Registration Opens for 2009 Games for Health Conference

Registration has opened for the 2009 Games for Health Conference, to be held at the Hyatt Harborside Hotel in Boston on June 11th and 12th. The conference brings together game developers and health industry professionals to discuss how serious games can improve and advance health care and recovery programs. Initial response received by the conference's organizers suggests that this year's event will see Games for Health's largest-ever turnout. The 2009 Games for Health Conference will span more than 40 discussion sessions, and will feature exhibition areas with playable versions of new and upcoming health games. Sessions announced for this year's event include "Criticisms of Exergaming," "Using Wii Games to Help Parkinson's Patients," and "A Design Review of Sexual Content, Sexually Mature Themes in Games, and Games About Sex." Two additional sessions, "Games Accessibility Day" and "Virtual Worlds & Health Day," will be held prior to the conference's opening on June 10th. "Health games are taking off this year both in the market and in the public's consciousness," said The Games for Health Project co-founder Ben Sawyer. "Games for Health 2009 promises to deliver more sessions then ever focusing on best practices in health game development, industry research and results for game developers and health care professionals. We are proud to know the Games for Health conference has been a catalyst for major developments within the health games industry." The conference is sponsored by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation philanthropy group, Humana, and serious games developer Virtual Heroes, Inc. Registration for the Games for Health Conference is available at a discounted rate until April 17th.