth Olson, Consultant, Strategic Marketing, PR & BizDev Consulting
Louis Tanguay, Founder, App Growth Experts
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. Getting your game discovered is tough in a market dominated by franchises, Top 10 titles and big-budget games. Come discover strategies for marketing, PR, community and user acquisition. We’ll provide tips for messaging/positioning, community building, and PR/influencer outreach done right (and wrong!). We’ll discuss high-impact, low-cost ways to get traction in stores via paid and organic growth, SEO, ASO, app readiness, and performance marketing.
3:00PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
15:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS COFFEE BREAK
Sponsored by Gamesauce
15:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP A Lawyer’s Briefing on Net Neutrality: Beyond the Soundbites
Steve Augustino, Partner, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
With the FCC poised to move forward in December to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order, net neutrality has become one of the most significant issues affecting the communications industry with heated claims on both sides. In this session, attorney Steve Augustino will cut through the noise to explain what net neutrality really means, what the new rules do (and do not) permit, and what to expect in the appeals process.
14:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES SESSION CONTINUES: How To Find The Best Publishing Deal For Your Video Game
Louis-Rene Auclair, Chief Jumper, RocketJump Games
There are many ways a game developer can work with a publisher, but in order to find the right publisher for your game, you have to find out your needs, what you are already good at and ultimately, what you are not good at. Publishing deals are complex, we'll review some of the key points of a deal to maximize what your team will get out of them!
15:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION Tackling the Beast in the East: Publishing Your PC Games in China - What You Need to Know to Succeed in the World's Fastest Growing Market
Matthew Leopold, Director of Global Business Development and Marketing, Yodo1
Premium PC Games have been picking up steam in China, but the government is cracking down. Join Matthew Leopold to find out how to successfully navigate the China PC gaming scene not only from a regulations standpoint but also in terms of ‘culturalization’, marketing and distribution. This session takes you through the re-launch efforts behind Defiant Development’s Hand of Fate (1 and 2) in China as well as the game’s government licensing process and launch on Tencent’s WeGame platform.
3:30PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
15:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP PANEL: Rate Us 5 Stars – Publishers Review the Correlation between Game Design & Monetization
Mario Wynands, Managing Director, PikPok
David Reichelt, Founder and CEO, Color Switch
Kathee Chimowitz, Chief Revenue Officer, BoomBit
Adam Lipski, Founder and CTO, Fifth Column Games
MODERATOR: Diana Bogdanova, Director of Business Development, Appodeal
While there are a lot of monetization tips around that are connected to ad networks, ad types and ad creatives, the question of interdependence between a game itself or user experience and earning money remains. This panel will discuss how monetization impacts retention rates, which monetization type works for specific apps, how to choose the right cross-promo tools, and how to navigate the line between making a living for yourself and doing what’s best for your users.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL: Ask the Developer – How Indie Devs Can Compete with Giants and Remain True to Themselves
Josh Nilson, CEO & Co-Founder, East Side Games
Julian Erhardt, Producer, Fluffy Fairy Games
Eiso Kawamoto, Head of Product, Monetization & UA, Metamoki Inc.
MODERATOR: Sean Webster, VP of Business Development, North America, AppLovin
In a saturated mobile games market, is it possible to grow your business and remain true to yourself? In this panel we'll be speaking with independent developers to learn how they found success by following their own paths. Questions we'll be tackling include if or when you should take funding, common pitfalls, and we'll be hearing unique stories from successful indie devs.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL: Brands & Licensing in Social Casino
Frederic Chesnais, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Atari S.A.
Emily Clock, Founder, THE 101
Eric Seufert, Platform, N3TWORK
MODERATOR: George Zaloom, Founder, The Las Vegas Whaling Company
Whether it's classic TV shows, board games or comfort foods, branding games and licensing intellectual properties can give a big boost to a game's exposure and discoverability – something that is only becoming more important as the social casino space becomes more crowded. In this panel, hear from experts and brands what companies seek in partners and games, when branding and IP works and when it doesn't, and how to acquire and develop these business relationships.
15:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: The Right Tool for the Job – Fundraising Strategy and Tactics for Building a Successful Gaming Business
Cesar Mufarej, Co-Founder & CFO, Fanatee
Kamran Ansari, Venture Partner, Greycroft Partners
Mike DeLaet, Co-Founder & CEO, DOD Media Group
MODERATOR: Mark Loranger, Co-Founder, Braavo Capital
As a gaming entrepreneur, at some point you’ll need funding. Tech publications glorify raising venture capital as success in itself, but in many cases taking on VC funding to grow your game is like hitting a thumbtack with a sledgehammer. There are many tools for the job and entrepreneurs should know their options. Panelists include founders and investors with perspective from both sides on why, when and how to think about funding your business to get the best results.
15:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION FIRESIDE CHAT: Esports Evolving – What Can We Expect To See In Esports?
Mike Sepso, SVP, Activision Blizzard
Geoff Keighley, Producer, The Game Awards
Our fireside chat with Mike Sepso of Activision Blizzard and Founder of MLG will provide an up-close and personal discussion on his insights and trends he sees in esports. Mike will outline his views on the next big thing we can expect.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 3: F2P Monetization
Dave Rohrl, Founder, Mobile Game Doctor
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. This workshop will cover core issues in free-to-play monetization, including: building monetization into the core of your game; what players spend on; IAP vs. Ads; pay to accelerate vs. pay to win; best practices for optimizing monetization.
4:00PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
15:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP PANEL CONTINUES: Rate Us 5 Stars – Publishers Review the Correlation between Game Design & Monetization
Mario Wynands, Managing Director, PikPok
David Reichelt, Founder and CEO, Color Switch
Kathee Chimowitz, Chief Revenue Officer, BoomBit
Adam Lipski, Founder and CTO, Fifth Column Games
MODERATOR: Diana Bogdanova, Director of Business Development, Appodeal
While there are a lot of monetization tips around that are connected to ad networks, ad types and ad creatives, the question of interdependence between a game itself or user experience and earning money remains. This panel will discuss how monetization impacts retention rates, which monetization type works for specific apps, how to choose the right cross-promo tools, and how to navigate the line between making a living for yourself and doing what’s best for your users.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL CONTINUES: Ask the Developer – How Indie Devs Can Compete with Giants and Remain True to Themselves
Josh Nilson, CEO & Co-Founder, East Side Games
Julian Erhardt, Producer, Fluffy Fairy Games
Eiso Kawamoto, Head of Product, Monetization & UA, Metamoki Inc.
MODERATOR: Sean Webster, VP of Business Development, North America, AppLovin
In a saturated mobile games market, is it possible to grow your business and remain true to yourself? In this panel we'll be speaking with independent developers to learn how they found success by following their own paths. Questions we'll be tackling include if or when you should take funding, common pitfalls, and we'll be hearing unique stories from successful indie devs.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL CONTINUES: Brands & Licensing in Social Casino
Frederic Chesnais, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Atari S.A.
Emily Clock, Founder, THE 101
Eric Seufert, Platform, N3TWORK
MODERATOR: George Zaloom, Founder, The Las Vegas Whaling Company
Whether it's classic TV shows, board games or comfort foods, branding games and licensing intellectual properties can give a big boost to a game's exposure and discoverability – something that is only becoming more important as the social casino space becomes more crowded. In this panel, hear from experts and brands what companies seek in partners and games, when branding and IP works and when it doesn't, and how to acquire and develop these business relationships.
15:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: The Right Tool for the Job – Fundraising Strategy and Tactics for Building a Successful Gaming Business
Cesar Mufarej, Co-Founder & CFO, Fanatee
Kamran Ansari, Venture Partner, Greycroft Partners
Mike DeLaet, Co-Founder & CEO, DOD Media Group
MODERATOR: Mark Loranger, Co-Founder, Braavo Capital
As a gaming entrepreneur, at some point you’ll need funding. Tech publications glorify raising venture capital as success in itself, but in many cases taking on VC funding to grow your game is like hitting a thumbtack with a sledgehammer. There are many tools for the job and entrepreneurs should know their options. Panelists include founders and investors with perspective from both sides on why, when and how to think about funding your business to get the best results.
16:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION Understanding Players who are Payers
Nick Berry, Data Scientist, Facebook
The Lion's share of developer revenue comes from in-game micro transactions, with money being spent inside games that are free to download. What percentage of people pay? How often do they pay? What is the breakdown of whales and minnows? Nick has boiled the ocean and counted every penny spent on every web-based game on Facebook, around the world, for the last six years. In this presentation he will reveal what's behind the curtain and present this data.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 3 CONTINUES: F2P Monetization
Dave Rohrl, Founder, Mobile Game Doctor
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. This workshop will cover core issues in free-to-play monetization, including: building monetization into the core of your game; what players spend on; IAP vs. Ads; pay to accelerate vs. pay to win; best practices for optimizing monetization.
4:30PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
16:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP PANEL: Stories From the Front Line – Then & Now
Steve Goldstein, President & General Manager, Turtle Rock Studios, Inc.
Peter Akemann, President, Skydance Interactive
Ted Price, CEO, Insomniac Games
Frederic Descamps, Co-Founder & CEO, Manticore Games
Dan Winters, Head of Business Development, Amazon
MODERATOR: Keith Boesky, Principal, Boesky & Company
The more things change the more they stay the same. The creators and stewards of some of the most iconic franchises in game history will discuss the real business of game development – from both sides of the table. Learn how much the business has changed over the years and what parts stay the same.
16:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT The Not-So-Simple Problem of Throwing Fireballs (in VR)
David Rogers, Lead Systems Designer, inXile Entertainment
Throwing a fireball in virtual reality might seem like a straight forward mechanic, but it’s not. Join David Rogers as he explains all the unexpected problems he encountered when building spell throwing mechanics for The Mage’s Tale, and exactly how he overcame each one.
16:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO Blockchain, Smart Contracts & Crypto: Blurring The Lines Between Investing & Gambling
Eileen Quenin, President, Dragonchain
Robert Eickmann, Director of Open Source, Dragonchain
A big trading firm announced that its average hold time on a stock was 11 seconds. If this is considered investing, why do many say this sounds like betting and vice versa? On-the-fly wagering while the game unfolds, known as in-running, is new to casinos. How can blockchain and in-game wallets provide a system that is robust enough to handle the play-by-play handicapping, where the game is the market?
16:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: Publishing & Distribution "Ask Me Anything"
Anthony Palma, Founder & CEO, Jump Gaming
Deborah Guzman, Developer Strategy, Oculus
Matthew Leopold, Director of Global Business Development and Marketing, Yodo1
Kathee Chimowitz, Chief Revenue Officer, BoomBit
Vincent Ghossoub, Founder, Falafel Games
Falko Boecker, Senior Developer Relations Manager, flaregames GmbH
MODERATOR: Yuliya Moshkaryova, Director, Indie Prize
You may have many questions you've wanted to ask publishers and distributors but never had a chance. This is the opportunity for YOU. Bring us your questions!
16:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | MARKET NAVIGATION Find More of Your Best Players with Google's Machine Learning
Dan Stephen, Apps Partnership Manager, Google
Building a long-term gaming business requires smart growth strategies focused on acquiring and retaining the right players. Come learn about how Google’s latest ads innovations automatically help you find high-value players across Google’s largest properties.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 3 CONTINUES: F2P Monetization
Dave Rohrl, Founder, Mobile Game Doctor
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. This workshop will cover core issues in free-to-play monetization, including: building monetization into the core of your game; what players spend on; IAP vs. Ads; pay to accelerate vs. pay to win; best practices for optimizing monetization.
5:00PM | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
16:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP PANEL CONTINUES: Stories From the Front Line – Then & Now
Steve Goldstein, President & General Manager, Turtle Rock Studios, Inc.
Peter Akemann, President, Skydance Interactive
Ted Price, CEO, Insomniac Games
Frederic Descamps, Co-Founder & CEO, Manticore Games
Dan Winters, Head of Business Development, Amazon
MODERATOR: Keith Boesky, Principal, Boesky & Company
The more things change the more they stay the same. The creators and stewards of some of the most iconic franchises in game history will discuss the real business of game development – from both sides of the table. Learn how much the business has changed over the years and what parts stay the same.
16:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: Publishing & Distribution "Ask Me Anything"
Anthony Palma, Founder & CEO, Jump Gaming
Deborah Guzman, Developer Strategy, Oculus
Matthew Leopold, Director of Global Business Development and Marketing, Yodo1
Kathee Chimowitz, Chief Revenue Officer, BoomBit
Vincent Ghossoub, Founder, Falafel Games
Falko Boecker, Senior Developer Relations Manager, flaregames GmbH
MODERATOR: Yuliya Moshkaryova, Director, Indie Prize
You may have many questions you've wanted to ask publishers and distributors but never had a chance. This is the opportunity for YOU. Bring us your questions!
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | UNITED IN ACTION WORKSHOP 3 CONTINUES: F2P Monetization
Dave Rohrl, Founder, Mobile Game Doctor
SEATS ARE LIMITED. RESERVE A SPOT IN ADVANCE. This workshop will cover core issues in free-to-play monetization, including: building monetization into the core of your game; what players spend on; IAP vs. Ads; pay to accelerate vs. pay to win; best practices for optimizing monetization.
EVENTS | TUESDAY 16th January 2018
TRACK DETAILS | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
DETAILS | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH EMERGING TECH DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO CASINO DETAILS
DETAILS | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY KIDS & FAMILY DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT DETAILS
10:00AM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
10:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH Lessons in VR – Dive Heads in with Ubisoft
Chris Early, VP of Partnerships & Revenue, Ubisoft
Patrick Plourde, Vice President of Fun House, Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft dove heads first supporting VR with acclaimed titles like Eagle Flight, Werewolves Within and Star Trek: Bridge Crew. It's finding new ways to immerse and captivate players with its upcoming psychological thriller Transference. Join the VP of Partnerships & Revenue along with Head of Ubisoft Montreal’s Fun House to discuss what it takes to truly create a compelling VR experience and how it's applying key learnings, insights and design to upcoming titles.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Creating Expressive Characters
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO FIRESIDE CHAT: Building a World-Class Ad Creative Team
Joraynee Sarno, Head of UA Creative & Marketing Collateral, Product Madness
Interviewed by Jon Gagnon, Head of Business Development, Bidalgo
In this fireside chat, Product Madness Senior Designer & Head of Marketing Collateral Joraynee Sarno will discuss how to build a world-class ad creative team and how to keep it well-oiled and thinking outside the box.
10:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PANEL: Leadership for Diversity in an Inside Job
Jon Ramer, Founder, Compassion Games
Carrie Dieterle, Chief People Officer, Insomniac Games
Megan Gaiser, Principal, Contagious Creativity
Ed Fries, Former Vice President, Microsoft Game Studio
Robert Peloquin, Agency Director, Nielsen
MODERATOR: Nicole Lazzaro, CEO, XEODesign
The wake up calls continue in the gaming, tech and film industries. While we continue to witness recurring biases; we must address the root cause of this problem. Supported by significant data, heart intelligence as a force for authentic leadership that inspires the collective is undeniable. How do we get there? The panel will share stories of creative leadership in action to inspire cultural health. Practical tips and approaches will be distributed.
10:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Moving Beyond Apps: A Dr. Panda Adventure
Tom Buyckx, CMO, Dr. Panda USA
Since launching in 2012, Dr. Panda took the world of preschool apps by storm. As the brand evolves, Dr. Panda wants to grow beyond apps. The first initiative to make this happen is Dr. Panda Plus: Home Designer, an app connected toy using AR, combining both digital & physical play. Developing and marketing a physical toy as an app developer, however, does not come without challenges. Join Dr. Panda to learn what it takes to develop a relevant AR toy.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT Game Designing a Great Mentorship Program: Learning From Tech and Creative Industries to Build A Unique Game Mentorship Experience
Jen MacLean, Executive Director, IGDA and IGDA Foundation
Game design mechanics are created, honed, and applied across genres – why don’t we take a similar approach to developers? Join us as we explore how mentorship is used in tech and creative sectors and how to apply learnings from other industries to the challenges of game development. Learn what has and hasn’t worked in similar industries and start discussing how game companies and gamedev community can support inclusion and sustainable careers through mentorship.
10:30AM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
10:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH SESSION CONTINUES: Lessons in VR – Dive Heads in with Ubisoft
Chris Early, VP of Partnerships & Revenue, Ubisoft
Patrick Plourde, Vice President of Fun House, Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft dove heads first supporting VR with acclaimed titles like Eagle Flight, Werewolves Within and Star Trek: Bridge Crew. It's finding new ways to immerse and captivate players with its upcoming psychological thriller Transference. Join the VP of Partnerships & Revenue along with Head of Ubisoft Montreal’s Fun House to discuss what it takes to truly create a compelling VR experience and how it's applying key learnings, insights and design to upcoming titles.
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT From Designing to Signing
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL: B2C-to-B2B – Should You Make The Switch?
Bryan Bennett, Senior Vice President, AGS Interactive
Brett Calapp, Chief Social Gaming Officer, Pala Interactive
Michael Carpenter, President & Co-Founder, Ruby Seven Studios
MODERATOR: Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital
As the social casino market continues to become saturated and discoverability becomes more and more difficult, the question of whether to continue targeting a consumer audience is becoming more important. In this panel we'll discuss when and if a company should switch from B2C to B2B. Additionally, for those considering partnering with a B2B company, we'll discuss what you should expect from a social casino supplier.
10:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PANEL CONTINUES: Leadership for Diversity in an Inside Job
Jon Ramer, Founder, Compassion Games
Carrie Dieterle, Chief People Officer, Insomniac Games
Megan Gaiser, Principal, Contagious Creativity
Ed Fries, Former Vice President, Microsoft Game Studio
Robert Peloquin, Agency Director, Nielsen
MODERATOR: Nicole Lazzaro, CEO, XEODesign
The wake up calls continue in the gaming, tech and film industries. While we continue to witness recurring biases; we must address the root cause of this problem. Supported by significant data, heart intelligence as a force for authentic leadership that inspires the collective is undeniable. How do we get there? The panel will share stories of creative leadership in action to inspire cultural health. Practical tips and approaches will be distributed.
10:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Overcoming Pitfalls of Launching Kids Apps
Natalie Portier, Chief Operating Officer, Appodeal
Mobile gaming for kids is a fast-growing $2.2 billion industry. However, the challenges of penetrating this industry for kids apps developers are vast and unique, whether it be regulations, promotion or monetization. Natalie will provide insights from established kids apps publishers, legal experts and marketing agencies to help developers navigate the pitfalls and find success in the mobile gaming for kids industry.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT SESSION CONTINUES: Game Designing a Great Mentorship Program: Learning From Tech and Creative Industries to Build A Unique Game Mentorship Experience
Jen MacLean, Executive Director, IGDA and IGDA Foundation
Game design mechanics are created, honed, and applied across genres – why don’t we take a similar approach to developers? Join us as we explore how mentorship is used in tech and creative sectors and how to apply learnings from other industries to the challenges of game development. Learn what has and hasn’t worked in similar industries and start discussing how game companies and gamedev community can support inclusion and sustainable careers through mentorship.
11:00AM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH How Games & AI Drive Innovation
Margaret Wallace, CEO, KijiCo
Whether you’re talking about tic-tac-toe or NPCs, digital games have always utilized artificial intelligence (AI). Today, games are driving innovations in AI to market, monetize, and entertain players worldwide. Learn how games use AI, machine learning and other forms of adaptive intelligence to drive engagement and retention.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Designing With Intent
Laralyn McWilliams, Chief Creative Officer, Skydance Interactive
Good design isn't just creative: it's purposeful and measurable. This talk outlines an approach to design that focuses on setting clear goals, determining measurements for those goals, then setting explicit criteria and expectations to evaluate success during testing and live game service – with plenty of examples. This is about more than retention and ARPU: it's about creating an engaging and emotional player experience in a way that's measurable.
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL CONTINUES: B2C-to-B2B – Should You Make The Switch?
Bryan Bennett, Senior Vice President, AGS Interactive
Brett Calapp, Chief Social Gaming Officer, Pala Interactive
Michael Carpenter, President & Co-Founder, Ruby Seven Studios
MODERATOR: Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital
As the social casino market continues to become saturated and discoverability becomes more and more difficult, the question of whether to continue targeting a consumer audience is becoming more important. In this panel we'll discuss when and if a company should switch from B2C to B2B. Additionally, for those considering partnering with a B2B company, we'll discuss what you should expect from a social casino supplier.
11:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Muslim Representation in Video Games
Osama Dorias, Senior Game Designer, Warner Brothers Games Montreal
With the recent spike in islamophobia and violence against Muslims, there has never been more of a need to humanize Muslims, who are 1/5 of the world population, to the masses. Sadly, very little effort is being put to this cause, and even the most well-intentioned creators often fail to understand what is needed, and how to go about it. This lecture seeks to demystify positive Muslim representation in video games.
11:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY PANEL: Parents vs. Kids – How to Best Balance Your Product Design & Marketing for Both Stakeholders
Michael Elman, Co-CEO, Budge Studios
Christine Woertink, SVP, Design, Age of Learning
Alex Turetsky, CEO, Intellijoy
Sami Kalliokoski, Creative Director, Traplight
MODERATOR: William Heathershaw, Managing Director, UncleWilliam.org
The vast majority of kids-focused apps and games continue to struggle primarily due to the fact that the user of an app is often different than who installs it, approves of its use, and is monetized. This panel features top Kids and Family app publishers sharing how to design a beloved product for, and communicate with, both parents and kids.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT PANEL: Mentor Programs in the Games Industry – Learning from What Is (and Isn’t) Working
Dani McKenzie, Operations Jedi, Amazon
Stephanie Hess, Vice President of Communications, Zynga
Don Daglow, President, AIAS Foundation
Carl Varnado, Resident Faculty, Rancho Solano Preparatory School and Chair, Blacks in Games IGDA Special Interest Group
MODERATOR: Jen MacLean, Executive Director, IGDA and IGDA Foundation
Many companies and game dev communities have explored formal and informal mentorship programs, with varying degrees of success. Learn from the experiences of leading organizations, including the differences between mentorship and sponsorship, how community and corporate mentorship programs differ, and how to prepare both mentors and mentees for a successful and impactful program.
11:30AM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
11:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH FIRESIDE CHAT: The Evolution of VR – Turning Simple VR Experiences into Fully Realized VR Games
Chris Hewish, Executive Vice President, Skydance Interactive
Interviewed by Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat
Hear from Chris Hewish of Skydance Interactive as he reveals his personal / professional approach to game development. Skydance Interactive developed cinematic shooter VR game Archangel and has tackled game development challenges with Archangel's debut and the upcoming Walking Dead VR game made in partnership with Skybound. Hewish will discuss the process behind transitioning from simple VR experiences to full games, as well as larger industry insights in VR.
11:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Next Generation Playable Ads
Joyce Xu, VP, ZPLAY
Yes, playable ads can deliver the most cost-effective new users and the ones with better post-install performance, but what are the limitations and how are these being addressed? Come and hear about the state of playables in the market, and what truly new innovations are coming your way. Playable ads for 3D and Action games. Also, cost effective ads to split test. Come and hear more!
11:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO FIRESIDE CHAT: Celebrity Endorsements and Intellectual Property – Do They Work?
Bill Scigliano, Managing Partner, SIG International Group LLC
Interviewed by Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital
Come learn all the pros, cons, hows, and whys, of celebrity endorsements and intellectual property (IP) in this fireside chat with SIG International Group Managing Partner Bill Scigliano. Bill has worked extensivelly with celebrity IP throughout his career. Interviewing Bill will be iGaming Capital Director Melissa Blau, who has herself recently worked with celebrity IP for a forthcoming social casino game.
11:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Inclusive Impact – What Accessibility Features Are Best For Your Game?
11:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY PANEL CONTINUES: Parents vs. Kids – How to Best Balance Your Product Design & Marketing for Both Stakeholders
Michael Elman, Co-CEO, Budge Studios
Christine Woertink, SVP, Design, Age of Learning
Alex Turetsky, CEO, Intellijoy
Sami Kalliokoski, Creative Director, Traplight
MODERATOR: William Heathershaw, Managing Director, UncleWilliam.org
The vast majority of kids-focused apps and games continue to struggle primarily due to the fact that the user of an app is often different than who installs it, approves of its use, and is monetized. This panel features top Kids and Family app publishers sharing how to design a beloved product for, and communicate with, both parents and kids.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT PANEL CONTINUES: Mentor Programs in the Games Industry – Learning from What Is (and Isn’t) Working
Dani McKenzie, Operations Jedi, Amazon
Stephanie Hess, Vice President of Communications, Zynga
Don Daglow, President, AIAS Foundation
Carl Varnado, Resident Faculty, Rancho Solano Preparatory School and Chair, Blacks in Games IGDA Special Interest Group
MODERATOR: Jen MacLean, Executive Director, IGDA and IGDA Foundation
Many companies and game dev communities have explored formal and informal mentorship programs, with varying degrees of success. Learn from the experiences of leading organizations, including the differences between mentorship and sponsorship, how community and corporate mentorship programs differ, and how to prepare both mentors and mentees for a successful and impactful program.
12:00 NOON | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
12:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS LUNCH BREAK
Sponsored by Gamesauce
1:00PM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
13:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH Nomad and the Yak: What can we Learn from Traditional Societies for Creating the Future of Mobile and Gaming?
Scot Frank, Producer, Niantic
Yak herders have been thriving for thousands of years on the Himalayan Plateau, one of the most harsh environments on Earth. While it may seem like these nomads live a world away, their community, economy, and methods of innovation offer an opportunity for us as we each design and create the next gaming and mobile experience. Scot will share a few vignettes that, with the latest tech, may lead to richer realities for us all.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Neuroscience, the Secret Service and Producing Better Voice Content
Mark Estdale, Founder, Indie Dialogue Initiative & President, Vault 501
Spies and neuroscience give developers a budget-busting toolbox and perspective that transforms voice casting, recording and performance for games. The methods developed and tested in the UK and first introduced to the US for Horizon Zero Dawn are a revolution but not rocket science. This talk introduces this can-do methodology that micro indies and mega devs alike can easily apply to up their game to new levels.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL: Next Generation – Blend of Casual and Casino
Dan Silberberger, Head of BD & Partnering, Huuuge Games
Chase Payne, Business Development Director, Room 8 Studio
MODERATOR: Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital
Social casino has always blurred the line between casino gaming and casual gaming. But how else are these two game genres intermingling? What does each genre have to offer the other? How can they be brought together into a game that people will love? Learn these answers and more from a panel of experts who have done just that.
13:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY PANEL: Demystifying Compliance for Kids’ Games – A Helpful Look into Safety & Privacy Considerations
Tami Bhaumik, VP of Marketing, Roblox
Paul Milham, Lead Developer, WildWorks
Dylan Collins, CEO, SuperAwesome
MODERATOR: Shai Samet, Founder & President, kidSAFE Seal Program
Offering kid-focused games/apps with social or data collecting features can pose challenges for compliance and slow down development. Legislation (COPPA (US), GDPR (EU) look not only at the product but right through to third party service providers operating on your behalf. In this panel you will learn what steps you can take to protect young players from online dangers, stay compliant with key privacy laws and do a check on third parties.
1:30PM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
13:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH The Next Big Platforms: Business vs. Venture Reality
Eric Goldberg, Managing Director, Crossover Technologies
The people who are building the next big thing in games operate in a parallel reality to the venture ecosystem that supplies the rocket fuel allowing the technology to achieve liftoff – and the consumer market for these new and great game experiences a commercial success happen sooner. AR, blockchain, eSports, intelligent voice assistants (e.g., Echo, Home), and VR are each examined through a business and then a venture reality lens, covering the stages of market development and where, when & how the “smart money” is deployed.
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT StarCraft II: Taking a Core Game Free-to-Play
Tim Morten, Production Director, Blizzard Entertainment
Christopher Reed, Lead User Interface Designer, Blizzard Entertainment
After over seven years as a conventional box product, the StarCraft II team converted the award-winning RTS to be free to play as of November 2017. Hear about some of the challenges they faced, and various areas where they broke with tradition in their approach to the new business model.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL CONTINUES: Next Generation – Blend of Casual and Casino
Dan Silberberger, Head of BD & Partnering, Huuuge Games
Chase Payne, Business Development Director, Room 8 Studio
MODERATOR: Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital
Social casino has always blurred the line between casino gaming and casual gaming. But how else are these two game genres intermingling? What does each genre have to offer the other? How can they be brought together into a game that people will love? Learn these answers and more from a panel of experts who have done just that.
13:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Gaming for Everyone
13:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY PANEL CONTINUES: Demystifying Compliance for Kids’ Games – A Helpful Look into Safety & Privacy Considerations
Tami Bhaumik, VP of Marketing, Roblox
Paul Milham, Lead Developer, WildWorks
Dylan Collins, CEO, SuperAwesome
MODERATOR: Shai Samet, Founder & President, kidSAFE Seal Program
Offering kid-focused games/apps with social or data collecting features can pose challenges for compliance and slow down development. Legislation (COPPA (US), GDPR (EU) look not only at the product but right through to third party service providers operating on your behalf. In this panel you will learn what steps you can take to protect young players from online dangers, stay compliant with key privacy laws and do a check on third parties.
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT Does Mentorship Matter? Making the (Business) Case for Investing in Your Employees
Microsoft
When trying to persuade management that mentorship matters, money and metrics are what matter. In this panel we’ll review key statistics and research on the expected impact of mentorship, especially in a program’s support of under-represented minorities. Join us for a discussion of essential facts about mentorship and translate the impact of supporting your talent into a return on investment that makes sense for an organization interested in doing good *and* doing well.
2:00PM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
14:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH PANEL: Strategies for Publishing & Marketing VR Games
Christine Lee, VP Biz Dev, Immersv
Robert Nashak, COO, Survios
Leslie Pirritano, Global Account Manager, AMD
MODERATOR: Wanda Meloni, CEO, M2 Insights
Finding creative and sustainable marketing strategies is critical for your VR game. Attracting the right publishers and partners are also key to in this growing market. We will discuss specific strategies as well as look at some of the new advertising trends in VR with the focus on how to best position your studio for success.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Getting Back In The Zone Again: The Story of the Battlezone '98 Redux
Mike Arkin, CEO, Big Boat Interactive
In 1997 Mike was part of the leadership at Activision responsible for developing the re-imagined Battlezone game. Last year he led the team that released Battlezone 98: Redux on the Steam, GOG and Mac/iOS app stores. In this new talk, Mike ruminates about the development process behind the various Battlezone games and discusses the challenges presented when resurrecting a PC game old enough to get its driver's license.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL: How to Grow Social Casino in A Crowded Field
Joraynee Sarno, Head of UA Creative & Marketing Collateral, Product Madness
Niko Vuori, Co-Founder, Rocket Games
Dave Bezahler, Co-Founder, Golden Rat Studios
Andrew Pedersen, Advisor, Games Industry
MODERATOR: Mike Vorhaus, President, Magid Advisors
Social Casino (where people play casino-style games, purchase social casino currency with real money, but can't withdraw any cash winnings) is a very popular and profitable form of gaming for consumers. This panel will look at the creation and growth of social casino, key social casino games, likely metrics for major categories of social casino games, and the future of social casino games. Don't bet against social casino – come and listen (ask questions) at this panel.
14:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PANEL: Accessibility & Game Difficulty By Design
Bryce Johnson, Senior Designer, Xbox
Bryant Cannon, Lead Engineer, Night School Studio
Heidi McDonald, Senior Creative Director, iThrive Games
MODERATOR: Hollie Figueroa, Developer, KinifiGames
Join a panel of cross-industry influencers as we discuss the game difficulty, accessibility, design, and how they influence each other during development. Panelists include PC, console, and mobile experts with different backgrounds and perspectives representative of the diverse development tracks for games and interactive experiences.
14:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Character Interactions, Play Patterns, and AR
Ariella Lehrer, President, HitPoint Studios
Lehrer believes that interacting with increasingly life-like virtual characters will be at the heart of the most successful Augmented Reality (AR) experiences, especially for children. She will discuss how play patterns in classic outdoor, multiplayer games such as tag and hide-and-seek will inspire new, satisfying gameplay with virtual characters in ARKit (Apple) and ARCore (Google).
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT PANEL: Virtual Mentorship – How Technology Can, and Can’t, Help your Mentor Programs
Luke Dicken, Principal Data Scientist, Zynga
Karen Clark, Founder, Game Mentor Online
Dennis Mathews, Co-Founder & CEO, Revelation Interactive
MODERATOR: Jen MacLean, Executive Director, IGDA and IGDA Foundation
Mentorship programs aren’t new to the game development community, and neither are the tips and tricks to improve mentorship. Explore how technology can (and can’t) solve some of the most common challenges both communities and companies experience. To help understand the perfect blend of technology and humanity for winning mentorship programs we’ll dive into issues like retention and engagement – applying learnings from games, human resources, and community management.
2:30PM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
14:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH PANEL CONTINUES: Strategies for Publishing & Marketing VR Games
Christine Lee, VP Biz Dev, Immersv
Robert Nashak, COO, Survios
Leslie Pirritano, Global Account Manager, AMD
MODERATOR: Wanda Meloni, CEO, M2 Insights
Finding creative and sustainable marketing strategies is critical for your VR game. Attracting the right publishers and partners are also key to in this growing market. We will discuss specific strategies as well as look at some of the new advertising trends in VR with the focus on how to best position your studio for success.
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT ROUNDTABLE: Loot Boxes – A Force for Good or Evil – Is Ethical Game Monetization Possible?
MODERATOR: Caspar Gray, Developer Representation, The Arsenal Agency
The costs of AAA game development are spiraling, while the market becomes ever more crowded at the lower end; Publishers and developers are casting around for ways to generate sustainable revenue, but new models often alienate consumers and sometimes attract the attention of regulators. Loot boxes are at the current forefront of this debate. Join us to brainstorm the best route forward.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL CONTINUES: How to Grow Social Casino in A Crowded Field
Joraynee Sarno, Head of UA Creative & Marketing Collateral, Product Madness
Niko Vuori, Co-Founder, Rocket Games
Dave Bezahler, Co-Founder, Golden Rat Studios
Andrew Pedersen, Advisor, Games Industry
MODERATOR: Mike Vorhaus, President, Magid Advisors
Social Casino (where people play casino-style games, purchase social casino currency with real money, but can't withdraw any cash winnings) is a very popular and profitable form of gaming for consumers. This panel will look at the creation and growth of social casino, key social casino games, likely metrics for major categories of social casino games, and the future of social casino games. Don't bet against social casino – come and listen (ask questions) at this panel.
14:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PANEL CONTINUES: Accessibility & Game Difficulty By Design
Bryce Johnson, Senior Designer, Xbox
Bryant Cannon, Lead Engineer, Night School Studio
Heidi McDonald, Senior Creative Director, iThrive Games
MODERATOR: Hollie Figueroa, Developer, KinifiGames
Join a panel of cross-industry influencers as we discuss the game difficulty, accessibility, design, and how they influence each other during development. Panelists include PC, console, and mobile experts with different backgrounds and perspectives representative of the diverse development tracks for games and interactive experiences.
14:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Mixed Reality & Toys
Jason Yim, CEO & Executive Creative Director, Trigger
Chris Down, SVP & Global Brand GM, Hot Wheels, Mattel
Mixed reality (MR) is becoming increasingly widespread and with the onset of Google’s ARCore and Apple’s ARKit, potentially millions of people could have access to augmented reality (AR) at their fingertips on their smartphones. This session will discuss the business case behind an upcoming Hot Wheels Mixed Reality Toy as well as shed light on the development of both the physical and digital halves of the product.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT PANEL CONTINUES: Virtual Mentorship – How Technology Can, and Can’t, Help your Mentor Programs
Luke Dicken, Principal Data Scientist, Zynga
Karen Clark, Founder, Game Mentor Online
Dennis Mathews, Co-Founder & CEO, Revelation Interactive
MODERATOR: Jen MacLean, Executive Director, IGDA and IGDA Foundation
Mentorship programs aren’t new to the game development community, and neither are the tips and tricks to improve mentorship. Explore how technology can (and can’t) solve some of the most common challenges both communities and companies experience. To help understand the perfect blend of technology and humanity for winning mentorship programs we’ll dive into issues like retention and engagement – applying learnings from games, human resources, and community management.
3:00PM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
15:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS COFFEE BREAK
Sponsored by Gamesauce
3:30PM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
15:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH PANEL: Developing for Immersive Experiences
Steve Lukas, CEO, Across Realities
Sinjin Bain, SVP, Method XR
Penka Kouneva, Composer, Penka Kouneva Studios
Wolfgang Engel, CEO, Confetti
MODERATOR: Mariana Acuna, Co-Founder, Opaque Studios
This panel dives into the details of developing for immersive experiences. Whether you are focused on VR, AR or MR, hear from the experts on what development considerations you should keep in mind for creating successful games and entertainment experiences.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Vector Money
Dave Taylor, Sr. Software Developer, Zoic Labs
Scalar money commerce is thought to have been invented over 3,000 years ago to solve the complex barter chain problem. While remarkably enduring and scalable, we are now able to leave it behind for measurably superior alternatives. This talk will explore a potential replacement for scalar money based on tech available today and will discuss the pivotal role game designers and game masters would have in this new economy.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO Messenger Games 2017 Year in Review
James C. Smith, Executive Producer, MobilityWare
Messaging apps are one of the most convenient ways to access social games on mobile devices. This session takes a detailed look at the past year's trends on the Instant Games platform inside Facebook Messenger to find the keys to succeeding in this evolving space. From score-chasing on leaderboards to asynchronous turn-based games to novel forms of social interaction, we’ll examine what is working to keep players engaged.
15:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PANEL: No Consoles For Old Men & Women
William Volk, Chief Futurist, Forward Reality
Jill Zinner, President, Premier Search
Susan La Sky, Owner, Silicon Sky Technology Brokers
BJ Bigley, Vice President, Prime Candidate Inc.
MODERATOR: David Mullich, Los Angeles Chapter Board, International Game Developers Association
This panel, comprised of game industry veterans, examines the myth versus the reality of the contributions of employees mistakenly thought to be “too old” by hiring managers and provides advice for those over 50 years old about keeping their skills current and finding opportunities to apply them.
15:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Kids, Social Media & Influencers: How to Grow Your Own YouTube Stars
Clark Stacey, Co-Founder & CEO, WildWorks
Developers of kids games usually can’t afford to work with high-profile social media influencers. The economics of the kids category force marketers and community managers to be creative. While building a global community around its Animal Jam games, WildWorks discovered it’s just as fruitful (and more fun) to cultivate new social media luminaries themselves. Learn how they did it, what the effect has been, and how you can maximize your user acquisition ROI.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT WRAP UP: Taking Mentorship Back to Your Organization
Jen MacLean, Executive Director, IGDA and IGDA Foundation
Dani McKenzie, Operations Jedi, Amazon
Stephanie Hess, Vice President of Communications, Zynga
Carl Varnado, Resident Faculty, Rancho Solano Preparatory School and Chair, Blacks in Games IGDA Special Interest Group
Join us as we review specific action items and resources to launch mentorship programs in your organization and provide your mentors and mentees the best possible chance of creating and sustaining meaningful, impactful relationships. We’ll also explore how the day’s speakers and participants can mentor each other in creating a supportive, inclusive community and company.
4:00PM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
15:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH PANEL CONTINUES: Developing for Immersive Experiences
Steve Lukas, CEO, Across Realities
Sinjin Bain, SVP, Method XR
Penka Kouneva, Composer, Penka Kouneva Studios
Wolfgang Engel, CEO, Confetti
MODERATOR: Mariana Acuna, Co-Founder, Opaque Studios
This panel dives into the details of developing for immersive experiences. Whether you are focused on VR, AR or MR, hear from the experts on what development considerations you should keep in mind for creating successful games and entertainment experiences.
16:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Deep Dive: Facebook UA Best Practices for 2018, featuring UKEN
Conrad McGee-Stocks, UA Lead, Uken Games
Jason Waters, Client Solutions Manager, Facebook
MODERATOR: Jon Gagnon, Head of Business Development, Bidalgo
Go deep into the details of UKEN, one of Canada’s top mobile game companies, with Head of UA Conrad McGee-Stocks and Facebook Client Solutions Manager Jason Waters. Find out how they leverage the latest tactics in user acquisition on their flagship title, Bingo Pop.
16:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL: Blockchain Unboxed
Gary Baiton, Co-Founder, ICOBox US
Robert Eickmann, Director of Open Source, Dragonchain
Marissa Kim, Co-Founder, ARK Advisors
MODERATOR: Japheth Dillman, Managing Partner & Founder, Block Bits Capital
Experts in Blockchain will come together to discuss the ins and outs of this innovative technology. Learn not only how Blockchain works and why it's useful, but things to be aware of as a game developer or business owner.
15:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PANEL CONTINUES: No Consoles For Old Men & Women
William Volk, Chief Futurist, Forward Reality
Jill Zinner, President, Premier Search
Susan La Sky, Owner, Silicon Sky Technology Brokers
BJ Bigley, Vice President, Prime Candidate Inc.
MODERATOR: David Mullich, Los Angeles Chapter Board, International Game Developers Association
This panel, comprised of game industry veterans, examines the myth versus the reality of the contributions of employees mistakenly thought to be “too old” by hiring managers and provides advice for those over 50 years old about keeping their skills current and finding opportunities to apply them.
16:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Leveraging the Subscription Model to Succeed in the Kids App Economy
Nancy MacIntyre, CEO & Co-Founder, Fingerprint
The subscription model has become the most viable path to profitability for the kids app marketplace and is a concrete revenue strategy for global brands looking to extend their reach. In this talk, Nancy MacIntyre will discuss how subscription services will continue to fuel the kids app economy by giving consumers the accessibility, variety and value they desire; while giving app developers and global partners access to millions of consumers and a revenue pipeline.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL H | IGDA MENTORSHIP SUMMIT WRAP UP CONTINUES: Taking Mentorship Back to Your Organization
Jen MacLean, Executive Director, IGDA and IGDA Foundation
Dani McKenzie, Operations Jedi, Amazon
Stephanie Hess, Vice President of Communications, Zynga
Carl Varnado, Resident Faculty, Rancho Solano Preparatory School and Chair, Blacks in Games IGDA Special Interest Group
Join us as we review specific action items and resources to launch mentorship programs in your organization and provide your mentors and mentees the best possible chance of creating and sustaining meaningful, impactful relationships. We’ll also explore how the day’s speakers and participants can mentor each other in creating a supportive, inclusive community and company.
4:30PM | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
16:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | EMERGING TECH Turning the World Into a Game
E. Daniel Arey, Director of Game Design & Creative Development, Niantic Labs
Niantic Labs started out as a small company with a BIG question. What if you could turn the entire world into a gameboard? Six plus years later, Niantic has created a geo mobile game platform with the games Ingress, Pokemon GO, and soon Harry Potter: Wizards Unite! Come find out how Niantic's mission of providing augmented reality "Adventures on foot, with Others!" will continue to evolve the way we PLAY in the world, as well as how we SEE it.
16:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL CONTINUES: Blockchain Unboxed
Gary Baiton, Co-Founder, ICOBox US
Robert Eickmann, Director of Open Source, Dragonchain
Marissa Kim, Co-Founder, ARK Advisors
MODERATOR: Japheth Dillman, Managing Partner & Founder, Block Bits Capital
Experts in Blockchain will come together to discuss the ins and outs of this innovative technology. Learn not only how Blockchain works and why it's useful, but things to be aware of as a game developer or business owner.
16:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Mission XX: Creating Social Impact Brands for Kids
Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia, Founder & CEO, PlayWerks & WhizGirls Academy
New technology platforms are changing the rules of how games and content are produced, distributed, and consumed by children and their families. In particular, the proliferation of content choices across platforms has meant that game and content producers interested in creating social and cultural impact and sustainable business models have access to millions of people around the world. Come learn how to create a multi-platform transmedia social impact brand for kids.
EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 17th January 2018
TRACK DETAILS | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
DETAILS | CENTER BALLROOM | LICENSING LICENSING DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO AUDIO DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO CASINO DETAILS
DETAILS | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB LIVEOPS DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS ESPORTS DETAILS
10:00AM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
10:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | LICENSING PANEL: Selecting the Property
Michael Blank, Head of Mobile, Creative Artists Agency
Rob Zakari, EVP of Corporate Development & General Counsel, Jam City
Daniel Engelhardt, Vice President of Interactive Ventures, Games & Virtual Reality, Lionsgate
Sebastian Kriese, Director, Business Development, FoxNext Games
MODERATOR: Gary Rosenfeld, Founder & Principal, BD Labs, Inc.
We will discuss the entry points to understanding how to work with IP owners, talent, and executives who manage the inbound and outbound deal making.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO VO Casting and Directing Insights to Get the Performance You Want
Eric Weiss, Casting and Voiceover Director, Eproductions
This practical talk will provide you with tangible techniques that will help you when producing voice-over content. As much as these tips will help in directing talent, they will also support you in the evaluation phase giving you new metrics to critically assess what qualities you will want the voice to convey. Finally you will learn the importance of a casting document that the actors receive in the audition phase and what should ideally be included in it.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO FIRESIDE CHAT: Frontend & Backend Working Together
Satyarth Negi, VP Engineering & Chief Architect, Golden Rat Studios
Michael Douglas, Director of Front End Engineering, Golden Rat Studios
Interviewed by George Zaloom, Founder, The Las Vegas Whaling Company
Come learn the best practices of how frontend and backend should work together in this fireside chat with Golden Rat Studios engineers.
10:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB Designing for Virality: Turning Users Into Influencers
Jeroen Bouwman, CEO, GetSocial
Whether paid or free, the competition for users is heating up. How can you tap into your most valuable users and attract their friends? There are simple mechanics you can optimize for virality in the same way you would for monetization. We’ll discuss practical examples from existing games to show how you can design and manage your viral funnel for maximum effectiveness.
10:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Video Games & Esports in Casinos
Andrew Baca, Director of Business Innovation & Technology Strategy, Caesars Entertainment
Darion Lowenstein, CMO, Gamblit
Jeff Jordan, COO, GameCo
MODERATOR: John Lukasik, Gaming & Hospitality Innovation, UNLV International Gaming Institute
In this panel, experts in video games and the casino industry will discuss the evolving nature of casino gaming and how esports and video games fit into the picture. Questions that will be explored include: What is driving casino interest in esports and video games? How are casinos looking to integrate these into their overall experience? What types of game design are casinos interested in? What are missed opportunities that are ripe for exploring?
10:30AM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
10:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | LICENSING PANEL CONTINUES: Selecting the Property
Michael Blank, Head of Mobile, Creative Artists Agency
Rob Zakari, EVP of Corporate Development & General Counsel, Jam City
Daniel Engelhardt, Vice President of Interactive Ventures, Games & Virtual Reality, Lionsgate
Sebastian Kriese, Director, Business Development, FoxNext Games
MODERATOR: Gary Rosenfeld, Founder & Principal, BD Labs, Inc.
We will discuss the entry points to understanding how to work with IP owners, talent, and executives who manage the inbound and outbound deal making.
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO Immersive Music, Sound and Voice in Mobile VR – Exploring the Amazonian Rainforest
Dale Crowley, Creative Director, Somatone Interactive
In this presentation Dale will discuss the techniques developed to create immersive and hyper realistic audio experiences in the Amazonian Rain Forest. Topics include Adaptive Music, Sound Effects, Ambience, and Animal Vocalizations provided by human voiceover actors. The platforms discussed will include Unity, FMOD, Elias, and Google’s Resonance Audio and how the creative vision of the game designers were delivered utilizing these various modalities.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO FIRESIDE CHAT CONTINUES: Frontend & Backend Working Together
Satyarth Negi, VP Engineering & Chief Architect, Golden Rat Studios
Michael Douglas, Director of Front End Engineering, Golden Rat Studios
Interviewed by George Zaloom, Founder, The Las Vegas Whaling Company
Come learn the best practices of how frontend and backend should work together in this fireside chat with Golden Rat Studios engineers.
10:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB PANEL: LiveOps Horror Stories
10:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL CONTINUES: Video Games & Esports in Casinos
Andrew Baca, Director of Business Innovation & Technology Strategy, Caesars Entertainment
Darion Lowenstein, CMO, Gamblit
Jeff Jordan, COO, GameCo
MODERATOR: John Lukasik, Gaming & Hospitality Innovation, UNLV International Gaming Institute
In this panel, experts in video games and the casino industry will discuss the evolving nature of casino gaming and how esports and video games fit into the picture. Questions that will be explored include: What is driving casino interest in esports and video games? How are casinos looking to integrate these into their overall experience? What types of game design are casinos interested in? What are missed opportunities that are ripe for exploring?
11:00AM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | LICENSING PANEL: Making the Deal
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO Star Wars: Jedi Challenges – A Lesson in Audio for Mobile AR
Nicholas Gallant, Audio Director, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, The Walt Disney Company
Christopher Denman, Senior Audio Designer, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, The Walt Disney Company
Ariel Mann, Senior Composer, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, The Walt Disney Company
Max McCoy, Senior Audio Coordinator, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, The Walt Disney Company
Developing audio for an augmented reality product presents both challenges and opportunities. Disney, Lucasfilm and Lenovo partnered to create Star Wars: Jedi Challenges, a smartphone-powered Star Wars augmented reality product for the home. We’ll discuss the ins and outs of music, sound design, and dialog production for a mobile augmented reality product. The platforms discussed will include Unity and Wwise.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO Innovating Social Casino
11:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB Mobile Game Hacking: Defense Against the Dark Arts
11:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: The Future of Esports & Business Opportunities
Ari Segal, President, Immortals
Andrew Paradise, CEO, Skillz
Robb Chiarini, Head of Esports, Ubisoft
MODERATOR: Mona Ibrahim, Senior Associate, Interactive Entertainment Law Group
This panel will provide insightful perspective from top leaders in eSports. Hear about their strategies for success as well as what still needs to be in place to grow eSports. Where are the investment opportunities for eSports and how can a developer best position themselves for success as this exciting market grows.
11:30AM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | LICENSING PANEL CONTINUES: Making the Deal
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO SESSION CONTINUES: Star Wars: Jedi Challenges – A Lesson in Audio for Mobile AR
Nicholas Gallant, Audio Director, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, The Walt Disney Company
Christopher Denman, Senior Audio Designer, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, The Walt Disney Company
Ariel Mann, Senior Composer, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, The Walt Disney Company
Max McCoy, Senior Audio Coordinator, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, The Walt Disney Company
Developing audio for an augmented reality product presents both challenges and opportunities. Disney, Lucasfilm and Lenovo partnered to create Star Wars: Jedi Challenges, a smartphone-powered Star Wars augmented reality product for the home. We’ll discuss the ins and outs of music, sound design, and dialog production for a mobile augmented reality product. The platforms discussed will include Unity and Wwise.
11:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO Community and the Changing Face of Social Casinos
Pawan Sivaraman, Co-Founder, Cleebo Games Inc.
As major brands consolidate, new entrants to social casino see opportunity in innovation, multiplayer games, and in-game mechanics to build an engaged and devoted player community, gain traction and develop brand loyalty. How do communities offer a sustainable advantage? What can publishers do to build a community? How do they support growth and efficiencies in everything from advertising to promotions and much more?
11:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB Moderation at Scale: Keeping Millions of Kids Safe Online
Paul Milham, Lead Developer, WildWorks
Making sure one child is safe, let alone millions, isn't easy. We'll discuss processes and systems implemented in Animal Jam to counter bullying and predation. We'll also discuss complying with COPPA and other laws. We have to be vigilant for abuses in usernames, chat and artwork. We've encountered a variety of scenarios - some alarming, others amusing. Come see how we keep the sun shining bright in Animal Jam.
11:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL CONTINUES: The Future of Esports & Business Opportunities
Ari Segal, President, Immortals
Andrew Paradise, CEO, Skillz
Robb Chiarini, Head of Esports, Ubisoft
MODERATOR: Mona Ibrahim, Senior Associate, Interactive Entertainment Law Group
This panel will provide insightful perspective from top leaders in eSports. Hear about their strategies for success as well as what still needs to be in place to grow eSports. Where are the investment opportunities for eSports and how can a developer best position themselves for success as this exciting market grows.
12:00 NOON | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
12:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS LUNCH BREAK
Sponsored by Gamesauce
12:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO LUNCH SESSION: From Casual to AAA – Working Smart, Creative Workflow When Engaging an Audio Outsource Partner
Scott Gershin, Director of Editorial & Sound Supervisor / Designer / Mixer, Technicolor
Debbie Gonzalez, Executive Producer – The Sound Lab, Technicolor
Johannes Hammers, Composer / Sound Designer / Sound Editor – The Sound Lab, Technicolor
Jesse Garcia, Associate Sound Designer / 1st Assistant – The Sound Lab, Technicolor
We will explore the creative workflow involved from creating a budget that works all the way to final deliveries. What works and what doesn’t and how to achieve better creative results by working smart with audio outsource partners.
1:00PM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
13:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | LICENSING PANEL: Working with Intellectual Property on PD and Marketing
Katrina Wolfe, Producer, Kongregate
David Bergantino, CEO, Cold Room Entertainment
Have you ever thought about working with IPs? It can be an awesome addition to a game, but there are some things to think about before diving into production -- building relationships with the IP holders, tactfully working with them to create your game, and managing expectations around production schedules.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO The Neuropsychology of Engagement – An Audio Perspective
David Ortega, Partner / Composer, Li & Ortega
Engagement and retention, key factors in monetizing a mobile product, can be a nebulous moving target. In this talk, we will explore the neuropsychology of audio engagement, utilizing empirical research to understand how the brain processes and responds to music. Pleasure, anticipation and expectation, repetition and novelty will be examined as a means of leveraging audio towards maximizing profits.
13:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB LiveOps as a Service
Scott Humphries, Head of Product Development, Amber
In this talk, Scott Humphries, Head of Product Development at Amber Studios, will unveil methodologies they use in optimizing games for their publishing partners. Amber runs live operations for casual and midcore games from top-tier mobile publishers and will highlight important strategies from their playbook like limited time events, game balancing and monetization design. Attendees will walk away with ideas to help catapult their F2P games to the next level.
13:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS Imagine What You Could Do with Cloud and Cognitive in Esports...
William Le Voir-Barry, Games & Esports Advisor, IBM Corporation
Yes, IBM is in esports! Bill will be discussing how Cloud and Cognitive abilities can move our imagination forward to engage esports audiences, support reach and measurement goals; build fan and champion engagement; and highlight video services. Can we train new esports players to be champions? Can we cognitively recruit new players? What ways can we enhance the work of Shoutcasters, AR/VR and communication with characters, or NPCs on StarCraft II or DotA2?
1:30PM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
13:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | LICENSING PANEL CONTINUES: Working with Intellectual Property on PD and Marketing
Katrina Wolfe, Producer, Kongregate
David Bergantino, CEO, Cold Room Entertainment
Have you ever thought about working with IPs? It can be an awesome addition to a game, but there are some things to think about before diving into production -- building relationships with the IP holders, tactfully working with them to create your game, and managing expectations around production schedules.
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO PANEL: Spatial and 3D Audio – A Look at Product Models and the Hidden Growth Story for 3D Content
Abesh Thakur, Product Manager, Facebook
Adam Levenson, VP of Business Development, G'Audio Lab
Penka Kouneva, Composer, Penka Kouneva Studios
Sally Kellaway, VR Audio Specialist, SoundsBySal
MODERATOR: Richard Ludlow, Audio Director, Hexany Audio
This panel considers the important, oft-understated role of spatial audio in building the new 3D content ecosystem, and addresses strategies and key product differentiators amongst several leading global 3D Audio technologies, including Facebook and G'Audio
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO The Journey From a Single-App to a Multi-App Company
Joe Sigrist, Senior Vice President & General Manager, DoubleDown Interactive
Learn about DoubleDown Interactive’s journey: In January 2017 DDI’s business was based on a single, very successful social casino app. One year later, DDI is a multi-app company, with additional releases planned throughout the year. Learn about growth to support multiple apps, leveraging existing content, prioritizing new products, and evolving business processes.
13:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB Commitment or Sheer Madness: How we're Pushing Weekly App Updates to Millions of Users
Oliver Loeffler, CTO & Co-Founder, Fluffy Fairy Games
Julian Erhardt, Producer, Fluffy Fairy Games
Producer Julian Erhardt and Co-Founder/CTO Oliver Loeffler explain how Fluffy Fairy Games managed to ship 52 updates in as many weeks to their game Idle Miner Tycoon – and how the process impacted retention, user satisfaction and technical stability.
13:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Lessons Learned – Building an Esports Team
Kent Wakeford, Co-Founder & COO, KSV eSports
Avi Bhuiyan, EVP, Catalyst Sports and Media
Robb Chiarini, Head of Esports, Ubisoft
MODERATOR: Stan Press, Head of Business Development, VY Esports
Learn from some of the top esports leaders in the industry as they discuss everything from what to consider when building a game for esports, to what’s involved when building an esports team and working with sponsors and partners.
2:00PM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO PANEL CONTINUES: Spatial and 3D Audio – A Look at Product Models and the Hidden Growth Story for 3D Content
Abesh Thakur, Product Manager, Facebook
Adam Levenson, VP of Business Development, G'Audio Lab
Penka Kouneva, Composer, Penka Kouneva Studios
Sally Kellaway, VR Audio Specialist, SoundsBySal
MODERATOR: Richard Ludlow, Audio Director, Hexany Audio
This panel considers the important, oft-understated role of spatial audio in building the new 3D content ecosystem, and addresses strategies and key product differentiators amongst several leading global 3D Audio technologies, including Facebook and G'Audio
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL: Cracking Cryptocurrency
David Mata, Managing Director & Founder, Block Bits Capital
Marcus Andrade, CEO & Founder, AML BitCoin
MODERATOR: Japheth Dillman, Managing Partner & Founder, Block Bits Capital
Cryptocurrency is an ever-evolving and now heavily regulated space. What changes in federal, global, and currency regulations do investors need to be aware of as they step into virtual currency? How does one overcome the challenges of market volatility? Is this just a bubble or is it here for good? Listen as our panel experts, all heavy investors and financial managers in cryptocurrency, speak on protecting your investment, growing your portfolio, and much more.
14:00 | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB Clicker Cadences: Limited Time Event Design in Idle Games
Drew Levin, Lead Product Manager, Kongregate
Want to learn what the limited time events of successful idle games have in common? Come hear how Kongregate's developer partners build their idle game events to retain and monetize players months and years after they start playing. Drew Levin will give a data-rich talk that highlights key learnings over years of shipping and live-servicing idle games.
13:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL CONTINUES: Lessons Learned – Building an Esports Team
Kent Wakeford, Co-Founder & COO, KSV eSports
Avi Bhuiyan, EVP, Catalyst Sports and Media
Robb Chiarini, Head of Esports, Ubisoft
MODERATOR: Stan Press, Head of Business Development, VY Esports
Learn from some of the top esports leaders in the industry as they discuss everything from what to consider when building a game for esports, to what’s involved when building an esports team and working with sponsors and partners.
2:30PM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL G | AUDIO Make Your Game Stand Out! Unique Music & Sound Effects for Games
Erik Desiderio, Composer/Sound Designer, Erik Desiderio Music
What makes a game soundtrack unique? This talk is an in-depth analysis of using unconventional instruments and approaches to highlight the theme of the game. Topics to be discussed include instrument selection, clever voiceover recording and processing, and using Foley and live recording to create sound effects that perfectly fit the game. Case studies and examples will be used for demonstration purposes.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL J | CASINO PANEL CONTINUES: Cracking Cryptocurrency
David Mata, Managing Director & Founder, Block Bits Capital
Marcus Andrade, CEO & Founder, AML BitCoin
MODERATOR: Japheth Dillman, Managing Partner & Founder, Block Bits Capital
Cryptocurrency is an ever-evolving and now heavily regulated space. What changes in federal, global, and currency regulations do investors need to be aware of as they step into virtual currency? How does one overcome the challenges of market volatility? Is this just a bubble or is it here for good? Listen as our panel experts, all heavy investors and financial managers in cryptocurrency, speak on protecting your investment, growing your portfolio, and much more.
14:30 | SOUTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS WITH PLAYFAB Know Thy Platform - How Running LiveOps on PC or Console is Different from Mobile
Kimberly Rodatos, Founder and President, Digital Owl Inc.
Kimberly has been designing effective LiveOps strategies for PC and console games for years. Attend this talk to learn how LiveOps for PC and console is different than LiveOps for mobile over the whole life cycle of your game, from considerations during development, to specific tools and needs during operation and maintenance. By the end, you'll understand how to successfully launch a live game on any platform.
14:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | ESPORTS Esports and the Data Behind It
3:00PM | THURSDAY 18th January 2018
