VentureBeat’s annual GamesBeat show will be in San Francisco this Monday and Tuesday, and as usual it will be packed with interesting and informative sessions delivering critical info to a broad cross-section of the gaming industry. The [a]listdaily will be at GamesBeat to fill you in on some of these events, and bring you some of the insights being shared at the show. Let’s look at some of the key sessions you should be sure to catch if you can.
The show opens Monday with a series of Fireside Chats for all attendees, and the lineup is impressive. Beginning Monday at 9:00 to 9:30 is a Fireside Chat with EA CEO Andrew Wilson, followed by a chat with Nexon CEO Owen Mahoney. Wilson will talk about EA’s transition in navigating the vast changes under way in the game industry, while Mahoney will discuss how to make strategic partenrships work (something Nexon has been doing a lot of lately).
Then David Helgason, CEO of Unity, takes the stage to talk about the future of game platforms an indie gaming. Given how broadly Unity is being adopted by indie developers, Helgason should have a great deal of insight into this topic. Finally, Peter Molyneux, veteran designer and head of 22cans, will be up to talk about what he’s learned from his newest title Godus, the free-to-play mobile “god game.”
After the morning break, everyone continues to hear from key industry figures as the discussion turns to moving Hollywood IP to mobile platforms, with Peter Levin of Lionsgate and Chris Petrovic of Kabam discussing that moderated by Wedbush Securities managing director Michael Pachter. Then Bob Meese from Google Play takes the stage to talk about mobile momentum and the Google Play store. Former EA CEO John Riccitiello is up after that to discuss who’s winning the console war and the gaming industry in general with VentureBeat’s Dean Takahashi, and finally CEO Simon Khalaf of Flurry will be up to talk about how mobile games cross borders.
After lunch there are several more plenary sessions, including a talk with EA’s Lucy Bradshaw and Rachel Franklin about Playing with Life, one on investing in the game industry with veteran investor Rick Thompson, and then the ESA’s Mike Gallagher talks about the challenges for the game industry as it becomes global.
Breakout sessions follow, where attendees can choose between panles on game technology, monetization, or partnering with Asian giants. Returning to Fireside Chats after a break, all the attendees will get to find out about the next billion-dollar gaming opportunity with ace investors Tim Chang and Kristian Segerstrale. Then Clive Downie, COO of Zynga, talks about building franchises, and Amazon’s Mike Frazzini talks about what Amazon is doing in games.
The second day of GamesBeat is structured similarly, with an array of speakers addressing everyone most of the day. Tapjoy’s Steve Wadsworth talks monetization, Jeff Lyndon of iDreamSky talks about China’s game market, and Mitch Lasky of Benchmark Capital provides insights into investing. Then Wooga’s CEO Jens Begemann speaks about Wooga’s hits and misses and Dan Brody of Tencent gives insights from the world’s largest game company.
Breakout sessions then let you choose betweem finding out more about customer acquisition strategies, how eSports have already arrived, or taking games from other lands into the West. After lunch are plenary sessions once again, with topics like Storytelling in Games, Why Livestreaming and Video are transforming games, Mobile Gaming’s All-Stars, and Data Science.
The day concludes with a Game Innovation Showdown, a talk on Made in China — Played Worldwide, a session on knowing the warning signs of trouble in your studio, and then a closing reception followed by an after party.
The GamesBeat program is packed with an all-star lineup of speakers, and it’s going to be interesting, educational, and a great networking opportunity. We look forward to seeing you there!
