The Games are On at LA Games

Digital Media Wire (DMW) presents the 2011 LA Games Conference on April 25 - 26 at lag-starthe SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, California. Workshops are held on April 25 and the Conference runs April 26.

LA Games Conference is considered a top spring event for gaming industry and entertainment insiders to network. With a majority of attendees at the VP or higher executive level, the LA Games Conference brings together the leading video game publishers and developers, carriers, portals, technology companies, advertising executives, venture capitalists, lawyers and analysts, and features valuable sessions on online, mobile, console and casual games, and the latest trends in investment, advertising and consumer spending.

Transmedia Workshop – DMW is co-producing this workshop with Starlight Runner Entertainment, Inc., founded by Jeff Gomez and Mark Pensavalle, a leading creator and producer of highly successful transmedia franchises. The global demand for producers familiar with the process of developing transmedia content (across several mediums like games, mobile, television and film) for studios and networks is on the rise. This 4-hour event is the first of its kind and unique in the world, delivering practical, how-to transmedia training led by leading cross-platform producer and strategist Jeff Gomez.

Gamification Workshop – DMW is co-producing this workshop with two leading companies in Gamification: Bunchball and Badgeville. One of the hottest trends in marketing right now, Gamification is the use of game play mechanics for non-game applications (also known as "funware"), particularly consumer-oriented web and mobile sites, in order to encourage people to adopt the applications." Attendees get hands-on instruction with relevant case-studies and the most effective gamification techniques that can be applied to any website or digital media property, including leadersboards, progress bars, badges and lag-Bartelpoints.

Social Media Marketing Workshop – DMW is bringing in leading social media experts which have worked with hundreds of media companies, brands and agencies on social media marketing. This workshop provides all the tools one needs to keep ahead of the social media marketing curve.

The Keynote Speakers are:

Other speakers and panelists include:

Some of the panels:

The Future of Gaming: 3D?
Publishers such as Sony and Nintendo see 3D gaming as a huge opportunity and have taken steps to embrace the technology. However, to game developers, 3D is a gimmick that has little to do with the core game-mechanics. This panel discusses the pros and cons of 3D gaming and leave the audience with a better understanding of what‛s at stake and what to expect.

The Smartphone and Tablet Revolution - What are the Latest Trends in Games and Social Networking for Portable Devices?
Mobile gaming is already a multi-billion dollar industry, yet there are challenges that need to be collectively overcome for the industry to progress to a true mass market phenomenon. This panel of decision-makers in the mobile games value chain discuss innovation, pricing, new devices, marketing and distribution models for mobile games.

Debate Club: Facebook as a Gaming Platform
Structured as a formal academic debate, panelists are divided into two teams which present arguments for/against Facebook as a gaming platform. Each team is given five minutes for initial arguments and then time for rebuttals. The audience determines the winner by show of hands.

For more information, goto www.lagamesconference.com.

LA Games Conference 2011
Gamification Workshop

SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills
465 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-246-2062