GDC Next reveals talks on the business of launching your next game

GDC Next 2014 featuring ADC is fast approaching, and today the organizers are happy to announce two more great talks that will take place at this year's November conference. This year, Execution Labs cofounder Keith Katz and Pug Pharm Productions CEO Steve Bocska will be leading cutting-edge sessions on how developers can practically approach the challenges of promoting their games and keeping their players engaged in the weeks and months after a game is released. GDC Next and ADC, which aim to highlight practical ways for developers to increase the creative and financial success of their projects, are taking place simultaneously on November 3rd-4th, 2014 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Data lovers, take heart: Execution Labs cofounder Keith Katz is coming to GDC Next to share marketing and monetization data his company has collected from small indie companies to help game makers make better business decisions. His talk, "Marketing and Monetization for Mobile Indies: New Data from the Trenches," will also dig into best practices in marketing that Execution Labs' studios have implemented after extensive trial and plenty of error. Mobile game makers should gain real, actionable data from recently launched mobile games that you can use in your own indie studio when forecasting things like target retention numbers, conversion percentages, marketing spend, and the impact of featuring by Apple and Google. The GDC Next featuring ADC Business track will also play host to "Steam Cards, Loyalty Activities and Rewards: Engagement Unleashed!" Pug Pharm Productions CEO Steve Bocska will use the enthusiastically-named session to explore a frequently overlooked part of the game launch and marketing process: the player experience outside of the game. Case studies and real-world examples (Steam Cards, "gamification," loyalty programs, etc.) will be cited as Bocska tries to break down the current state-of-the-art of community engagement models, loyalty activities and the psychology of motivation. And conference organizers look forward to announcing more talks in the weeks before this year's GDC Next featuring ADC, which takes place November 3rd-4th, 2014 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. For additional details about GDC Next and ADC or to register for the event, visit the conference homepage. Gamasutra, GDC and ADC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Tech.