2011 Agenda

8:15AM–9:00AM
Registration, Breakfast & Networking

9:00AM–9:15AM
Welcome to the Conference
Ned Sherman, CEO & Publisher, Digital Media Wire
Jay Baage, Event Director, NYGC

9:15AM–10:00AM
2011 Gaming Trends - Analyst and Expert Presentations
Leading analysts and industry experts kick-off the day's discussions with an overview of the latest research that reflects and illustrates the current state of gaming and the directions in which the industry is heading, including: consumer behavior & attitudes; adoption & penetration rates of key technology channels & platforms; and business & economic performance numbers.

Presenters
Michael Pachter, Managing Director, Equity Research, Wedbush Securities
Michael Cai, Vice President of Video Games, Interpret
Michael Klotz, Director of Digital Games, The NPD Group, Inc.

10:00AM–10:30AM
FIRESIDE CHAT
Dan Porter, CEO of social game developer OMGPOP
Interviewed by: Mike Vorhaus, President, Magid Advisors

10:30AM–10:50AM
NETWORKING BREAK

10:50AM–11:40AM PANEL 1
The State of the Games Industry - View From The Top
Industry leaders discuss the current state of the games industry as the business continues its transition towards a digital future. What does it take to make a successful game these days across platforms? What trends and developments are the most important to the future direction of the industry? How fast is the migration into the cloud happening? What emerging gaming platforms will be the most important in the years to come? How do you make money in this more and more complicated gaming universe with new digital platforms competing with the time and pocketbooks of consumers? Who will be the winners and losers in the years to come?

Panelists
Matt Hulett, Chief Gamer, GameHouse (Real Networks)
Chris Early, VP, Digital Games, Ubisoft
Owais Farooqui, SVP Digital Publishing, Atari
Julie Shumaker, SVP & GM of Media, RockYou
Sean Spector, Co-Founder and SVP of Business Development and Content, GameFly
Moderator: Eric Goldberg, Managing Director, Crossover Technologies

11:45AM–12:20PM
Debate Club: You Pick the Topic!
Structured as a formal academic debate, panelists are divided into two teams which present arguments either pro or con the gaming topic, trend or phenomenon. Each team will be given 5 minutes for initial arguments and then it's time for rebuttals. The audience will determine the winner via show of hands. This is usually one of the most popular sessions at DMW’s game conferences and one that you don’t want to miss. Sparks are sure to fly! Please email your suggestion for topics to Event Director Jay Baage: jay@digitalmediawire.com

Debaters
Gene Hoffman, CEO, Vindicia
Alex. St. John, CEO, Hi5
Andrew Schneider, Co-Founder & President, Live Gamer
Moderator: Mike Vorhaus, President, Magid Advisors

12:25PM–12:55PM
KEYNOTE
Philip Rosenberg, SVP of Business Development, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA)

12:55PM–1:45PM
Lunch Buffet in the beautiful upstairs ballroom with views of the Statue of Liberty

1:00PM-1.30PM
Gamification Lunch Panel/Presentation in the downstairs classroom, sponsored by

Lunch will be served during the panel for those attending. Open to all attendees, but requires RSVP, limited seats available, first come, first served! To RSVP, email duan@digitalmediawire.com.

Presenters
Adena DeMonte, Director of Marketing, Badgeville
Kevin Tucker, Producer, Badgeville

1:45PM–2:10PM
Special Presentation
David Merrill, President and Co-Founder, Sifteo

TRACK A

2:15PM–3:00PM PANEL 2
Cloud Gaming – Evolution or Revolution?
At this very moment we’re witnessing an evolution or even a revolution in the gaming industry – one that has all the characteristics of what our media industry predecessors have and continue to experience (books, music, print, TV, movies, etc.). Videogames are slowly migrating "into the cloud," but how and when can we expect the business models and distribution channels to really start changing? What new forms of distribution work for different types of games? Which devices are going to be driving the future growth of the gaming business? This panel will give you an overview of current trends, provide relevant real-lifecase-studies and give you the unfiltered truth of technological opportunities and challenges facing the games industry in a digital age.

Panelists
David Wilson, Divisional VP & GM, Cloud Gaming, GameStop
Tom DuBois, Executive Producer, Games, OnLive
James G. Gatto, Partner, Intellectual Property, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Eric Anderson, VP Content & Product Solutions, Samsung Electronics
Chris Lee, Publishing VP, En Masse Entertainment
Moderator: Michael Cai, Vice President of Video Games, Interpret

TRACK B

2:15PM–3:00PM PANEL 3
The Social Factor - Building a Community around Games
Xbox Live and Playstation Network has given gamers a platform to interact real-time with other gamers around the world, express their emotions playing the game and enhance the experience for each other in powerful new ways. This panel will discuss the opportunities to bridle the power of social media to build communities that foster and promote programming in new and innovative ways, not just confined to the networks built around hard core console gaming, but through and on Facebook and other platforms. What's next as gaming meets the internet and social networks?

Panelists
Teemu Huuhtanen, EVP, Sulake Corporation (Habbo)
Jack Buser, Director, Playstation Network
Andrew Pedersen, Vice President & General Manager, Social Games, Tagged
Joe Ciarallo, Director of Communications, Buddy Media
Moderator: Matthew Bellows, CEO, Yesware
 

3:00PM–3:30PM   
Refreshment & Networking Break
Sponsored by:

 

TRACK A

3:30PM-4:15PM PANEL 4
Smartphones and Handhelds – The Latest in Games for Portable Devices
This panel of decision-makers in the mobile games value chain will bring you up to date on the latest in innovation, pricing, new devices, marketing and distribution models for mobile games. Is the iPhone model with over half a million apps the way of the future for the rest of the business? What can we learn from the Angry Birds phenomenon? How are the operators working with publishers to allow mobile games to really take off? What factors are driving and hindering the industry? How is the mobile industry working with successful online games and brands to grow the market? Is a licensed game or branded title needed to succeed in the current mobile games market? What other platforms are the most exciting and fastest growing; Android, iPad, Samsung Galaxy etc.?

Panelists
Sean Vanderdasson, SVP, Game Service, Wildtangent
Volker Hirsch, Director, Business Development, Research In Motion (RIM)
Charles Yim, Strategic Partner Development, Google
Stanley Kwon, Director of Industry Products, CBS Interactive
Moderator: Billy Pidgeon, Principal, Game Changer Research

TRACK B

3:30PM-4:15PM PANEL 5
Brands Got Game? How Marketers and Advertisers Can Best Reach Gamers
Millions and millions of Americans play games every day, from social games on Facebook to hardcore games on Xbox 360. This panel of advertising, brand and games executives will discuss opportunities for advertisers and brands to reach consumers through the games, virtual worlds and social networks. How are brand marketers and their agencies navigating this space? What advertising campaigns work in games and online communities? How are consumers reacting to ads in games? How are advertising executives working with game developers? What are the opportunities and challenges in incorporating advertising and brands into games and online communities? On the other side of the coin, how can game companies generate revenue and free mass advertising by incorporating digital game content into brand advertising?

Panelists
Neal Sinno, VP of Business Development, Arkadium
Christopher Erb, VP, Marketing, EA Sports
Mark Collins, VP Business Development/Content Acquisition, MXP4
Aaron Smith, Interactive Media Planner, Wieden+Kennedy
Precious Manchepalli, Senior Program Manager – Games, HSN
Moderator: Daniel Kayser, Founder/EIC, Host/Writer, Host/Producer - EpicBattleAxe.com, GameTrailers TV, GameTrailers.com

TRACK A

4:20PM-5:00PM PANEL 6
Viral Gaming – Latest Trends in Discovery and Promotion of Games
A vital component for any game to be successful is - being found. How is the role of traditional game console and PC game retailers such as GameStop playing out in this new world? What is the importance of gatekeepers such as Apple's app store and the mobile operators these days for mobile games? What are the most important and emerging social discovery platforms for console, mobile and online games today? How can games and interactive entertainment incorporate features such as user-generated content, sharing, rewards and referral programs? What are the mechanisms and techniques that make game promotion and discovery work in the competitive world of games? This panel of executives from social networks, technology and games companies will tackle these questions and more.

Panelists
Ethan Fassett, SVP of Product, OpenFeint
Jeff Anderson, SVP of Social and Mobile Games, Majesco Entertainment
Mihir Shah, President and Chief Executive officer, Tapjoy
Wade Tinney, CEO & Co-Founder, Large Animal Games
Moderator: Brad Hargreaves, Founding Partner, General Assembly

TRACK B

4:20PM-5:00PM PANEL 7
Selling Games in the Cloud – Future Proofing Your Business Models
Recently new business models have been shaking up the industry. From virtual goods free-to-play social gaming models pioneered by Zynga, through to traditional subscription based ones. When it comes to mobile games and casual games, a model has emerged with a free version of the game and a paid version for those who are interested in upgrading. Is there enough money to go around for subscriptions? Is advertising a viable option? What hybrid models are emerging? This panel of game experts will give you a glimpse into the future of game monetization and provide many good ideas for what models will work for your products/services.

Panelists
Roger Pavane, SVP, PaymentOne
Theo Bergquist, CEO, Gamersgate
Gavin McConnon, Co-Founder, boxPAY
Frank Cartwright, SVP of Product and Platform Dev., K2 Network / GamersFirst
Michael Doron, VP, The Americas, Click and Buy
Moderator: Mark Friedler, Partner, Worlds and Games LLC

TRACK A

5:05PM-5:50PM PANEL 8
From Gesture Recognition to 3D - Top Technologies Affecting the Future of Gaming
Hear from technology leaders how you make sure to stay on top of the latest technological innovations affecting the games industry. From 3D displays to gesture recognition and 100+ Touchpad Tablets on the market in 2011, gaming is now reaching totally new demographics and areas such as kitchens with refrigerators and outdoor through billboards. Technology is advancing at an incredible pace and game companies not up to speed on these developments risk being left in the dust. From devices to infrastructure, this panel will pick 10 technologies that you need to know and will discuss the most important trends and developments you need to be aware of in 2011 and beyond.

Panelists
Jon Epstein, President, Omek
Matt Costello, President and Creative Director, Polar Productions, Ltd.
Nick Stam, Technical Marketing Director, NVIDIA
Ori Inbar, CEO and Co-Founder, Ogmento
Reuben Steiger, Managing Partner, IPG Media Lab
Moderator: Marshall Jensen, Manager Member, DMW Hexagon, LLC

TRACK B

5:05PM-5:50PM PANEL 9
Gaming, Film and Television – How To Develop Successful Transmedia Franchises
The relationship between IP content owners and the game industry has sometimes been a rocky one. The result has been few success stories of original film and television IP being turned into films and TV shows and vice versa. How is the relationship between these industries evolving with Transmedia producers now in the mix? What needs to be done to make sure that future media franchises work as well across platforms and mediums? What needs to happen to ensure that all participants - licensors, developers, publishers and distributors - get a fair return on their investments?

Panelists
Jeff Gomez, CEO, Starlight Runner Entertainment
Katharine Lewis, Deputy Head of FremantleMedia Ventures, FremantleMedia North America
Dan Yang, SVP, Strategy and Business Development, MTV Networks Entertainment Group
Alex LeMay, CEO/Founder/Chief Creative Director, The Shadow Gang
Moderator: Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, TAG Strategic

6:30PM–8:30PM   
Cocktail Reception and After Party (Free attendance with NY Games Badge)
Sponsored by: