E3Expo Unveils Agenda for 2006 Video Game Business Conference Program; 34 Sessions Led by More Than 175 Industry Leaders Examine Next Generation Trends and Successful Business Models

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Tuesday March 14, 2006

 
     
     

E3Expo Unveils Agenda for 2006 Video Game Business Conference Program; 34 Sessions Led by More Than 175 Industry Leaders Examine Next Generation Trends and Successful Business Models

E3Expo 2006 WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 14, 2006--The 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3Expo) conference and workshop program will include more than 175 video game industry experts who will explore key industry issues in the areas of business strategy, technology and creativity, and marketing analysis, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today. The conference program will be held May 9-11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Conference tracks for 2006 -- "Creativity and Technology: Taking Control of the Next Generation of Gameplay," "Business Strategy: Embracing a New Set of Best Practices" and "Market Analysis: Understanding the New Digital Entertainment Landscape" -- will examine a wide variety of critical subjects affecting the video game business. Topics will include: secrets of the best-selling titles; management of business risk; mobile game opportunities; the integration of entertainment; and new trends in game development. (Please see full list of sessions below.) In addition to conference sessions, E3Expo 2006 will offer a series of in-depth workshops and special midday sessions on Tuesday, May 9, which will provide attendees with a more in-depth look at key business issues.

Attendees can register for the conferences and workshops at www.e3expo.com, where daily schedules and additional conference program information are posted. Please note: E3Expo Conference Program alumni from 2004 and 2005 will receive a special discounted rate (a savings of more than $200) if registered by April 7, 2006. The following conference sessions will be held May 10 and 11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Please note: check www.e3expo.com as speakers are being added daily.)


CONFERENCE SESSIONS

TRACK 1: Creativity and Technology: Taking Control of the Next
Generation of Gameplay

-- The Inner Game: What Goes into the Industry's Best-Selling Titles
Moderator: Eric Zimmerman, Co-Founder and CEO -- gamelab
Panelists: Louis Castle, Vice President, Creative Development --
Electronic Arts -- Los Angeles
Kelly Flock, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Publishing --
THQ, Inc.
Julien Gerighty, Senior Producer -- Ubisoft Entertainment
(Splinter Cell Double Agent)
Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Chief Creative Officer -- Q Entertainment
(Meteos, Lumines)
Peter Molyneux, Managing Director -- Lionhead Studios (The Movies)
Richard Rouse, III, Director of Game Design -- Midway Games (The
Suffering)

-- Franchise Power: Understanding the DNA of the Industry's Greatest
Games
Moderator: Jeff Green, Editor-in-Chief, Computer Gaming World --
Ziff Davis
Panelists: Ed Boon, Creative Director -- Midway Games (Mortal
Kombat)
Grant Collier, President -- Infinity Ward (Call of Duty series)
Soren Johnson, Designer and Programmer -- Firaxis Games
(Civilization IV)
Hanno Lemke, General Manager -- Electronic Arts, Vancouver (Need
for Speed series)
Yannis Mallat, Vice President of New Intellectual Property --
Ubisoft Entertainment (Prince of Persia series)

-- Cracking the Code of Creativity: Drawing Novelty, Awe and
Adventure from Traditional Genres
Moderator: N'Gai Croal, General Editor, Technology -- Newsweek
Panelists: Lucy Bradshaw, VP, Head of Production and Development
-- Maxis (Spore)
Rob Kay, Lead Designer -- Harmonix (Guitar Hero)

-- Massively Cross-Platform: Closing in on the Dream of One Game,
Many Platforms
Moderator: Jessica Mulligan, Author/Consultant
Panelists: Laura Fryer, Director Advance Technology Group --
Microsoft Game Studies
Richard Garriott, Executive Producer -- NCsoft
Ichiro Otobe, Chief Strategist -- Square Enix Co., Ltd
John Smedley, President -- Sony Online Entertainment
Mike Yuen, Senior Director, Gaming Group -- QUALCOMM Internet
Services

-- Perfecting the Mix of Story, Character Development and
Interactivity
Moderator: Ian Davis, Ph.D., CEO and Founder -- Mad Doc Software,
LLC (Empire Earth 2)
Panelists: David Cage, CEO and Founder -- Quantic Dream (Indigo
Prophecy)
Richard Dansky, Lead Clancy Writer -- Ubisoft Entertainment
David Jaffe, Game Director -- Sony Computer Entertainment America
(God of War)
Marc Laidlaw, Writer/Game Designer -- Valve Software (Half-Life,
Half-Life 2)
Neil Young, Vice President, General Manager -- Electronic Arts --
Los Angeles

-- How Mobile Game Creators are Using High-Speed Networks and
High-end Handsets to Make Wireless Games Better
Panelists: Eric Albert, Head of North American Operations --
Gameloft
Satoshi Nakajima, Chief Technology Officer -- Square Enix Co., Ltd
Robert Nashak, Chief Creative Officer -- Glu Mobile
Eberhard Schoneburg, Chief Executive Officer -- Artificial Life
(V-girl)
Lincoln Wallen, Chief Technology Officer -- Electronic Arts Mobile

-- Sneak Peeks: Behind the Scenes of Three Upcoming Blockbuster
Titles
Moderator: Geoff Keighley, Contributing Writer -- Business 2.0
Panelists: Cliff Bleszinski, Lead Designer -- Epic Games (showing
Gears of War)
Other panelists to be announced shortly.

TRACK 2: Business Strategy: Navigating New Avenues of Success

-- Persistent World Possibilities: Taking the Online Experience to
the Next Level
Moderator: Richard Vogel, consultant
Panelists: Jeff Anderson, President and CEO -- Turbine, Inc.
John Blakely, Senior Producer -- Sony Online Entertainment
Mike Goslin, Vice President of Virtual Reality Studio -- Walt
Disney Internet Group (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Joe Keene, Co-Chairman & CEO -- Perpetual Entertainment (Gods &
Heroes, Star Trek Online)
Chris Lee, Senior Manager of Publishing, Strategy & Planning Group
-- Webzen, Inc.

-- When Media Giants Muscle In: Why the Game Industry Should Care
about the Acquisition Appetite of News Corp., Viacom and Others
Moderator/Panelist: Gene Mauro, Owner -- Mauro Media, LLC
Panelists: Graham Hopper, Senior VP and General Manager, Buena
Vista Games
Ross Levinsohn, President -- Fox Interactive Media
Stuart Snyder, General Manager -- Game Tap, Turner Gaming
Jeff Yapp, Executive Vice President -- MTV Networks Music and Logo
Enterprise Group

-- Inside the Production Pipeline: Managing Costs, Expectations and
Competition
Moderator: Emilie 'Tobi' Saulnier, Chief Executive Officer &
Founder -- 1st Playable Production
Panelists: Andrew Ayre, Founding Partner & Co-President --
Foundation 9 Entertainment
Elizabeth Loverso, Director of Product Development -- Ubisoft
Entertainment
Samantha Ryan, Chief Executive Officer -- Monolith Productions

-- The Next Frontier in Funding: How Hedge Funds, Foreign Money and
Non-traditional Financing are Creating Opportunity for Gamemakers
Moderator: Michael Gartenberg, Vice President and Research
Director -- Jupiter Research
Panelists: Craig Cooper, General Partner -- Softbank Capital
Partners
Andrew Goldman, CEO, Director of Production -- Pandemic Studios
Daniel James, Chief Executive Officer -- Three Rings Design, Inc.
Mark Kern, President and CEO, Red 5 Studios
Michael Pole, CEO -- Trilogy Studios

-- Casual Game World Tour: Learning from the Best that Asia and
Europe Have to Offer
Panelists: David Moon, Head of Games Business Group -- NHN USA
Timo Soininen, CEO -- Sulake Labs (Habbo Hotel)
Calvin Yoo, Director, International Business Development -- Nexon
Corporation (Kart Rider)

-- In-game and Around-game Ad Update: The Marketer's Perspective
Moderator: Dave Madden, Executive VP Sales & Marketing --
WildTangent, Inc.
Panelists: Carol Kruse, Vice President Interactive Marketing --
Coca Cola
Monika Madrid, Senior Manager, Strategic Sales & Partnerships --
Ubisoft Entertainment
David Rubin, Brand Development Director -- Unilever (Axe)

-- Future Shock or Smooth Sailing Ahead: How Game Industry Leaders
are Managing Risk
Panelists: Lee Jacobsen, Vice President of Business -- Midway
Games
Dan Kelly, Vice President of Global Business Development -- THQ,
Inc.
Jon Niermann, Senior VP and Managing Director Asia Publishing --
Electronic Arts

TRACK 3: Marketing Analysis: How to Read the Market Ahead of the
Competition

-- Startup Strategies: Where Opportunities Still Exist
Moderator: Jason Della Rocca, Program Director -- International
Game Developers Association
Panelists: Erik Bethke, CEO and Founder -- Go Pets (Go Pets)
Michael Scandizzo, President -- Castaway Entertainment
Warren Spector, President -- Junction Point Studios, Inc.
Gordon Walton, consultant

-- Reaching the Connected Consumer: Tapping Their Personal
Networks and Power of Persuasion
Panelists: Kathleen Gasperini, Senior Vice President -- Label
Networks
Jillian Goldberg, Vice President Marketing -- Electronic Arts
Bill Stone, Chief Operating Officer, Amp'd Mobile

-- Entertainment Business Summit: Where the Increased Integration of
Music, Movies, TV and Games is Headed
Panelists: Mark Caplan, Executive Director Interactive -- Sony
Pictures Consumer Products
Emily Della Maggiora, Vice President -- Nielsen Interactive
Entertainment
Nick Earl, Vice President and General Manager -- Electronic Arts
Bill Kispert, Vice President of Interactive -- Universal Studios

-- Profiting from Innovative Online Communities
Panelists: Greg Canessa, Group Manager, Xbox Live Arcade --
Microsoft Corporation
Michael Cassidy, CEO and Founder -- XFire, Inc.
Chip Lange, Vice President, Marketing EA Online -- Electronic Arts
Cory Ondrejka, Vice President of Product Development -- Linden Lab
(Second Life)

-- World View: Analysts Take Measure of the Global Marketplace
Moderator: Michael Pachter, Senior Analyst -- Wedbush Morgan
Securities
Panelists: Anita Frazier, Entertainment Industry Analyst -- The
NPD Group (USA)
Ben Keen, Chief Analyst -- Screen Digest (UK)
Antonio Tambunan, Associate Director, Head of Asia -- Bear Steams
Asia (Korea, China)

-- The Wireless Revolution: Where to Seize Opportunity in the New
Mobile Game Marketplace
Moderator: Eric Goldberg, Managing Director -- Crossover
Technologie
Panelists: Eric Bilange, Chief Technology Officer -- MFORMA
Minard Hamilton, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing
-- JAMDAT Mobile, Inc.
Paul Maglione, President -- Vivendi Universal Games Mobile
Alan Welsman, VP of European Product Management and Marketing --
InfoSpace
Midori Yuasa, General Manager and Senior Vice President -- Capcom
Mobile & Interactive Media

-- The New Gamemaker: Trends in Game Making and Publishing
Moderator: Ben Sawyer, Co-founder -- Digitalmill
Panelists: Amy Bendotti, Senior Recruiter -- Monolith Productions
Sarah Branscom, Manager of Human Resources -- High Moon Studios
Alan Yu, Director, Studio Artist & Repertoire -- Electronic Arts
-- Los Angeles

In addition to conference sessions, twelve in-depth workshops will be
offered on May 9, including:

WORKSHOP SESSIONS

-- Partnering with Madison Avenue: How to Profit from the Prominence
of Games
Moderator: Michael Goodman, Senior Analyst, Media & Entertainment
Strategies -- Yankee Group
Panelists: Craig Allen, Chief Executive Officer -- Spark Unlimited
(Call of Duty: Finest Hour)
Kevin Browne, General Manager, New Media & Franchise Development,
Xbox Live -- Microsoft Corporation
Arden Doss, Managing Director -- Propaganda GEM
Louis Figueroa, Director of Business Development -- Sony Online
Entertainment
Julie Shumaker, Director of Videogame Advertising -- Electronic
Arts

-- Casual Games Update: How New Business Models are Accelerating the
Growth of Today's Game Marketplace
Moderator: John Welch, President and CEO -- PlayFirst, Inc.
Panelists: Mike Burns, CEO and Chief Creative Officer -- Fuel
Industries
James Gwertzman, Director of Business Development -- PopCap Games
James Smith, Producer -- Reflexive Entertainment
Alex St. John, Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder --
WildTangent, Inc.
Dave Williams, CMO and General Manager, Games -- Atom
Entertainment

-- New Rules in Play: Deciphering the Modern-Day Game Deal
Moderator: Joshua Grode, Partner -- Liner Yankelevitz Sunshine &
Regenstreif LLP
Panelists: Carianne Brown, Director of Motion Picture and
Television Music -- Universal Music Publishing
Germaine Gioia-Horner, Vice President of Licensing -- THQ Inc.
Patrick O'Brien, Vice President Business Affairs -- Electronic
Arts
Tim Riley, Worldwide Executive of Music -- Activision, Inc.

-- Next-Gen Game Design: How the New Consoles Stack Up
Moderator: Trent Ward, Creative Director -- Backbone Entertainment
Panelists: Mario Coculuzzi, Senior Producer -- Ubisoft Studios --
Montreal (King Kong)
Don Daglow, President and CEO -- Stormfront Studios
Mike Kulas, President and Founder -- Volition (Saints Row)
Alain Tascan, Vice President and General Manager -- Electronic
Arts -- Montreal

-- Where Games Fit into the New Digital Economy
Moderator: Richard Ow, Director, Games -- The NPD Group
Panelists: Shawn Hardin, Vice President, Content Operations --
Yahoo! Media Group
Jennifer MacLean, Senior Director, Games and Entertainment --
Comcast
Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Audio -- Electronic
Arts TRAX
Rich Wickham, Director, Windows Gaming Business -- Microsoft

-- Games Get Up and Go: Getting the Most out of PSP, DS and Upcoming
Mobile Handsets
Moderator: Matthew Bellows, General Manager & Vice President --
Floodgate Entertainment
Panelists: Guha Bala, President -- Vicarious Visions, Inc.
Greg Ballard, President and Chief Executive Officer -- Glu Mobile
Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, Director, Broadband & Gaming -- Parks
Associates
Tim Harrison, Head of Games -- Vodafone Group Services
John Koller, Senior Product Manager, PSP -- Sony Online
Entertainment America

-- Blueprint for a Killer Title: How the Pros Do It

Moderator/Panelist: Aaron Loeb, Director of Business Development
-- Planet Moon Studios
Panelists: Karthik Bala, Chief Executive Officer -- Vicarious
Visions, Inc.
Matt Firor, Vice President of Development, Executive Producer,
Mythic Entertainment
Greg Zeschuk, Joint CEO -- BioWare, Corporation
Gonzague de Vallois, Vice President Publishing -- Gameloft

-- Digital Distribution Lays Down Tracks: Where Direct-to-Consumer
Game Distribution Stands Today
Moderator: Gabe Zichermann, Chief Marketing/Strategy Officer --
Boonty, Inc.
Panelists: Eric Hartness, Senior Director of Marketing -- EA
Nation -- Electronic Arts
Ray Muzyka, Joint CEO -- BioWare, Corporation
Royal O'Brien, Founder/CEO -- Game xStream
Yoav Tzurya, Chief Operating Officer -- Exent Technologies

-- Special Midday Sessions
Participating in one of three lunchtime sessions is Will Wright,
Maxis chief designer and creator of The Sims series of games and
the upcoming Spore.

About E3Expo

E3Expo is the world's premiere trade show for computer and video games and related products. The show, now in its twelfth year, is owned by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers and the Internet. For more information, please visit www.e3expo.com or www.theesa.com.

E3Expo is a trade event, not open to the general public. Only working journalists with qualified media outlets will be eligible to register for media badges. No one under the age of 18 will be admitted, including infants. This policy is strictly enforced.

Attention Media:

E3Expo 2006 is for the first time offering early access to the show floor on Wednesday, May 10, from 9-11 a.m., to pre-registered media only (media who have submitted complete credentials to the E3Expo Media Relations Team by April 13, 2006). E3Expo strongly encourages all media to take advantage of online media registration at www.e3expo.com to complete pre-registration for the 2006 show.

     
 

 
     
 

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