Double Fine, Spry Fox, EEDAR To Keynote Game Connect Asia Pacific

Organizers for Australia-based Game Connect Asia Pacific on Friday announced keynotes from developer Double Fine, new firm Spry Fox and market research firm EEDAR. Nathan Martz, project lead at Brutal Legend and Psychonauts developer Double Fine will present a keynote titled "The Culture, Creativity and Awesome of Double Fine," in which he'll explain how the nine-year-old independent studio has managed to navigate through the financial, creative and market-related challenges of the modern video game industry. Industry veteran David Edery, co-founder of new studio Spry Fox, will present "How To Place Your Bets," a keynote aimed at independent developers who are unsure where they should invest their time and resources. Electronic Entertainment Design and Research CEO Greg Short will also be on hand to talk about gaming's "$50 Billion Business." He'll present case studies and data examining the factors that drive growth in the game industry, the effect of the financial downturn what the next 10 years hold for the business. Game Connect Asia Pacific takes place October 14-15 this year at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. Tony Lawrence, president of the Game Developers Association of Australia and general manager of 2K Marin-Canberra said in a statement, "We’ve gone from niche recreation to mainstream and family driven entertainment, and development budgets that range from the tens of thousands to the tens of millions of dollars." "At this year’s conference, we want to bring together a wide range of creative and business voices to encourage people to step outside their own comfort zones and build positively towards the future."