Cost:
$25 for members; $45 for non-members
Location - Peabody Marriott, 8A Centennial Drive, Peabody, Mass.
Directions - Route 128 Exit 28 Forest Street/Centennial Drive
Program Description:
Games are big business, bigger than they have ever been. From the humble beginnings of text driven adventure games to the first primitive pixel pushing game consoles technology has continued to drive our culture toward interactive games of all genres and abilities. Today gaming is truly infiltrating our lifestyle. They are everywhere, and played on everything from computers, to game consoles, to cell phones, you name it and technology makes it possible. And they are making money too, big money. Last year the total game industry accounted for over $22 billion dollars of business, equaling the home video market, and is tied as one of the top forms of revenue producing entertainment period. Now with digital distribution, on line game sites and social networks satisfying all types of gamers the future remains bright, and more ways to play are on the way.
All along this meteoric climb those that have provided the technological advances that have fostered this growth have also flourished. From middleware providers to full-blown “game engine” licensing, technical advances have made those who have strategically aligned with this form of entertainment into winners. Encompassing all forms of art and programming, and staggering hardware creation, the game industry provides many ways to participate.
Our discussion will examine the history of this revolution, focusing on key technology breakthroughs, and then shine a spotlight on what is hot today, and what will be even hotter tomorrow. Get ready to play; we are just starting another new game!
About Our Speaker:
John Sutyak has been an executive in the game industry for over seventeen years. He was one of the founding members of Hasbro Interactive (HI) the interactive gaming arm of Hasbro Corporation formerly based in Beverly, Ma… Specializing in sourcing top brands and licenses and providing creative direction in the development process, John built a strong track record of commercial success. Eventually serving as Chief Creative Officer, John created and managed business relationships with major brands such as Nickelodeon and studios such as Sony, DreamWorks, and Universal, and was part of a team responsible for acquisitions. Through spearheading New Business Development John led HI in the acquisition of one of the original video game companies Atari, and was involved in the acquisition of other publishers, brands and development studios.
When HI was purchased by the game publisher Infogrames, who eventually adopted the Atari name, John continued his role as Chief Creative Officer, working directly to establish vision and new product direction. He sourced and created relationships with exceptional talent in the gaming, and other creative industries, as well as investigating new technologies and platforms to broaden the gaming experience and audience.
John also held a position on the board of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) and collaborated in the creation of the D.I.C.E. conference, one of the preeminent gaming conferences for executives.