WORKSHOP SESSIONS
New this year to the D.I.C.E. Summit will be Workshop Panel Sessions. Workshops are smaller, breakout sessions geared towards a greater level of audience interaction and sharing. Panels and discussions engage with an audience of approximately 50 people and emphasizes joint exploration of ideas and concepts relevant to the industry and workplace. Workshop sessions will be taking place Thursday, February 22nd.
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Video Game Funding for the Future
Venture Capitalists. Mergers & acquisitions. Crowdsourcing. Publishers. So many options, and each coming with its own sets of pros, cons and headaches. These days there really are a surplus of options, but which is the best course for your company? Meet and chat with a panel of funding experts who have seen it all and put their money where their... gaming system of choice is. In this candid conversation amongst peers, hear their war stories, near misses and catastrophic failures. But don’t fear– there will be plenty of stories about a couple happy coincidences and big, million dollar pay-outs too!
Participants in this panel include:
- Jennifer Yan of Transcend Ventures
- Justin Bailey of FIG
- Ian Howe of Skybound
- Moderator - Feargus Urquhart of Obsidian Entertainment
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
The New Diversity Frontier
Diversity is the biggest buzzword at the moment, and to be frank it scares a lot of companies and people. Many companies are now citing diversity as a central focus to their mission, but it may not be something that is easily implemented without the right guidance and structure. For those of you who have the intention of hiring diverse teams but need to know the important ingredients for success, or are not seeing results, or faltered in the process so far – this panel will be your short-cut to building the most important part of your company - diverse humans bringing diverse games for a diverse audience. Join these group of dynamic panelists to get the inside look on what strategies really work, any potential pitfalls and what data points translate to successful diversity hiring.
Participants in this panel include:
- Caryl Shaw of DoubleFine
- Darion Lowenstein of Gamblit Gaming
- Katie Morgan of ISM
- Maureen Fan of Baobab
- Moderator – Caroline Stokes
1:45 PM – 2:45 PM
How to Launch Your Game to the Press in 1 Million Easy Steps
Publishers and studios will often complain about press. Press will often complain about publishers and studios. Do these folks ever talk? Now here’s their chance. Join this group of seasoned professionals to hear what they loved and hated about some of their most memorable game and product launches. Expect an honest and frank discussion of what to do and what to avoid!
Participants in this panel include:
- Rachel Weber of GamesRadar+
- Stephanie Tinsley of Tinsley PR
- Tom Marks of IGN Entertainment
- Nick Chester of Epic Games
- Moderator – Jamin Warren of Kill Screen
