Mobile Game Conference adds two new keynotes
Digital Chocolate, Square-Enix bolster conference line-up
The Game Initiative, organisers of the forthcoming Mobile Games Conference in Seattle, has announced an extension to its already impressive list of speakers for the July event - including two new keynote addresses from Digital Chocolate's Trip Hawkins and Square-Enix's Kosei Ito.
With more than 30 years experience in the interactive entertainment industry, Trip Hawkins Played a key role in the early evolution of personal computers with Apple. He founded both games industry behemoth Electronic Arts and digital video and network gaming pioneers 3DO before moving into the mobile space as chairman and CEO of Digital Chocolate.
Hawkins is responsible for the strategic focus, overall direction, and performance of the company, which has created numerous critically acclaimed and award-winning mobile games including Tower Bloxx and MLSN Sports Picks.
Kosei Ito is one of the founding members of Square-Enix's mobile business, driving the sector to its current USD 30 million annual revenues by producing key titles such as Final Fantasy I and Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, a premium mobile subscription-based RPG which was accessed more than 1.6 million times on the day of launch.
As VP and producer of Mobile Products, Ito oversees the development and quality assurance of all mobile games under the Square Enix Mobile brand in North America.
Hawkins and Ito join the Mobile Game Conference's previously announced keynote speakers, Microsoft's Casual Games Group studio manager Chris Early and EA Mobile SVP Mitch Lasky.
The two-day event, which takes place at the Meydenbauer Centre in Bellevue, Washington July 13-14, will feature a series of lectures, presentations, panel and Speak Out events centred aroudn the three core themes of Design, Contruction and Potential.
For a full list of confirmed speakers, keynote bios, programme schedule and registration information, visit the official Mobile Games Conference website.