MI6 Game Marketing Conference Slims Down, Adds Casual Focus

The MI6 Game Marketing Conference, set to take place on April 8 in San Francisco, is slimming down to a two-track, one-day show this year, while expanding its focus to include a specific focus on casual gaming in this year's sessions. The conference, which was a two-day event in 2008, was previously announced to take place April 7th-8th, 2009. MI6 organizers believe that an increased focus on casual gaming, which can reach a huge number of users across a variety of platforms, more closely meets the needs of marketers in 2009. "We must expand our audience and explore new platforms to maintain the remarkable growth we’ve enjoyed in the industry," said Tony Key, MI6 co-chair and senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. Through January 30, the conference is also accepting submissions for its show-ending award ceremony, in categories such as "Outstanding TV or Theatrical Ad" and "Most Clickable Website for a Product" among many more. Interested parties can visit MI6's website for more details on awards and now to nominate. In keeping with the new focus, specific casual game awards are also part of the slate. Jonathan Block-Verk, President of MI6, also commented that a shorter conference fits better with the 2009's at-times harsh fiscal landscape: "With budgets tight and people’s time at a premium, we're committed to delivering the most valuable and focused day of essential game marketing information to our attendees."