Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Conferences
Conferences used to be an opportunity for game makers to meet and discuss
trends in the industry, present new technology, and view each other's games,
but they have changed remarkably over the years. Most of them are now enor-
mous, media-driven extravaganzas. Game makers still meet and discuss all the
things mentioned, but they take advantage of the marketing potential by invit-
ing media to cover the events.
The media blitz at a conference includes live streaming of video on the
Internet, reviewers playing and then writing about new games or technology on
their blogs, and local and national news coverage.
de force
at which new games and sequels to past hits are introduced. This enor-
mous symposium fills entire convention centers in very large cities. Fans travel
from literally all over the world to attend this event, so they can experience
firsthand new games and new technology and occasionally meet their favorite
designers.
Figure 10.9 shows an image of the exterior of the huge convention center in
downtown Los Angeles, California, where E3 was held in 2011.
the Game
developers
Conference (GdC)
meets annually in
San Francisco and
is the oldest confab
for game developers,
designers, program-
mers, artists, pro-
ducers, marketers,
and so on.
FiGuRe 10.9
E3 is a
tour de force
media event
where game companies introduce new products.
The gigantic Comic-Con, held each year in San Diego, is another avenue for
marketing new games. Comic-Con was initially a mecca for comics enthusiasts to
meet and talk about comics, trade them, look for vintage ones from sellers, and
