TRACK DETAILS | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
DETAILS | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS INDUSTRY INSIGHTS DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH GROWTH DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING PUBLISHING DETAILS
9:30AM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
9:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS FIRESIDE CHAT: What’s Next in Mobile Games
Chris Petrovic, SVP and Head of Corporate Strategy, M&A and Business Development, Zynga, Inc.
Interviewed by Steve Peterson, CEO, StoryPHORCE Entertainment
With the mobile game industry rapidly evolving, Chris Petrovic, Zynga SVP and Head of Corporate Strategy & Development will discuss what’s on the horizon and key factors that drive successful games and studios. He will share insight and examples of the importance of growing live services and investing in emerging markets, technologies and platforms.
10:00AM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
10:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS Six Degrees of Gaming— How Couch Co-op Connects All!
Tommy Tallarico, CEO & President, Intellivision Entertainment
Industry icon, Tommy Tallarico, is known for groundbreaking ideas in the industry. It started with iconic music in games and continued with his successful Video Games Live shows. Now he’s the champion of bringing couch co-op fun back into the living room. Tommy will talk about how the gaming industry has changed, his thoughts for the future and what you can do as a developer to make couch co-op games that are a connector, not a divider, to bring people together and spark a key growth market for our industry.
10:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH Session Details TBA
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING PANEL: Redefining Publishing for Today's Marketplace
Matt Casamassina, CSO & Co-Founder, Rogue Games
Kris Davis, VP Development, Kabam
Vanessa Rouhani, VP Publishing, Jam City
Rob Ricca, VP of Corporate Development, Scopely
MODERATOR: Dan Ackerman, Senior Managing Editor, CNET
This panel will explore how forward-thinking publishers have evolved and are changing the way games 'go to market', working "end-to-end' (game design to UA) to optimize and maximize for performance, engagement, monetization, and discovery. Topics covered include how/why this approach works; what value the right publisher can add outside of funding; tips for end-to-end optimization; what developers should be thinking about when launching their games or seeking a publisher.
10:30AM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
10:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS Zero to 60: Building A Successful Games Studio Within A Hollywood Media Company
Aaron Loeb, President of Studios, FoxNext Games
Historically, Hollywood media companies have been challenged in their efforts to bridge into games. FoxNext Games, on the other hand, hit the ground running, launching its first game, Marvel Strike Force, to great success within a year of the company being founded. Aaron Loeb, President of FoxNext Games, will chart some of the lessons learned and best practices discovered with a deep look at the way talent, IP and game design can come together in our increasingly merging media landscape.
10:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH Test Results Are In: The Promise of Mobile App Bidding is Reality
Conrad McGee-Stocks, Growth Lead, Uken Games
Amit Bhojwani, Head of Partner Management, Facebook Audience Network
Brian Truman, Executive Director, Digital Ad Revenue and Operations, GSN Games
MODERATOR: Kavitha Gadde, Head of Strategic Publisher Partnerships, Americas, MoPub
"Header bidding" for apps has been the talk of the town -- but does it actually work? In this session, we'll share what results publishers (and buyers) are actually seeing from in-app bidding, including impact on ARPDAU and filled supply. We'll also dive into best practices for publishers to correctly test the impact that bidding solutions are having (hint: a real, effective A/B test involves much more than just turning on bidding and measuring ARPDAU). MoPub will be joined onstage by Facebook Audience Network, Uken Games, and GSN Games to share their experiences and advice.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING PANEL CONTINUES: Redefining Publishing for Today's Marketplace
Matt Casamassina, CSO & Co-Founder, Rogue Games
Kris Davis, VP Development, Kabam
Vanessa Rouhani, VP Publishing, Jam City
Rob Ricca, VP of Corporate Development, Scopely
MODERATOR: Dan Ackerman, Senior Managing Editor, CNET
This panel will explore how forward-thinking publishers have evolved and are changing the way games 'go to market', working "end-to-end' (game design to UA) to optimize and maximize for performance, engagement, monetization, and discovery. Topics covered include how/why this approach works; what value the right publisher can add outside of funding; tips for end-to-end optimization; what developers should be thinking about when launching their games or seeking a publisher.
11:00AM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS Will Facebook & Google AI Automate UA & Make Creative Critical To Success?
Savannah Wu, User Acquisition Manager, Jam City
Hakeem Harrison, Client Solutions Manager, Facebook
Brian Bowman CEO, ConsumerAcquisition.com
Join Jam City, Facebook and Consumer Acquisition to hear how machine learning is automating UA media buying tasks. Jam City will share their best practices for successful creative testing and how to work with external partners. Facebook will deep dive on their Power 5 (Auto Advanced Matching, Automatic Placements, Account Simplification, Campaign Budget Optimization and Dynamic Ads). Consumer Acquisition will discuss why creative is the king of performance and how to successfully test creative concepts that fail 95% of the time. You'll hear this summer's best practices to help you efficiently buy media and test creative and what new Google App Campaign features just rolled out. You'll leave with real world, actionable insights to help you achieve and sustain high performing, profitable social advertising.
11:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH Staying on Top of Your Game: Engaging and Converting Players in an Evolving Landscape
Alex Gray, VP of Solutions Consulting, Swrve
Player behavior is constantly changing in response to new trends in games, be it innovative gameplay mechanics or simply new community expectations. How has this manifested itself in core game metrics, player engagement, and trends in in-app purchases? Alex Gray, VP of Solutions Consulting at Swrve, will share actionable insights derived from hundreds of billions of data points of player behavior on how to engage and convert in the necessary millisecond, stay relevant to your players, and produce stronger business results.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING You Only Pitch Once – Getting Game Pitches Right The First Time
Gregan Dunn, Director of Publishing, Hothead Games
First impressions are everything, and your game needs a great impression. It's time to craft a pitch that will impress the media, secure investments, and maybe score that publishing deal. But where do you start? What's too little information? What's too much? Hothead Games' Director of Publishing Gregan Dunn explains how to avoid common pitch pitfalls and effectively deliver your message on the big day.
11:30AM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS SESSION CONTINUES: Will Facebook & Google AI Automate UA & Make Creative Critical To Success?
Savannah Wu, User Acquisition Manager, Jam City
Hakeem Harrison, Client Solutions Manager, Facebook
Brian Bowman CEO, ConsumerAcquisition.com
Join Jam City, Facebook and Consumer Acquisition to hear how machine learning is automating UA media buying tasks. Jam City will share their best practices for successful creative testing and how to work with external partners. Facebook will deep dive on their Power 5 (Auto Advanced Matching, Automatic Placements, Account Simplification, Campaign Budget Optimization and Dynamic Ads). Consumer Acquisition will discuss why creative is the king of performance and how to successfully test creative concepts that fail 95% of the time. You'll hear this summer's best practices to help you efficiently buy media and test creative and what new Google App Campaign features just rolled out. You'll leave with real world, actionable insights to help you achieve and sustain high performing, profitable social advertising.
11:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING Cross-platform to Game Streaming
Taewon Yun, General Manager, Global Publishing, Super Evil Megacorp
2019 is an exciting year. Crossplatform and crossplay is finally here. New consoles are coming and game streaming or cloud gaming is not too far away. Super Evil Megacorp started their journey by pioneering core game in mobile and then mobile esports with Vainglory. Vainglory has evolved into a crossplatform, crossplay time between PC and mobile. Working on their completely new second title, they are shooting for another innovation in gaming. Taewon will talk about Super Evil’s world domination plan how they conceived the evil plan.
11:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH PANEL: Talking To Journalists Is Scary (Until It's Not)
Dan Ackerman, Senior Managing Editor, CNET
James Brightman, Editor-at-large, GameDaily.biz
Michael Futter, Author and Freelance Writer
Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat
MODERATOR: Amanda Farough, Editor-In-Chief, GameDaily.biz
Industry-focused game journalists come together for a panel and conversation about what it takes to land a story at their respective outlets, the difference between industry and consumer journalists, advertorial versus editorial, and any questions that developers may have about telling their stories.
12:00 NOON | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
12:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS
LUNCH BREAK
LUNCH BREAK
1:00PM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
13:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS The Year in Mobile Games 2019: GameDaily Connect USA Edition
Juan Gril, Principal, Gametapas
Dave Rohrl, Owner, Mobile Game Doctor
Steve Meretzky, Senior Design Consultant, Mobile Game Doctor
Steve Meretzky, Dave Rohrl, and Juan Gril continue their long-running series recapping the highlights of the year in mobile gaming. They dive into the most interesting new games, updated games, and trends of the year.
13:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH Influencer Marketing Panel
Scott Clark, SVP Brand Partnerships, StreamElements
Gerald Youngblood, Co-Founder and CEO, Tankee
Daniel Kelley, Marketing Guy, HyperX
MODERATOR: Amanda Farough, Editor-In-Chief, GameDaily.biz
Hear from our expert panelists about the challenges, opportunities, and biggest trends in influencer marketing, and learn the keys to perform an effective influencer marketing campaign.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING How to Make a Publisher Fall in Love With You at First Sight
1:30PM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
13:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS The Year in Mobile Games 2019: GameDaily Connect USA Edition
Juan Gril, Principal, Gametapas
Dave Rohrl, Owner, Mobile Game Doctor
Steve Meretzky, Senior Design Consultant, Mobile Game Doctor
Steve Meretzky, Dave Rohrl, and Juan Gril continue their long-running series recapping the highlights of the year in mobile gaming. They dive into the most interesting new games, updated games, and trends of the year.
13:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH PANEL: The State of Diversity in Gaming
Sarah Fuchs, Vice President & General Manager for Covet Fashion, Glu Mobile
Catherine Silvestre, Executive Producer, N3TWORK
MODERATOR: Amanda Farough, Editor-In-Chief, GameDaily.biz
Expert panelists will discuss the role of diversity in the gaming industry and share actionable tips to drive impact, create meaningful change and diverse studio culture that transcends into their technology and products. As veterans of the gaming industry, the panelists will share their experiences and how they have cultivated their own diverse culture that often results in award-winning and top-grossing titles alike. When companies cultivate a diversity of thought, it becomes easier to continue to create ideas and products that represent a wider variety of the population.
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING PANEL: Alternative Game Distribution - Challenges and Opportunities
Donald Tang, CEO & Founder, APPTUTTi
Tom van Dam, Senior Director Overseas Business, Bytedance
Neo Liu, Head of Global Publishing, XiaoMi Game
MODERATOR: Maxim de Wit, Global Head of Content, UDP, Unity Technologies
The distribution landscape is more diverse than ever, which has created new challenges but also new opportunities for games to tap into new markets and reach new players. Gain valuable insights from global industry veterans into alternative game distribution.
2:00PM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
14:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS PANEL: Mobile Gaming Today
Brian Sapp, VP of User Acquisition Marketing, Jam City
Henry Lowenfels, SVP of Business Development, Scopely
Casey Dickinson, CEO, FTX Games
Catherine Silvestre, Executive Producer, N3TWORK
MODERATOR: Ted Verani, Vice President Business Development, wappier
The mobile market represents around half of all global games revenues, and opportunities abound for savvy developers, but how can today's game makers stand out from the crowd on the App Store and Google Play? How can they not only acquire users but retain them? What are the keys to success and what lies ahead for the booming mobile space? Our panel of experts will discuss the vital points developers need to understand.
14:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH PANEL: Creating a Winning Indie Games Business: From Growth to Monetization
Niko Vuori, CEO & Founder, Drivetime
Joshua Javaheri, CEO & Founder, Lucky Day
MODERATORS: Jay Waters, Client Solutions Manager, Facebook and Shaleen Pooni, Client Solutions Manager, Facebook
As the mobile gaming industry matures, it is becoming more challenging for indie developers to attract, retain and monetize their players. A thoughtful marketing strategy and mix of monetization tactics can be the difference between a massive success and a game that goes undiscovered. In this session, growth experts from Facebook will facilitate a discussion with two indie studios who have forged their own paths to success. Come meet the individuals responsible for accelerating growth of the indie gaming ecosystem.
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING PANEL CONTINUES: Alternative Game Distribution - Challenges and Opportunities
Donald Tang, CEO & Founder, APPTUTTi
Tom van Dam, Senior Director Overseas Business, Bytedance
Neo Liu, Head of Global Publishing, XiaoMi Game
MODERATOR: Maxim de Wit, Global Head of Content, UDP, Unity Technologies
The distribution landscape is more diverse than ever, which has created new challenges but also new opportunities for games to tap into new markets and reach new players. Gain valuable insights from global industry veterans into alternative game distribution.
2:30PM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
14:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS PANEL CONTINUES: Mobile Gaming Today
Brian Sapp, VP of User Acquisition Marketing, Jam City
Henry Lowenfels, SVP of Business Development, Scopely
Casey Dickinson, CEO, FTX Games
Catherine Silvestre, Executive Producer, N3TWORK
MODERATOR: Ted Verani, Vice President Business Development, wappier
The mobile market represents around half of all global games revenues, and opportunities abound for savvy developers, but how can today's game makers stand out from the crowd on the App Store and Google Play? How can they not only acquire users but retain them? What are the keys to success and what lies ahead for the booming mobile space? Our panel of experts will discuss the vital points developers need to understand.
14:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH PANEL: Diversifying Ad Spend Outside of the US
Sabrina Chen, User Acquisition Specialist, Jam City
Alex Pan, Senior Director - Performance Marketing, Seriously Digital Entertainment
Justin Sampson, Manager of User Acquisition, Skillz Inc.
MODERATOR: Abraham Leibovitz, Demand Sales Lead - Americas, Vungle
Join Vungle as we sit with a panel of experts within the gaming industry to discuss trends in diversifying your ad spend around the globe. We will dig deeper into the topic to find out what prevents advertisers from investing their dollars outside of the U.S. and into newer emerging markets. Explore techniques for gaining success through localizing creative, looking to areas with less competitive bid density, and find out how soft launches can help you learn these global markets.
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING Driving Deep User Engagement Within Your Gaming App
Megan Li, Product Marketing, Next Billion Users, Google
Digital marketing channels drive user acquisition and help you optimize your cost-per-install, but once your users are in the door, how do you drive deep engagement? Only 15% of app installs remain in use after 7 days, and Google's new Engagement Rewards platform can help your app remain in your user’s rotation. This cutting edge initiative streamlines the process of incentivizing users to take certain actions that matter within your app, such as a user playing to Level 5 and receiving rideshare credits in return. Join an Engagement Rewards expert to learn about how you can drive user engagement and retention and be an early adopter of the future of mobile app technology.
3:00PM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
15:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS
COFFEE BREAK
COFFEE BREAK
15:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | PUBLISHING Publisher Pitch
Gregan Dunn, Director of Publishing, Hothead Games
Chris Hughes, Co-Founder, FGL
Allen Ma, VP of Partnerships, Forte
Dan Wasson, Head of Production, Nifty Games
Tomasz Puzio, T-Bull
Matt Casamassina, Co-Founder & CSO, Rogue Games
John Vivona, VP, Sales and Business Development, Andrews McMeel
Kathee Chimowitz, COO, SuperScale
Simon Sim, CEO and President, Netmarble US, Inc
Brian Etheridge, VP of Publishing, D3 Go!
Tom van Dam, Senior Director Overseas Business, ByteDance
Martina Santoro, Content Manager, HATCH Entertainment Ltd.
Christopher Baggio, Business Development Manager, Activision, Inc.
Nikita Vladimirov, VP Production, Super.com
Neo Liu, BD Head of Global Publishing, XiaoMi Game
Lisa Foster, Executive Producer, Asteri Entertainment
MODERATOR: Yuliya Moshkaryova, Director, Indie Prize
The Publisher Pitch at GameDaily Connect USA is designed to unite developers and publishers in an easy and fast way during 2 minute pitches. The Publisher Pitch allows invited publishers as well as developers to make connections and continue networking during the remainder of the conference for further discussions and deals.
15:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS Insights You Need to Win in Mobile Gaming
Herman Lee, Senior Manager Professional Services, App Annie
Did you know that the mobile consumer typically spends 3 hours per day in apps? Do you know where gamers are spending their time? App Annie will cover essential insights into the mobile gaming market and show how companies across industries and countries are growing and transforming their businesses through apps. The latest mobile trends always change the rules of gaming growth.
3:30PM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
15:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS Succeeding in the Maturing Mobile Gaming Market
Tuyen Nguyen, Head of Publisher SMB, North America, Facebook
Owen O’Donoghue, Industry Manager, Facebook
While mobile gaming continues to boast tremendous revenue growth, the industry is entering a new phase of maturation. In order to stay competitive, it’s essential to develop a strategy that’s focused on building great games, adopting sophisticated marketing practices, and putting your customers first. In this session, we’ll share trends, research and recommendations allowing you to adapt your business in a mature market, and develop a monetization strategy that prioritizes value for your customers.
15:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH PANEL: Insights From a Year of In-app Bidding - The Success, the Challenges, and the Future
David Pokress, EVP Global Publishing, AdColony
Ben Chen, SVP and General Manager of Global Developer Relations, Tapjoy
Amit Bhojwani, Head of Partner Management, Facebook Audience Network
MODERATOR: Adam Corrado, Director, Partnerships, Fyber
Join three of the industry’s most experienced ad networks as they exchange thoughts on their early experience with in-app bidding. Controlled studies are finally demonstrating programmatic bidding’s reliable increases in in-app advertising revenue. What led this group of networks to invest in bidding long before it was publicly demonstrated? Where does our industry need to invest to reach a programmatic inflection point and why do we want to get there?
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING PANEL: Hollywood & VR
Adam Foshko, Director of Narrative Design, HBO
Mike Domaguing, Vice President of Marketing, Survios
Steve Zhao, CEO, Sandbox VR
MODERATOR: Jamin Warren, Founder, Twofivesix
Major studio successes have defining characteristics, whether it be the unique storytelling, world building, characters or production value, that can act as a springboard for a broader multimedia property. Video games built with universally-loved film and TV intellectual property (IPs) in mind can establish an instant connection with an audience, allowing for a bigger launch and unmatched marketing opportunities. In the “Hollywood in VR" session, our expert panelists will discuss how to craft a game from a derivative work, strategies that play to consumer sentiment, as well as methods that add value to entertainment brands looking to break into virtual reality and gaming.
4:00PM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
16:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS PANEL: Hot Topics Debates
Jim Ying, Managing Director, CVCapital
Michael Pachter, Managing Director, Equity Research, Wedbush Securities
Mike DeLaet, CEO & Co-Founder, Rogue Games
Stuart Drexler, CEO & Founder, Jago Studios
MODERATOR: Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat
The games industry moves quickly. Trends can change in a heartbeat, but our hot topics debate is sure to get those neurons firing, as we examine the key issues affecting the game makers of today and tomorrow. Join our lively group of panelists as they debate violence in games, crunch, ageism, loot boxes, and much more.
15:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH PANEL CONTINUES: Insights From a Year of In-app Bidding - The Success, the Challenges, and the Future
David Pokress, EVP Global Publishing, AdColony
Ben Chen, SVP and General Manager of Global Developer Relations, Tapjoy
Amit Bhojwani, Head of Partner Management, Facebook Audience Network
MODERATOR: Adam Corrado, Director, Partnerships, Fyber
Join three of the industry’s most experienced ad networks as they exchange thoughts on their early experience with in-app bidding. Controlled studies are finally demonstrating programmatic bidding’s reliable increases in in-app advertising revenue. What led this group of networks to invest in bidding long before it was publicly demonstrated? Where does our industry need to invest to reach a programmatic inflection point and why do we want to get there?
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING PANEL CONTINUES: Hollywood & VR
Adam Foshko, Director of Narrative Design, HBO
Mike Domaguing, Vice President of Marketing, Survios
Steve Zhao, CEO, Sandbox VR
MODERATOR: Jamin Warren, Founder, Twofivesix
Major studio successes have defining characteristics, whether it be the unique storytelling, world building, characters or production value, that can act as a springboard for a broader multimedia property. Video games built with universally-loved film and TV intellectual property (IPs) in mind can establish an instant connection with an audience, allowing for a bigger launch and unmatched marketing opportunities. In the “Hollywood in VR" session, our expert panelists will discuss how to craft a game from a derivative work, strategies that play to consumer sentiment, as well as methods that add value to entertainment brands looking to break into virtual reality and gaming.
4:30PM | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
16:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS PANEL CONTINUES: Hot Topics Debates
Jim Ying, Managing Director, CVCapital
Michael Pachter, Managing Director, Equity Research, Wedbush Securities
Mike DeLaet, CEO & Co-Founder, Rogue Games
Stuart Drexler, CEO & Founder, Jago Studios
MODERATOR: Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat
The games industry moves quickly. Trends can change in a heartbeat, but our hot topics debate is sure to get those neurons firing, as we examine the key issues affecting the game makers of today and tomorrow. Join our lively group of panelists as they debate violence in games, crunch, ageism, loot boxes, and much more.
16:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | GROWTH The Art in Numbers: The Balancing Act Between Analytics and Creativity
Kimberly Corbett, Vice President, Mobile Publishing and Analytics, WB Games
Creativity is, by design, an exercise in avoiding constraints – yet analytics has traditionally been a discipline that colors within the lines. In a modern market where agility and real time insights are key to a competitive advantage, teams must employ disruptive strategies to break down legacy silos and design new workflows that effectively translate their data into actionable tactics.
16:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | PUBLISHING Harnessing the Power of Community
Andy Swanson, Head of Publisher Relations, Discord
Gamers have always been passionate about the games, platforms and genres that they play and sharing that passion with others is more relevant than ever. Get key insights about Discord, its users, and its features and how some of the biggest gaming companies are using the platform to energize and evangelize their growing communities.
EVENTS | TUESDAY 27th August 2019
TRACK DETAILS | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
DETAILS | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS ESPORTS DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS LIVEOPS DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES BUSINESS OF GAMES DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT DETAILS
9:30AM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
9:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES Mobile Industry Benchmarks: Eye Opening Insights Revealed
Andres Prilloltensky, Gaming Director, Soomla
This first time ever revealed deck will present an in-depth look into what people don't know about the Mobile App industry. Analyzing unique and granular data collected over a period of months and based on billions of in-app ad impressions. The presentation will offer benchmarks, give monetization strategy tips and uncover eye opening insights about Ad LTV, User Churn, Ad Network comparison and more. If you are leading app Monentization or UA efforts – You can’t afford to miss this!
9:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Esports for Brands
Lauren Gaba Flanagan, Creative Strategist and Art Director, Freelance
Christie St. Martin, Gaming Director, IMC | An Experience Studio
Jordan Udko, Head of Partnerships, Cloud 9
Avi Bhuiyan, VP Product & Strategy, PopDog
MODERATOR: Bryan Dawson, Head of Esports, Greenlit Content
Sponsors have been and perhaps always will be a major part of the esports space. We talk about branding and partnerships within esports, both on the event side and on the organizational side.
10:00AM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
10:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Diversity in Esports
Malik Forte, Host, Overwatch
Leslie Pirritano, Global Account Manager, AMD
MODERATOR: Bryan Dawson, Head of Esports, Greenlit Content
Diversity matters in the competitive scene. It can mean so much to a young fan from anywhere in the world to see a player they identify with become a champion. From the various experiences brought to team composition to representation for a growing audience, we’ll talk about the importance of diversity in the esports scene.
10:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS Session Details TBA
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES Team GO Rocket Takes Over Pokemon GO: A Post-Mortem on a Global Digital-Physical Activation
Veronica Saron, Product Marketing Manager, Pokémon GO, Niantic
Liz George, Global Community Manager, Pokémon GO, Niantic
Errol Villasanta, Global Social Media Manager, Pokémon GO, Niantic
Since Pokémon GO launched in July 2016, Niantic has continued to evolve and expand its features and the way players interact with the real world, from massive in-person events to the release of a wide range of game-changing updates. This talk will put a spotlight on Team GO Rocket, the game’s latest feature, and how Niantic built a marketing, social and live events campaign to drive a new level of engagement with the real world, resulting in over a million new players during the campaign’s first weekend.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT The Creative Possibilities of Sweating the Small Stuff
Vladimir Vukicevic, Runtime Solutions Lead, Unity Technologies
In this talk,Vladimir Vukićević, Senior Software Engineer for Emerging Technologies at Unity Technologies, will explain why the industry should start “sweating the small stuff” to bring their creative experiences to emerging devices. Pushing development to create lighter and faster experiences for wearables, mobile devices, or even the web will allow developers to share their creations across more mediums. The session will also discuss the opportunity this offers to both game developers and consumers, and how emerging devices could change how we interact with content in the future.
10:30AM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
10:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: State of the Union
Justin Dellario, Head of Twitch Esports, Twitch
Sundance DiGiovanni, Co-Founder, CTRL
Chris "Chopper" Hopper, Head of Esports for North America, Riot Games
Michael "Odee" O'Dell, CGO, Rekt
MODERATOR: Ian Atkinson, VP, Operations & Business Development, Capcom Media Ventures
A look at esports from major voices in the industry. Where is esports as a whole at the moment? What are its biggest successes and biggest challenges? What lies ahead of those successes and challenges?
10:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS The Big Questions You Need to Ask
Sam Fisher, President, Hyper Hippo Productions
Lance Priebe, CEO, Hyper Hippo Productions
Come join in a conversation with Lance and Sam as they contemplate the "Big Questions" game studios need to consider today in building and supporting games that last through the generations. Lance and Sam will pose their list of important questions, and share their thoughts in response based on 20 years of live ops experience at Club Penguin and Hyper Hippo. SPECIAL BONUS: Show Lance and Sam your AdVenture Capitalist or AdVenture Communist progress on your phone and they will give you a FREE ADVENTURE CAPITALIST board game, hot off the press!
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES Sea Change: Navigating The New Games Industry
Shanti Bergel, Executive Vice President, FunPlus
Once dismissed as a nerdy subculture, games have not only gone mainstream but are now a driving force in the overall entertainment landscape. As an active investor in the space, Shanti will explore the nature of the changes affecting the games industry and the implications for those building businesses in it.
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT The CAPS Approach to Monetization
Dave Rohrl, Owner, Mobile Game Doctor
With a variety of complex and meaningful optimizations, like header bidding, mediation, merchandising, dynamic pricing, and many others, the mechanics of monetization can be incredibly complex. But there are some fairly universal player desires that motivate players to spend in your game. In this talk we explore a taxonomy of these player desires, looking not only at what kinds of things players want to buy but also at the design elements your game must have to sell them successfully and which desires lead to the most spending.
11:00AM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS FIRESIDE CHAT: Hired Guns - Using the Power of Gaming and Esports to Build Brand Love and Loyalty
11:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS Behind the Magic of LiveOps in Disney Magic Kingdoms
Flavio Caracas, Monetization Director, Gameloft
Now in its fourth year, with over 30 updates, Disney Magic Kingdoms is still finding ways to bring the game to new heights. Keeping the game fresh while remaining faithful to its core pillars and providing authentic Disney experiences is a never-ending challenge. Learn from our successes and setbacks, content release strategy, how to grow revenue with events, executing well-timed promotions, and more!
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: The Future of Mobile App Monetization
Alfred Fung, CEO, Fun-gi
Amit Bhojwani, Head of Partner Management, Facebook Audience Network
Sean Thompson, VP of Production, Mobile Deluxe
MODERATOR: Michael Fortune, Business Development Manager, AppLovin
The mobile industry is fast-paced and constantly changing, and developers need a monetization solution that will allow for sustainable growth in an ever-evolving space. Join us as we discuss why in-app bidding is becoming the industry standard monetization setup for mobile developers, as well as the ways it has brought them unequivocal growth.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Integrating AR into Games – The Why, How, and When
Ariella Lehrer, President, HitPoint Studios
HitPoint Studios has built a reputation for finding innovative ways to integrate new technologies into a wide variety of applications. Recent examples will include adding AR to Ellen DeGeneres’ Game of Games TV show and mobile app, touring the Gettysburg Battlefield (using Niantic’s platform), promoting Spinmaster’s new hit toy, Awesome Bloss’ems, and creating a new educational platform for exploring STEM with Purdue University. Lehrer will talk about the creative and technical process of building applications that facilitate new experiences and delight the customer without confusing or frustrating them. (Hint: It’s really hard!)
11:30AM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
11:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS What Phase Are We In? The Stages and Changes That Shaped Esports
Chris "Chopper" Hopper, Head of Esports for North America, Riot Games
Esports has been around for decades in some form or another, but the explosive growth of the last ten years has already seen several epochal change moments that forever redefined esports. Whether you think about Riot’s decision to take League esports in-house in 2012, the sellout of Staples Center in 2013, or the franchising efforts in NA and China in 2017, it's undeniable that change has come fast and furious to esports. In this discussion, we will examine some of these key change moments, how they helped to indelibly change the esports ecosystem, and where the next change moments may exist.
11:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS Beyond Games as a Service with LiveOps
Brent Elmer, Senior Program Manager, PlayFab
The rise of games as a service has changed the video games industry and brought about massive growth, but what comes next? Come learn how LiveOps is shaping the next big step in games and how game teams of all types can use this powerful tool to better engage their communities.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: The Future of Mobile App Monetization
Alfred Fung, CEO, Fun-gi
Amit Bhojwani, Head of Partner Management, Facebook Audience Network
Sean Thompson, VP of Production, Mobile Deluxe
MODERATOR: Michael Fortune, Business Development Manager, AppLovin
The mobile industry is fast-paced and constantly changing, and developers need a monetization solution that will allow for sustainable growth in an ever-evolving space. Join us as we discuss why in-app bidding is becoming the industry standard monetization setup for mobile developers, as well as the ways it has brought them unequivocal growth.
11:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT FIRESIDE CHAT: Halo: Beyond the Game - Expressing the Halo Universe Across Mediums
Kiki Wolfkill, Studio Head - Halo Transmedia and Entertainment, 343 Industries
Interviewed by Amanda Farough, Editor-in-Chief, GameDaily.biz
Discussing the challenges and opportunities of engaging cross-generational audiences across almost 20 years of a storied video game franchise that extends beyond gaming into television, toys, literature, action figures, location-based-experiences and more.
12:00 NOON | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
12:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS
LUNCH BREAK
LUNCH BREAK
1:00PM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
13:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: The Esports Long Game: Balancing Sustainability, Profit, and Growth
Matt Dillon, CEO, Ghost Gaming
Sabrina Wong, League of Legends Team Manager, 100 Thieves
Walter Wang, Head of Operations, TSM
MODERATOR: Tricia Sugita, COO, Flyquest
It’s one thing to get involved in esports, but another thing entirely to make sure you can stay in the game. We’ll talk about what it takes to bring a team or organization to a level where it can survive for the long haul.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL: Expert Perspective - Music & Sound for Games
Nicholas Gallant, Audio Director, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences
David Ortega, Partner, Composer, Li & Ortega
Jeanine Cowen, Professor, Berklee College of Music
Matteo Stronati, Audio Director, Riot Games
MODERATOR: Richard Ludlow, Audio Director, Hexany Audio
A panel featuring five of the industry’s top game audio professionals, this talk will explore how to get great audio into your game with a look at both in-house and outsourcing solutions and how to combine the best of both production workflows to optimize your studio’s audio pipeline and create an amazing sounding game.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: Hollywood & Games
Steve Fowler, Senior Vice President of Marketing, FoxNext Games
Guy Costantini, Vice President, Global Interactive Marketing, Skydance
Matt McMahon, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Seriously
Barry Dorf, Business Development, Amazon Game Services, Amazon
MODERATOR: Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat
The worlds of entertainment and gaming are colliding more than ever before. This panel will explore the relationship between the games industry and the film/television industry as well as provide insight on how to forge new business opportunities at the intersection of these two.
1:30PM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
13:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Student Leadership in Gaming & Esports
13:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS F2P Audience Management Through Live Operations
Maxime Mashkov, Head of Live Operations, Wargaming
This session will explore audience management process in Wargaming. We make sense of 10 years of data, process real-time events, act on the findings and keep emotional connection with the player. We build a 360-degree player profile to improve retention, monetization and tackle churn. Outlining the core idea of product Live Operations: make the value proposition as individualized as the current technology allows, while maximizing revenue and uncovering hidden business growth opportunities.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: Hollywood & Games
Steve Fowler, Senior Vice President of Marketing, FoxNext Games
Guy Costantini, Vice President, Global Interactive Marketing, Skydance
Matt McMahon, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Seriously
Barry Dorf, Business Development, Amazon Game Services, Amazon
MODERATOR: Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat
The worlds of entertainment and gaming are colliding more than ever before. This panel will explore the relationship between the games industry and the film/television industry as well as provide insight on how to forge new business opportunities at the intersection of these two.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL CONTINUES: Expert Perspective - Music & Sound for Games
Nicholas Gallant, Audio Director, Disney Games and Interactive Experiences
David Ortega, Partner, Composer, Li & Ortega
Jeanine Cowen, Professor, Berklee College of Music
Matteo Stronati, Audio Director, Riot Games
MODERATOR: Richard Ludlow, Audio Director, Hexany Audio
A panel featuring five of the industry’s top game audio professionals, this talk will explore how to get great audio into your game with a look at both in-house and outsourcing solutions and how to combine the best of both production workflows to optimize your studio’s audio pipeline and create an amazing sounding game.
2:00PM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
14:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Building the Future with Collegiate Esports
Yugina Yun, Student Programs, CORSAIR
Kurt Melcher, Executive Director, Esports, Intersport
Mark Deppe, Director, UCI Esports
Mark "Garvey" Candella, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Twitch
MODERATOR: Susie Law, Office Operations Specialist, Ricoh
As esports continues to be a major part of competitive gaming worldwide, so too does the growth of competitive gaming clubs at the collegiate level. This panel takes a look at the latest going on from growth and involvement of university teams to events and leagues based around them.
14:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS PANEL: Live Ops FTW: How to Win in the New Era of Live Operations
Adam Telfer, Director of Product Management, Warner Bros
Jori Pearsall, SVP of Product, Scopely
Jeremy Horn, VP, Jam City
Lee Horn, Director of Product Management, Respawn
MODERATOR: Joe Kim, Principal, GameMakers.com
Live operations has become increasingly important to the success of F2P games. From analysis to optimization to specific techniques and content cadence requirements. We discuss best practices and emerging trends in live ops practices. From Battle Pass (Adam), to console/Apex (Lee), to Match-3 (Jeremy) and across multiple genres (Jori), we cover it all in this can’t miss panel.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: Rewarded Video: How to Overcome Blockers & Drive Performance
Catherine Silvestre, Executive Producer, N3TWORK
Mark Panelo, Senior Director of Global Business Development, Kabam
Nate Morgan, Vertical Lead, Gaming, Audience Network, Facebook
For those considering ad monetization, this session will break down the rewarded video phenomenon and outline why it is loved by players, developers and advertisers alike. Facebook’s Nate Morgan will lead a discussion that will focus on how major studios such as King, Activision, EA, Scopely and Jam City have successfully transitioned from IAP-only to a hybrid model—and why it makes sense for others to follow suit. Panelists will describe how they overcame blockers and internal objections in order to pursue a user-friendly ad experience that drives higher performance.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT The Evolution of Online Worlds
2:30PM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
14:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS FIRESIDE CHAT: Paving the Way From Traditional Sports to Esports: Bringing Value to Teams, Players and Fans Around the World
Jodi Wasserman, Director of Marketing, The Upper Deck Company
Interviewed by Stan Press, Industry Advisor/Consultant
Learn how a traditional sports company is building strong connections with esports fans, players and teams, and giving other brands the opportunity to do the same. This session will provide real life examples of how one company is bridging the gap from traditional to digital while building trust, adding value, and driving engagement across the esports community.
14:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | LIVEOPS PANEL CONTINUES: Live Ops FTW: How to Win in the New Era of Live Operations
Adam Telfer, Director of Product Management, Warner Bros
Jori Pearsall, SVP of Product, Scopely
Jeremy Horn, VP, Jam City
Lee Horn, Director of Product Management, Respawn
MODERATOR: Joe Kim, Principal, GameMakers.com
Live operations has become increasingly important to the success of F2P games. From analysis to optimization to specific techniques and content cadence requirements. We discuss best practices and emerging trends in live ops practices. From Battle Pass (Adam), to console/Apex (Lee), to Match-3 (Jeremy) and across multiple genres (Jori), we cover it all in this can’t miss panel.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: Rewarded Video: How to Overcome Blockers & Drive Performance
Catherine Silvestre, Executive Producer, N3TWORK
Mark Panelo, Senior Director of Global Business Development, Kabam
Nate Morgan, Vertical Lead, Gaming, Audience Network, Facebook
For those considering ad monetization, this session will break down the rewarded video phenomenon and outline why it is loved by players, developers and advertisers alike. Facebook’s Nate Morgan will lead a discussion that will focus on how major studios such as King, Activision, EA, Scopely and Jam City have successfully transitioned from IAP-only to a hybrid model—and why it makes sense for others to follow suit. Panelists will describe how they overcame blockers and internal objections in order to pursue a user-friendly ad experience that drives higher performance.
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Adventures in Outsourcing - An Interactive Panel and Primer
Jeff Charvat, Sr. Manager, Software Development, Amazon Game Studios
Brian Moore, Art Outsourcing Manager, Insomniac Games
Curtis Cherrington, Senior Manager, World-Wide External Development, Electronic Arts
MODERATOR: Joseph Santos, Director of Sales, BOSi Art Studios
Together with an assembled group of seasoned leaders in outsourcing - we’ll discuss principles, best practices, and identify potential pitfalls when looking to adopt outsourcing and external services for your studio. As an interactive talk - we’ll be sure to preface that we encourage participation from the attendees, to encourage an open dialogue, and knowledge share. A throwback to closed door roundtables.
3:00PM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
15:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS
COFFEE BREAK
COFFEE BREAK
15:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Music + Esports
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT SESSION CONTINUES: Adventures in Outsourcing - An interactive Panel and Primer
Jeff Charvat, Sr. Manager, Software Development, Amazon Game Studios
Brian Moore, Art Outsourcing Manager, Insomniac Games
Curtis Cherrington, Senior Manager, World-Wide External Development, Electronic Arts
MODERATOR: Joseph Santos, Director of Sales, BOSi Art Studios
Together with an assembled group of seasoned leaders in outsourcing - we’ll discuss principles, best practices, and identify potential pitfalls when looking to adopt outsourcing and external services for your studio. As an interactive talk - we’ll be sure to preface that we encourage participation from the attendees, to encourage an open dialogue, and knowledge share. A throwback to closed door roundtables.
15:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES FIRESIDE CHAT: The Sky’s The Limit: thatgamecompany’s Jenova Chen on Gaming’s Huge Potential
Jenova Chen, Co-Founder & Creative Director, thatgamecompany
Interviewed by James Brightman, Editor-at-large, GameDaily.biz
More than seven years after the highly acclaimed Journey was first released, thatgamecompany has brought the iconic title to mobile immediately following their newest adventure, 'Sky: Children of the Light', launched on the platform. In this fireside chat with GameDaily’s James Brightman, thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen talks about how games can be a force for good and shares his lessons learned from over 13 years of independent game development.
3:30PM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
15:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Making the Right Decisions in Esports - Leadership Panel
Hector Rosario, CEO, Flipside Tactics
Tia Smith, Esports, GumGum
Jocelyn Parmenter, Senior Director of Partnerships, TSM
MODERATOR: Matthew Gunnin, CEO, Esports One
What makes your call in a tight spot the right one? Whether to bench a player and start another, settle a tilted team, or encourage a play at a clutch moment, leadership matters. We’ll talk about the pressures of leadership decisions inside and outside the match.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES An Interactive Roadmap For Getting Your Game To Market
Chris Hewish, Founder at GameCraft, Co-Founder & Creative Studio Head at Vortex Rising
The road to market can be mysterious and difficult for many indie developers. Join Chris Hewish as he provides a guiding light to help you get from idea to launch, whether self-published or with a publisher. During this session he’ll take you through an interactive roadmap and decision tree, which touches on the business of getting your game to market. You already know how to make a game, now learn how to successfully get it into the market.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL: How Art Impacts Engagement, Retention, and Monetization
Ken Capelli, Art Director, Fogbank Entertainment
Vera Velichko, CEO, Owl Studio
William Hughes, Senior Creative Director, Tilting Point
Huy Dinh, Art Director/Concept Artist, WeeArts
MODERATOR: James Zhang, CEO, Concept Art House
How important is art to a games’ success? With most game development, art is expensive and takes up significant resources. But is it worth investing in “great art” vs. just having “okay” art? How does something as subjective as art impact user acquisition and retention? Does “great art” monetize better than “okay art”? We ask a panel of industry veterans with a combined 60 years of experience in art creation and art direction on their experience with managing art for success. We will try to cover games of every platform, from Indie titles to the top grossing games on the Appstore.
4:00PM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
16:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: The Mindset of Professional Esports Players
Greyson Gilmer, Pro Player, Cloud 9
Taylor Heitzig-Rhodes, Head of Talent, Evolved
Lauren Laracuente, Partnerships, Rogue Gaming
Dan Frodan, Esports Program & Operations Manager, Twitch
MODERATOR: Nick Phan, GM, Flyquest
When it comes to the pressures of competition on the greatest stages of competitive gaming, it takes a certain resolve not to crumble under the strain. In the face of single massive events or long-running tours, we’ll talk about mental preparation and looking after wellbeing in the competitive headspace.
16:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL: Investing in Videogame Studios: How Do You Pick?
Gregory Milken, Managing Director, March Capital Partners
Scott Rupp, Founding Partner, BITRAFT Esports Ventures
Alona Assouline Polak, COO Casual Games, Playtech
Mickael Bougis, Vice-President M&A, Phoenix Games
MODERATOR: Burcu Ozcengiz, Senior Client Partner, Unity Technologies
In this session, different types of investors (VC, private, secondary) will tell you what they look for and how they pick investment opportunities in their backlog.
15:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL CONTINUES: How Art Impacts Engagement, Retention, Monetization
Ken Capelli, Art Director, Fogbank Entertainment
Vera Velichko, CEO, Owl Studio
William Hughes, Senior Creative Director, Tilting Point
Huy Dinh, Art Director/Concept Artist, WeeArts
MODERATOR: James Zhang, CEO, Concept Art House
How important is art to a games’ success? With most game development, art is expensive and takes up significant resources. But is it worth investing in “great art” vs. just having “okay” art? How does something as subjective as art impact user acquisition and retention? Does “great art” monetize better than “okay art”? We ask a panel of industry veterans with a combined 60 years of experience in art creation and art direction on their experience with managing art for success. We will try to cover games of every platform, from Indie titles to the top grossing games on the Appstore.
4:30PM | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
16:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Emerging Markets and Venues in Esports
Chris Mann, CEO, Ultimate Media Ventures
Zach Wigal, CEO, Gamers Outreach
Jonathan Pan, Esports Instructor, University of California, Irvine
John Pierce, CEO, Player 2
MODERATOR: Kye Browning, Program Director, Xlive
What’s the latest hot thing in esports? What are teams gravitating towards as far as games, technology, and other trending aspects of competitive gaming? We’ll take a look at where the eyes and investors are headed.
16:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | BUSINESS OF GAMES PANEL CONTINUES: Investing in Videogame Studios: How Do You Pick?
Gregory Milken, Managing Director, March Capital Partners
Scott Rupp, Founding Partner, BITRAFT Esports Ventures
Alona Assouline Polak, COO Casual Games, Playtech
Mickael Bougis, Vice-President M&A, Phoenix Games
MODERATOR: Burcu Ozcengiz, Senior Client Partner, Unity Technologies
In this session, different types of investors (VC, private, secondary) will tell you what they look for and how they pick investment opportunities in their backlog.
16:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Session Details TBA
EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28th August 2019
TRACK DETAILS | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
DETAILS | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS ESPORTS DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH KIDS & FAMILY DETAILS
EMCEE
Shai Samet, Founder and President, kidSAFE Seal Program
kidTECH is run by the industry experts at the kidSAFE Seal Program. kidTECH wil feature executives and product owners representing industry-leading apps, game platforms, Internet-connected devices, video content, AR/VR experiences, ed-tech and more.
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION DISRUPTION DETAILS
DETAILS | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT DETAILS
9:00AM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
9:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Check-In, Coffee & Tea, Social
Please note that the event is taking place at the Disneyland Hotel, in the North Ballroom.
10:00AM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
10:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Growth and Expansion in Esports
Darren Traub, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine
Manny Lorras, Director, Team Marketing & Business Operations, National Basketball Association, NBA 2K League
Elaine Chase, VP of Esports, Wizards of the Coast
MODERATOR: Arda Ocal, Host, ESPN
When a team, org, and audience are established, where does one go from there? Investments in tools and team support? Infrastructure such as health and organization facilities? We talk about the various aspects of growth and expansion within the esports space.
10:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Opening Remarks, State of Industry Keynote
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION The Blockchain Opportunity for Casual Games
Idan Zuckerman, Co-Founder, Uplandme, Inc.
Blockchain technology provides a huge opportunity for the gaming space in general and in particular for the casual gaming market. In order to get to mass adoption, the user experience needs to have less friction and complexity and an emotional connection to the real world. Idan Zuckerman of Uplandme will talk about how they are overcoming these challenges with its new real world "Monopoly on the blockchain" Upland platform.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL: Mobile Sports Games – Where We’ve Come From & Where We’re Going
Jon Middleton, Chief Executive Officer, Nifty Games
Pete Wanat, Chief Creative Officer, Nifty Games
Additional Panelists TBA
MODERATOR: James Brightman, Editor-at-large, GameDaily.biz
Mobile gaming has evolved into a mature entertainment landscape, with genres catering to all tastes and levels of intensity. Instead of aping big screen gaming, mobile titles are now finely tuned to offer compulsive gameplay which takes advantage of the medium and the timeframes available to gamers’ playing on a mobile platform. Proving more popular than ever before, sports games have failed to catch up with the changing tastes of mobile gamers, often proving too complex, too frustrating and too time consuming to be enjoyed on the move. Nifty Games has brought together some of the industry’s leading experts in sports, gaming, mobile and licensing, with the sole intention of bringing the fun back to mobile sports games.
10:30AM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
10:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: The Risk and Reward of Investing in Esports
Tobias Sherman, CEO, Foundry IV
Wim Stocks, CEO, World Gaming
Chris Chaney, Founder, Evolution Interactive
MODERATOR: Bob Holtzman, Principal & Founder, Co-op Mode Communications
When it comes to esports investment, there are numerous angles to consider from organization and performance to infrastructure and team health. We’ll talk about what goes into ensuring the best and most sustainable investment in competitive gaming as well as the risks that come with them.
10:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH PANEL: Voices Abound! The Rise in Voice Assistant Technologies for Kids and Families
Dr. Farnoody-Zahiri, Advisor & Psychologist, KidSense AI (Kadho)
Melissa Hammersly, Co-Founder, Novel Effect
Jason Webster, Data Science & Watson AI, IBM
Kevin Elgan, Founder & CEO, Chatterbox
A panel session which will look at the exciting and mind-blowing developments in this space, and how developers can take advantage of this new market.
10:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION Break the Content Treadmill: Why the Future of Games is Blockchain
MJ Irwin, VP of Product, Forte Labs
There's much more to blockchain games than true ownership of digital assets and CryptoKitties. Blockchain technology will fundamentally transform the business of games in ways that benefit the entire industry. Learn how the technology will reinvent the way we design and operate games.
10:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL CONTINUES: Mobile Sports Games – Where We’ve Come From & Where We’re Going
Jon Middleton, Chief Executive Officer, Nifty Games
Pete Wanat, Chief Creative Officer, Nifty Games
Additional Panelists TBA
MODERATOR: James Brightman, Editor-at-large, GameDaily.biz
Mobile gaming has evolved into a mature entertainment landscape, with genres catering to all tastes and levels of intensity. Instead of aping big screen gaming, mobile titles are now finely tuned to offer compulsive gameplay which takes advantage of the medium and the timeframes available to gamers’ playing on a mobile platform. Proving more popular than ever before, sports games have failed to catch up with the changing tastes of mobile gamers, often proving too complex, too frustrating and too time consuming to be enjoyed on the move. Nifty Games has brought together some of the industry’s leading experts in sports, gaming, mobile and licensing, with the sole intention of bringing the fun back to mobile sports games.
11:00AM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
11:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Community in Esports
Kevin Hitt, Esports Journalist
Dominic Kallas, Head of US Operations, Gen.G
Duran Parsi, CEO, Collegiate Starleague
MODERATOR: Alexander Rodriguez
Without the fans, esports simply doesn’t work. Audience growth, as well as fan base appreciation and engagement are where a simple team of gamers become regional or even worldwide heroes. We talk about the importance of community to the esports scene.
10:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH PANEL CONTINUES: Voices Abound! The Rise in Voice Assistant Technologies for Kids and Families
Dr. Farnoody-Zahiri, Advisor & Psychologist, KidSense AI (Kadho)
Melissa Hammersly, Co-Founder, Novel Effect
Jason Webster, Data Science & Watson AI, IBM
Kevin Elgan, Founder & CEO, Chatterbox
A panel session which will look at the exciting and mind-blowing developments in this space, and how developers can take advantage of this new market.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION PANEL: State of Blockchain Games in 2019
Mickey Maher, Head of Revenue, Dapper Labs (Cryptokitties)
Matthew Le Merle, Managing Director, Fifth Era
Roy Liu, Head Of Business Development, Tron Foundation
Allen Ma, VP of Partnerships, Forte
MODERATOR: James Zhang, CEO, Concept Art House
Cryptocurrency continues to grab headlines in 2019 with Facebook’s announcement of Libra, President Trump’s anti-crypto tweets, and daily rise and fall of Bitcoin prices. In gaming, there is tremendous excitement around the promise of disruption in building Blockchain games, but no killer game or Blockchain game platform as of yet. This panel explores the opportunities and challenges of blockchain gaming in 2019. We ask a panel of experts on their experience and advice on various key topics such as raising capital, strategies for mass adoption, and predicting the future of Blockchain games.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT FIRESIDE CHAT: Navigating Brands - Balancing IP and Gameplay to Core Mobile Gamers
Simon Sim, President, Netmarble US
Interviewed by James Brightman, Editor-at-large, GameDaily.biz
Creating and crafting unique video games that draw from the well of established IP is a tricky balancing act as companies must walk the tightrope of staying true and respectful to associated brands while building a core gameplay loop that is satisfying to game players and enfranchised fans. Join Netmarble US President Simon Sim as he navigates through his personal and professional journal in crafting popular IP-based games through the lens of mobile game publishing and development.
11:30AM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
11:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Legality in Esports
Krista Hiner, Attorney, ESG Law
Genie Doi, Attorney, ESG Law
Allison Rothman, Founding Partner, Morrison Rothman LLP
MODERATOR: Ryan Morrison, Founding Partner, Morrison Rothman LLP
Just as important as investment, team growth, and audience growth in today’s esports ecosystem is legality. As more money goes into the scene, player contracts and local, regional, and worldwide laws come into play. We’ll talk about navigation of the increasingly complicated legality of esports.
11:25 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Keynote: FTC Update
Jared Ho, Attorney, Federal Trade Commission
It has been a busy year for the FTC, with several high profile cases announced (TikTok, for example), and more expected. Jared Ho, from the FTC, will speak in-depth about recent COPPA enforcement cases, areas of the law currently under review for revision, and how the new Commissioners are thinking about the digital kids and family space these days.
11:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION PANEL CONTINUES: State of Blockchain Games in 2019
Mickey Maher, Head of Revenue, Dapper Labs (Cryptokitties)
Matthew Le Merle, Managing Director, Fifth Era
Roy Liu, Head Of Business Development, Tron Foundation
Allen Ma, VP of Partnerships, Forte
MODERATOR: James Zhang, CEO, Concept Art House
Cryptocurrency continues to grab headlines in 2019 with Facebook’s announcement of Libra, President Trump’s anti-crypto tweets, and daily rise and fall of Bitcoin prices. In gaming, there is tremendous excitement around the promise of disruption in building Blockchain games, but no killer game or Blockchain game platform as of yet. This panel explores the opportunities and challenges of blockchain gaming in 2019. We ask a panel of experts on their experience and advice on various key topics such as raising capital, strategies for mass adoption, and predicting the future of Blockchain games.
11:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Fast and Complex Casual 2D Mobile Game Development Using SGS and SGE
Michael Podyma, Head of Engineering, Gamedesire
SGS and SGE are Gamedesire's in-house solutions that shorten the time to soft-launch. Scriptable Game Engine (SGE) - QT based toolkit including ready to use functional packages and native app performance. Its main purpose is to make fast iterations. Social Game Server (SGS) - simple and scalable game backend, easy-to-integrate server solution, with a set of automation and monitoring tools and ability to write game logic in developer’s language of choice. These two technologies are optimized for making online multiplayer 2D games ready to be released in short time.
12:00 NOON | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
12:00 | DISNEYLAND® HOTEL | SPECIAL EVENTS
LUNCH BREAK
LUNCH BREAK
12:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Lunch + The Roundtable Sessions
Find a topic you’re interested in, have a seat, enjoy some food and great conversation. Fancy another topic? No worries, feel free to move around and find another topic that interests you.
Roundtable topics will include:
1 - Doing Business in Global Markets (Canada, China, India, Latin America, South Africa)
2 - New Rules of the Road (changes to Apple and Google guidelines for kids apps, CaCPA, COPPA 3.0?, KIDS Act)
3 - The YouTube Dilemma - can’t live with it, can't live w/o it!
4 - Let's Make a Deal! Secrets to forging lasting partnerships and licensing deals in our crowded industry
5 - Easier Said than Done (monetization, distribution, and discoverability strategies across all industry verticals)
6 - Tools for Parents! How tech is being used by parents and organisations to improve the lives of children
1:00PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
13:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: Lifestyle in Esports
Kim Meltzer "Esports Mom", CEO, Destination Esports
Rachel Feinberg, Co-Founder & CEO, Ateyo
Breanne Harrison-Pollock, Co-Founder, Ateyo
MODERATOR: Bryan Dawson, Head of Esports, Greenlit Content
Esports isn’t just a game. It pervades our culture and the way we identify with various brands, organizations, and teams the same way traditional sports have done. We’ll talk about the growth and effect of esports on everyday lifestyles.
12:00 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Lunch + The Roundtable Sessions
Find a topic you’re interested in, have a seat, enjoy some food and great conversation. Fancy another topic? No worries, feel free to move around and find another topic that interests you.
Roundtable topics will include:
1 - Doing Business in Global Markets (Canada, China, India, Latin America, South Africa)
2 - New Rules of the Road (changes to Apple and Google guidelines for kids apps, CaCPA, COPPA 3.0?, KIDS Act)
3 - The YouTube Dilemma - can’t live with it, can't live w/o it!
4 - Let's Make a Deal! Secrets to forging lasting partnerships and licensing deals in our crowded industry
5 - Easier Said than Done (monetization, distribution, and discoverability strategies across all industry verticals)
6 - Tools for Parents! How tech is being used by parents and organisations to improve the lives of children
13:15 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION PANEL: Streaming, Subscription, Cross-Platform, Voice & More: Evaluating Where to Place Your Bets for Future Distribution
Nick Thomas, VP, Commercial Partnerships, Hatch Entertainment (Rovio)
Niko Vuori, Founder & CEO, Drivetime
Mario Wynands, Managing Director, PikPok
MODERATOR: Josh Burns, Founder, DigitalDevConnect
The gaming market is mature whether you're looking at mobile, PC or console, however new & emerging technology, platforms and even business models have been hyped to afford meaningful market growth now or in the near future. Come hear from those operating in these new areas who will share insights and opinions to help identify where they see the greatest opportunity.
13:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL: Remakers Mark- Breathing New Life Into Classic Games
Mike Arkin, CEO, Big Boat Interactive
Jake Simpson, CEO, TNB Studios
Pete Stilwell, Senior Producer, Blizzard Entertainment
MODERATOR: Jordan Blackman, Founder, Bright Black
This distinguished panel of remakers have worked on Battlezone, System Shock, Age of Empires, Starcraft, & Warcraft. Discover the growing importance of the remakers craft, the challenges these projects face, and the bright future of old games.
1:30PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
13:30 | CENTER BALLROOM | ESPORTS PANEL: The Future of Esports
Brett Lautenbach, President, NRG Esports
Mike Schwartz, GM, LA Valiant
Benjamin Mercke, Brand Partnerships & Account Management, StreamElements
MODERATOR: Barry Lee, Director of Esports, Evolved
What do we see in esports in the mid to far-off future? Will the games be the same? Will the talent be sustainable? What will platforms and competitive arenas look like? We break down forecasts for what we see now and what we can predict along the distant path of competitive gaming.
13:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH New Styles of Physical Play, with a Digital Twist
Matt Toner, CEO, Biba Ventures
Edzra Gibson, VP, Brand Marketing, good2grow
Marco Carvalho, Founder & CEO, Immersive Play
Was it just a few years ago when we would talk about the "digital world" as though it was a separate thing? How very 2015! Digital and physical have collided in a BIG way, and the opportunities for children to utilize digital tools to augment the physical space are really cool!
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION PANEL CONTINUES: Streaming, Subscription, Cross-Platform, Voice & More: Evaluating Where to Place Your Bets for Future Distribution
Nick Thomas, VP, Commercial Partnerships, Hatch Entertainment (Rovio)
Niko Vuori, Founder & CEO, Drivetime
Mario Wynands, Managing Director, PikPok
MODERATOR: Josh Burns, Founder, DigitalDevConnect
The gaming market is mature whether you're looking at mobile, PC or console, however new & emerging technology, platforms and even business models have been hyped to afford meaningful market growth now or in the near future. Come hear from those operating in these new areas who will share insights and opinions to help identify where they see the greatest opportunity.
13:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PANEL CONTINUES: Remakers Mark- Breathing New Life Into Classic Games
Mike Arkin, CEO, Big Boat Interactive
Jake Simpson, CEO, TNB Studios
Pete Stilwell, Senior Producer, Blizzard Entertainment
MODERATOR: Jordan Blackman, Founder, Bright Black
This distinguished panel of remakers have worked on Battlezone, System Shock, Age of Empires, Starcraft, & Warcraft. Discover the growing importance of the remakers craft, the challenges these projects face, and the bright future of old games.
2:00PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
13:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH SESSION CONTINUES: New Styles of Physical Play, with a Digital Twist
Matt Toner, CEO, Biba Ventures
Edzra Gibson, VP, Brand Marketing, good2grow
Marco Carvalho, Founder & CEO, Immersive Play
Was it just a few years ago when we would talk about the "digital world" as though it was a separate thing? How very 2015! Digital and physical have collided in a BIG way, and the opportunities for children to utilize digital tools to augment the physical space are really cool!
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION The Netflix of Gaming is Already Dead
Asher Kagan, Co-Founder, Shadow
Asher Kagan, co-founder of cloud gaming company Shadow, will discuss why being the Netflix of Gaming isn't necessarily the best way to think about this new way of gaming. Since Shadow's launch in late 2017 Asher has learned a lot about what works, what doesn’t work, and most importantly, what gamers want when it comes to a Cloud Gaming solution. One thing he's very confident about is that becoming the Netflix of Gaming is a thing that won’t serve gamers, game developers, or the industry very well. Stop by his talk to hear about why.
14:00 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Expanding Story IPs From Comics, Games To Film
Chang Kim, CEO, Tapas Media
As the mobile games market seeks richer story worlds, a fresh wave of digital publishers and content creators are investigating new ways to bring their story IPs to life across multimedia formats. Tapas Media CEO, Chang Kim, will present a talk on the growth, challenges and lessons learned while developing and successfully building IP cohesively across each channel. From new storytellers to veteran creators, attendees will hear the best transmedia practices and creative approach when commercially adapting characters, story, worlds, visuals from book pages to game and screen.
2:30PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
14:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Using Kid-Focused Tech to Solve Modern Day Challenges
We face some significant social and health challenges these days. With child obesity at an all-time high and an increased number of children facing mental health issues, how can we be thinking about using tech to inspire and enable our children to improve their quality of life and be part of shaping their futures?
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL F/G | DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT FIRESIDE CHAT: Halo: Beyond the Game - Expressing the Halo Universe Across Mediums
Kiki Wolfkill, Studio Head - Halo Transmedia and Entertainment, 343 Industries
Interviewed by Amanda Farough, Editor-in-Chief, GameDaily.biz
Discussing the challenges and opportunities of engaging cross-generational audiences across almost 20 years of a storied video game franchise that extends beyond gaming into television, toys, literature, action figures, location-based-experiences and more.
14:30 | NORTH EXHIBIT HALL I/J | DISRUPTION Conversational A.I. Today and Tomorrow
Aaron Reed, Character AI Specialist, Spirit AI
Natural language understanding, speech-to-text, and text-to-speech have matured to the point that a sea change in game interactions is on the horizon. From community management software that can understand the context of a conversation (instead of just tracking keywords), to game characters you can chat with using natural language, conversational AI is increasingly not just the future but the present. In this talk we'll look at what's coming next, what's already here, and how you can start leveraging conversational AI in your games today.
3:00PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
15:00 | CENTER BALLROOM | SPECIAL EVENTS
INDIE PRIZE AWARDS
INDIE PRIZE AWARDS
14:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH SESSION CONTINUES: Using Kid-Focused Tech to Solve Modern Day Challenges
We face some significant social and health challenges these days. With child obesity at an all-time high and an increased number of children facing mental health issues, how can we be thinking about using tech to inspire and enable our children to improve their quality of life and be part of shaping their futures?
3:30PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
15:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Popcorn, Social Break
3:45PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
15:45 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Content is Still King!
Devon Thagard, Co-Owner & Partner, Skyship Entertainment (Super Simple)
Andy Yeatman, Head of Americas, Moonbug Entertainment
Chris M. Williams, Founder & CEO, Pocket.Watch
Vikrant Mathur, Co-Founder, Future Today
Agnes Augustin, President & CEO, Shaw Rocket Fund
While play mechanics may have gotten more clever, the lasting power of a good brand with strong content remains an ideal for most kid-centric brands. Hear from our panel of content producers about how they think about creating compelling and sticky digital content for kids in a content-saturated world.
4:30PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
16:30 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH "Compliant By Design" Q&A with the Experts
Nate Sawatzky, Head of Member Support, kidSAFE Seal Program
Shai Samet, Founder & President, kidSAFE Seal Program
You ask it, we tell you how to design it with online safety, data privacy, or technical security measures built-in! This panel will feature experts in their field who can answer your every compliance question on a whim.
5:15PM | THURSDAY 29th August 2019
17:15 | NORTH BALLROOM | KIDS & FAMILY Sponsored by kidTECH Closing Remarks