LA Games Conference Brings Together the Industry

LA Games Conference Brings Together 300+ Top Media,Entertainment & Games Executives in Hollywood, May 21-22

Top Executives from EA, Disney, YouTube, Microsoft, Sony, G4, Spike TV, MTV, Nokia, Endemol, Qualcomm, Paramount, Vivendi Games, NBC Universal, I-play, DirecTV, Turbine, Playboy, RealNetworks, GSN, Playfirst and Glu Mobile to Converge for Annual "Insiders" Event

Los Angeles, CA (May 13, 2008) - Digital Media Wire today announced its agenda and list of confirmed speakers for LA Games Conference (http://www.lagamesconference.com/) to be held in Los Angeles on Wednesday & Thursday, May 21-22, 2008, at Hollywood’s Roosevelt Hotel.

This 2-day event brings together the leading game publishers, developers, carriers, portals, technology companies, advertising execs, venture capitalists, lawyers and analysts, to discuss the future of games and social media. Considered the “top event” for industry insiders, senior executives attend valuable sessions on online, mobile and casual games, covering consumer, investment, and advertising trends & other hot topics, network and do deals.

“Since last year's highly successful event with over 400 participants, we've had an ongoing dialogue with our amazing group of advisory board members about how to build on our success and make the event even bigger and better this year,” said Ned Sherman, the Event Chair and CEO/Publisher of Digital Media Wire. “This year's event will focus on "The Future of Connected Games & Entertainment" — a theme that reflects much of the innovation and mindset in the industry and provides a great platform to involve companies and participants from a broad range of areas — from game publishers and developers to technology innovators to online and mobile entertainment platforms such as communities, social networks, user-generated content platforms and virtual worlds.” Plenty of new ideas are sure to come of this "must attend" two-day event that brings together the industry's best of the best for two eventful days of high level discussions, networking and fun focused around the future of connected entertainment.

The conference covers the rapidly evolving landscape of online, casual and mobile games, the future of the consoles and the digital home and the growing relationship between the game industry, Hollywood, social networks and advertisers. Panels and roundtable discussions include:

• Battle for the Digital Home

Is the Console the Entertainment Hub of the Future or Fighting to Stay Alive?

• How to Win the Social Game

Harnessing the Power of Online Communities & Social Networks

• Casual Games

What’s Next Now that Everyone’s Involved?

• Killer Games

What Does it Take to Make a Successful Game?

• Connected!

Innovations Driving the Future of Connected Games & Entertainment

• Mobile Games

Challenges & Opportunities to Create a Mass Market Phenomenon

• Advertising & Games

The Challenges & Opportunities for Brands & Games

• Hollywood & Games

Is Hollywood Killing the Game Industry?

Attendees are over 300+ decision-makers from technology companies, wireless companies, industry bodies, gaming companies, advertising firms, attorneys, marketing companies, research companies and payment companies.

Speakers include:

• Chris Early, General Manager, Microsoft’s Games for Windows
• Brent Hurley, Strategic Partner Development, YouTube
• Kay Gruenwoldt, Head of Industry Marketing, Nokia
• Mark Donovan, CMO & Senior Analyst, M:Metrics
• Andrew Wallenstein, Deputy Editor, The Hollywood Reporter
• Geoff Keighley, Host, Spike TV's GTTV
• John Welch, President & CEO, Playfirst
• Mike Goslin, VP, Disney Online Studios
• Lars Butler, CEO & Founder, Trion World Network
• Mike Yuen, Sr. Director, Gaming Group, QUALCOMM Internet Services
• Sandi Isaacs, SVP, Interactive & Mobile, Paramount Digital Entertainment
• Eric Lavanchy, Director, Gaming, Endemol USA
• Kate Connally, VP, AddictingGames, MTV Networks
• Jill Braff, SVP, Worldwide Marketing & GM, Americas, Glu Mobile
• Erica Chriss, VP of Strategy & Business Development, Greystripe
• Ned Sherman, CEO & Publisher, Digital Media Wire
• Spencer Hunt, VP, Game Production & Digital Product Development, Sony Pictures Television Int’l
• Rob Uhrich, Senior Director, Digital Markets, PaymentOne
• Julie Shumaker, SVP, Sales & Marketing, Double Fusion
• Emmi Kuusikko, Director, User & Market Insight, Sulake Corporation
• Teemu Huuhtanen, President, N.A., Sulake Inc.
• Eric Goldberg, Managing Director, Crossover Technologies
• Craig Sherman, CEO, Gaia Online
• Matthew Bellows, VP of Consumer Strategy, Vivox
• Barry Schaffer, President, Promotional Currency
• Gabe Zichermann, CEO, rmbr.com / Advisor & Editorial Freak, Gamezebo
• Craig Alexander, VP, Product Development, Turbine
• Margaret Wallace, CEO & Co-Founder, Rebel Monkey
• Scott Steinberg, Managing Director, Embassy Multimedia Consultants
• Mike Vorhaus, Managing Director, Frank N. Magid Associates
• Catherine Herdlick, Director, Game Production, GameLab
• Peter Blacklow, President, Worldwinner.com
• Steven Roberts, VP & GM, Games & Strategic Initiatives, DirecTV
• Bill Kispert, VP, Interactive, NBC Universal
• Mike Breslin, VP, Global Marketing, I-play
• Russ Eisenmann, SVP, Marketing, Hands-on Mobile
• Andy Reif, Commissioner & CEO, Championship Gaming Series
• Cindy Cook, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, Vivendi Games
• Keith Boesky, Principal, Boesky & Company
• Josh Krane, SVP of Interactive & New Media, G4
• Keith Kane, SVP, Ad Sales, Giant Realm
• Ranah Edelin, VP, Electronic Arts
• Daniel Offner, Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP
• Robert Norton, VP, Business Development, King.com
• Chris Lang, SVP, Research Strategies, SmithGeiger LLC
• Stephen Jackson, CEO, Smashing Ideas
• Matt Turetzky, VP, Non-PC Games, RealNetworks, Inc.
• Dave Madden, EVP, Sales, Marketing & Bus. Development, WildTangent
• Chris Petrovic, VP, Digital Media, Playboy Media Group
• Jason Rubinstein, Senior Director, Entertainment, Mobile Devices, Motorola

Event sponsors and media partners include Nixon Peabody, LLP, Habbo, Sulake, PaymentOne, Promotional Currency, IGDA, Mary Margaret, Redline China, Pearl Research, South by Southwest Interactive, Casual Games Association, UCLA Anderson School of Management, Billboard Publicity Wire, Experiential Marketing Forum, DFC Intelligence, New York – Tokyo, and NVPR. For complete agenda, registration and event details please visit: http://www.lagamesconference.com/. In addition to LA Games Conference, Digital Media Wire will also host the 5th Annual Digital Media Conference in Washington, DC on June 26, which it produces in tandem with Potomac Tech Wire. Other prominent Digital Media Wire events include Digital Music Forum East & West, Future of Television East & West, Future of Film, Mobile Games Insider and The Millennials.