Speakers For London Games Conference Announced

The London Games Conference has confirmed a number of speakers and panelists including representatives from Bigpoint, Playfish, Gaikai and Capcom. The event, which is scheduled for November 4 at BAFTA, Piccadilly, will seek to examine the challenges facing developers, publishers, retailers and others "within an industry that is being driven more than ever before by digital distribution, online play, social networks and the concept of ‘games as a service’ rather than shifting boxed product". Speakers and panelists who will be discussing their take on these issues at the event include Kristian Segerstrale, CEO of Playfish, the social game developer acquired late last year by Electronic Arts, Shuji Utsumi, CEO of Q Entertainment, a developer that has released numerous titles on Sony and Nintendo's digital distribution channels, and Heiko Hubertz, founder and CEO of Hamburg-based online games publisher Bigpoint. Other speakers announced include: Ben Cousins, executive Producer, EA Dice; Phil Harrison, co-founder and general partner of London Venture Partners; Chris Petrovic, senior vice president and general manager of GameStop Digital Ventures; Dave Perry, co-founder and CEO of Gaikai; Ian Chambers, international vice president of Direct2Drive; David Reeves, chief operating officer at Capcom Europe and Floris Jan Cuypers, business development director at Spil Games Ed Vaizey, the minister for culture, communications and creative industries, will deliver a closing address, while panel sessions will be chaired by MCV editor-in-chief Michael French, former Sony Worldwide Studios boss Phil Harrison and Eurogamer TV’s Johnny Minkley. Stuart Dinsey, managing director of event organizer Intent Media, said: “We’re delighted at the caliber of speakers and panelists that we’ve brought together for the second London Games Conference – and with the support we’ve received from UKIE, the London Games Festival and Screen Digest. The end result will be a conference that delivers a unique set of insights into the issues that are currently challenging all parts of the business.”