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FXP Festival launches for 2019 with new creative category

Mathew Anderson
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FXP Festival launches for 2019 with new creative category

FXP Festival, an East Anglian education initiative which aims to drive social mobility in the region, has announced the launch of its 2019 competition (6-8th July) with the introduction of an exciting new category.

Originally formed as a STEM initiative based on a computer game design and development competition, FXP Festival 2019 is expanding to include a ‘Storytelling’ category, which will encourage students to develop both their creative writing and illustration skills. Publishing and education company, The Curved House will be supporting FXP’s Storytelling category with the provision of creative writing workshop materials and one-to-one mentor sessions, with established authors and writers, to help teams to develop their work.

Hosted annually by Cambridge Regional College, FXP Festival is linked to the computer science curriculum and, for three years, has successfully been using computer games to increase interest and uptake of STEM subjects, build young people’s digital skills and provide an insight into what careers in the technology, creative digital and related industries might offer.

In previous years, there have been two competition categories – ‘Game Concept’ where teams design and map out the creative concept of an original computer game, and ‘Game Development’ where teams programme and build an original game concept. New for 2019, the third category – ‘Storytelling’ – will challenge students to work in teams of up to five, to write and illustrate an original story for publication.

The initiative was developed by Cambridge Regional College, Jagex, North Cambridge Academy, and Conscious Communications, and, thanks to its sponsors and supporters, the FXP weekend is completely free for participating teams.

Alison Taylor Co-founder of the Festival and Managing Director of Conscious Communications, comments: “FXP Festival is all about providing exciting progression opportunities for the young people in our region. By incorporating elements of the national curriculum, as well as sourcing valuable learning materials from our industry supporters, we aim to provide students with an important connection between what they learn in the classroom, their further and higher education options, and the exciting career opportunities right on their doorstep.

“In previous years it has been wonderful to see student teams come to FXP to try their hands at games development and, as a result, engage more with their computer science education. This year, we wanted to expand our reach to students that won’t necessarily have an interest in coding or games design, but might have a hidden flair for other important skills, such as creative writing and art. The ‘Storytelling’ category will give these students the opportunity to develop their abilities with the support of industry experts, while building other important soft skills such as team work, ingenuity and communication.”

FXP Festival is supported by major companies in the technology, creative digital, and publishing sectors, which provide expertise, mentoring and coaching to students and their teachers. 2019 supporters include: Anglia Ruskin University, Arm, Rizing Games, Jagex, Table Flip Games and The Curved House.

Kristen Harrison, Founder, The Curved House, comments: “The Curved House – alongside our flagship publication, Visual Verse – aims to inspire and celebrate creative writers, both published and unpublished, and we are so excited to use our expertise to develop the next generation of writers at FXP Festival! Ahead of the weekend, we will share valuable creative writing teaching resources with the teams to help them hone their skills in preparation for the competition. We will also run an additional writing competition over the course of the weekend for all participating students, and will publish the winners in our August edition of Visual Verse. The Curved House is excited to bring a range of writing challenges and expertise from the book industry to FXP – to inspire the writers, illustrators and publishers of the future.”

FXP 2019 will take place from 6th – 8th July, at the Rizing Games studios at Cambridge Regional College and is open to schools, colleges, home school groups and out-of-school clubs across East Anglia. Teams can register their interest by emailing: joanna.colley@consciouscomms.com.

If your business would be interested in getting involved with FXP Festival through mentoring, funding or other support please contact Joanna Colley joanna.colley@consciouscomms.com.

February 2019 Game Industry Events Calendar

Mathew Anderson
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February 2019 Game Industry Events Calendar

We’re excited to be presenting yet another great list of upcoming industry events! To help you discover upcoming game industry conferences, conventions, festivals and other events, we post a consolidated list here on Events for Gamers each month.

View the complete February event list below. You can also click here for the main calendar view.

February 1-3: Wichita Esports Convention (Wichita, USA)
4-5: Digital Entertainment World (DEW) (Los Angeles, USA)
6-10: Yorkshire Games Festival (Bradford, UK)
7: App Growth Summit LA (Los Angeles, USA)
8-10: GoGames360 Woodlands (Houston, USA)
9: Warcon (Merelbeke, Belgium)
11-13: D.I.C.E. Summit (Las Vegas, USA)
12-13: White Nights Berlin (Berlin, Germany)
15-17: DreamHack Leipzig (Leipzig, Germany)
21-22: Game Development and Design Conference (Prune, India)

This list is obtained from the main calendar. Did we miss an event? Let us know!

GDC Releases 2019 State of the Industry Survey, Showing Nearly Half of Respondents Supporting Unionization

Mathew Anderson
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GDC Releases 2019 State of the Industry Survey, Showing Nearly Half of Respondents Supporting Unionization

Annual Survey of Nearly 4,000 Game Industry Professionals Indicates that A Majority Believe Steam No Longer Justifies Its Revenue Share

San Francisco – January 24, 2019 – The 2019 Game Developers Conference (GDC) has released the results of the seventh annual State of the Industry Survey, revealing trends in the game industry ahead of GDC 2019 in March.

The survey compiles responses from nearly 4,000 game developers, and reflects that nearly half of game developers support game industry unionization, as well as uncertainty around Steam’s revenue-sharing model, and insights into the amount of time developers have spent working overtime hours in so-called “crunch.”

The State of the Industry Survey is the seventh entry in the ongoing series of yearly reports and serves as a snapshot of the game industry, illustrating industry trends ahead of GDC 2019. Organized by UBM, GDC 2019 takes place March 18-22 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California.

Nearly half of game industry professionals think game industry workers should unionize

Unionization is a hot topic in the game industry these days, and nearly half of the game industry professionals surveyed think it’s a good idea. When asked whether they thought game industry workers should unionize, 47 percent said yes. 26 percent said maybe, 16 percent said no, and 11 percent said they didn’t know.

However, when asked whether they think video game workers actually will unionize, only 21 percent said yes. The largest share (39 percent) gave an uncertain “maybe.” 24 percent of respondents said they don’t think it will happen, and 15 percent said that they don’t know.

“It is critical that people who work in games are able to maintain a healthy lifestyle, live normal lives, and be able to enjoy a high quality of life that will work well for their spouses and families,” wrote one respondent.

But: “There is too much supply: too many people want into the industry,” claimed another. “Those who unionize will be shoved out of the way as companies hire those with fewer demands.”

Steam is the storefront to beat on PC, but some devs thrive on smaller competitors

Given how many notable new game storefronts debuted in 2018 (such as the Epic Games Store and Discord Store), this year, survey respondents had the option to disclose which PC/Mac game storefronts they sell their games on, and what percentage of their platform sales came from each.

As expected, the most popular answer was Steam, with roughly 47 percent of those who responded to this question saying that they sell games on Valve’s storefront.

Of the respondents who said they sell their games on Steam, the majority (54 percent) say Steam accounts for 75-100 percent of their sales revenue – and another 17 percent say it makes up  50-74 percent of their total revenue. Conversely, GOG, Humble, and Discord each accounted for less than 10 percent of revenues earned by a notable majority of the respondents who sell games there.

Interestingly, while indie-centric store Itch had a similar ratio (52 percent of devs who use it say it generates less than 10 percent of their revenues), it also had a surprisingly high number of respondents (28 percent) who said Itch accounts for 75-100 percent of their earnings. This shows that Itch’s open approach has likely attracted smaller indies who sell exclusively on it.

Most game makers aren’t sure Steam still justifies its 30 percent cut

In light of how competition is heating up for PC games marketplaces, the Survey also asked respondents whether they felt that Steam — in its current form — justifies a 30 percent cut of their game’s revenue, which it currently takes.

Only 6 percent said yes, and 17 percent said maybe. The rest either said no or weren’t sure, with the largest share (32 percent) saying Steam currently does not justify Valve’s revenue share. 27 percent said such a large cut probably isn’t justified, and 17 percent said they just didn’t know.

“Take less revenue from sales and curate their store better for visibility for real games,” is what one respondent wrote when we asked what features respondents felt Steam could add to better serve developers.

“Better support for amateur, hobbyist, and independent creators,” wrote another. “More fostering of things like game jams and actual development communities to be created on the platform.”

Nearly half of game makers work over 40 hours a week on games

To get a sense of the of the current labor conditions in the game industry, the State of the Industry Survey incorporate questions asking game developers – from corporate to indie – to share their average work hours in a week in the past twelve months.

Including all respondents, the results look fairly balanced, since half of respondents (44 percent) say they spend more than 40 hours a week working on games, and 56 percent said they worked 40 hours or less. The most common work week proved to be 36-40 hours per week, with 24 percent of respondents saying that was their average.

21 percent of respondents said they worked on games 41-45 hours per week on average and 17 percent said they averaged 0-20 hours per week on games (with a number of these likely being part-time or hobbyist workers.) However, 3 percent of respondents said they average over 60 hours of work per week on games, and 5 percent said they average 51-60 hours.

The Survey also asked about maximum hours per week worked during a single week in the last 12 months. While the largest response was 51-60 hours in a single week, responses ranged as high as more than 110 hours in a week (1.4 percent), with a small spike at 76-80 hours in a week (6 percent), suggesting that deadline-related crunch can go far beyond normal working hours.

With new consoles rumored, some devs are making games for unannounced platforms

With the current generation of now several years into their cycle, the 2019 survey now incorporates questions asking respondents whether or not they’re developing their next game for any upcoming, unannounced platforms.

Predictably, very few (under a hundred, or less than 2 percent of) respondents said their next game is being designed exclusively for an unannounced platform. 16 percent said their next game is being developed for both existing and upcoming, unannounced platforms and the largest share (46 percent) said their next game is only coming to existing platforms. 36% said they didn’t know at this time.

The full survey, which includes lots more detail on what game platforms developers are creating for, iOS vs. Android, and a multitude of other facts and detail, can be downloaded for free here.

For more details on the Game Developers Conference, please visit the GDC’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS

About GDC

The Game Developers Conference® (GDC) is the world’s largest professional game industry event with market-defining content for programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business decision makers, and others involved in the development of interactive games and immersive experiences. GDC brings together the global game development community year-round through events and digital media, including the Virtual Reality Developers Conference (VRDC), XRDC, GDC Vault, Gamasutra, Game Career Guide, Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.

GDC is organized by UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.ubm.com and www.informa.com

CONTACTS:
fortyseven communications
(323) 658-1200
gdcpress@fortyseven.com

2019 Game Developers Choice Awards to Honor Veteran SEGA Game Developer Rieko Kodama with Pioneer Award

Paul Philleo
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2019 Game Developers Choice Awards to Honor Veteran SEGA Game Developer Rieko Kodama with Pioneer Award


19th Annual Awards Ceremony to Take Place Wednesday, March 20 at GDC in San Francisco

San Francisco – January 17, 2019 – Organizers of the 19th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA), the premier accolades for peer recognition celebrating the industry’s top games, studios and developers, have revealed that veteran legendary game developer Rieko Kodama will receive this year’s Pioneer Award, which honors breakthrough tech and game design milestones.

The GDCA will recognize Kodama for her career in game development, spanning more than three decades, including her work on some of the most beloved titles in SEGA’s classic games library, from Phantasy Star through Alex Kidd to Skies of Arcadia and beyond.

Kodama is a trailblazing game artist, director and producer who established her career during an era in which women game designers’ contributions and activity in the industry were less recognized, eventually heading development on some of the industry’s most well-regarded Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs).

Reiko Kodama (photo credit: GDC)
Reiko Kodama (photo credit: GDC)

Beginning her professional career at SEGA in 1984, Kodama made her industry debut with Champion Boxing on the company’s SG-1000 game console. As a new hire, Kodama learned how to create pixel art and animation from veteran designers at the company, eventually refining her work to create designs for arcade games like Sega Ninja and Quartet before moving onto the Sega Mark III (otherwise known as the Sega Master System in non-Japanese territories). On the more advanced hardware, she honed her skills to contribute background designs for the now-classic Alex Kidd in Miracle World and key artwork for Phantasy Star.

Moving onto the 16-bit Mega Drive platform (known as the Sega Genesis in North America), Kodama contributed key artwork for such landmark genre-defining titles as Altered Beast, Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle and Sonic the Hedgehog¸. All the while, Kodama worked alongside other game development pioneers such as Yuji Naka (creator of Sonic the Hedgehog) and Yu Suzuki (former head of AM2, the team behind Virtua Fighter).

It was during the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis era that Kodama further exemplified her development prowess, serving as the Team Leader (analogous to a modern-day Game Director role) for Phantasy Star: The End of the Millennium (known as Phantasy Star IV in North America). Her stellar work at SEGA continued into the ‘90s and ‘00s, with directorial work on Magic Knight Rayearth on Sega Saturn, and a Producer role on Deep Fear and Sega Dreamcast’s Skies of Arcadia and the subsequent release on Nintendo Gamecube, Skies of Arcadia Legends.

With three and a half decades of game development, Kodama drew from her experience and expertise to produce the 7th Dragon series of RPGs on Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Portable platforms. Her current role sees her producing the SEGA AGES series of classic game ports on the Nintendo Switch, a series that honors many of the same timeless SEGA titles she herself helped to create in her pioneering role as a game developer in the 1980s through now.

“The Game Developers Choice Awards were conceived as a way to recognize the all-too-often unsung genius and dedication of game developers throughout history, and this year’s award honors a figure who helped pave the way for countless game creators to follow,” said Katie Stern, general manager of the Game Developers Conference. “After decades spent developing some of SEGA’s most indelible classics, Kodama-san could easily rest on her laurels, but instead has dedicated herself to creating games that transcend gender and generations to give us countless hours of joy. This award is a ‘thank you’ to Kodama-san and all creators who work so hard to achieve greatness.”

Rieko Kodama as well as Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Amy Hennig will be honored at the Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony, taking place on Wednesday, March 20th, 2019 at 6:30pm at the San Francisco Moscone Center during the 2019 Game Developers Conference, and in conjunction with the Independent Games Festival (IGF). The ceremonies are available to attend for all GDC 2019 pass-holders.

The recipients of the Pioneer Award are chosen by the Game Developers Choice Special Awards Jury, which includes notable game industry leaders such as Chris Charla (ID@Xbox), Laine Nooney (New York University), Brian Reynolds (Big Huge Games), Brandon Sheffield (Necrosoft Games) and Mare Sheppard (Metanet Software).

For more information about the 19th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, visit: http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/ For more details on the Game Developers Conference, please visit the GDC’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS. Both the Game Developers Choice Awards and IGF ceremonies are available to attend for all GDC 2019 pass-holders.

About GDC

The Game Developers Conference® (GDC) is the world’s largest professional game industry event with market-defining content for programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business decision makers, and others involved in the development of interactive games and immersive experiences. GDC brings together the global game development community year-round through events and digital media, including the Virtual Reality Developers Conference (VRDC), XRDC, GDC Vault, Gamasutra, Game Career Guide, Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.

GDC is organized by UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.ubm.com and www.informa.com

CES 2019 Proves AI and 5G Will Transform the Future

Paul Philleo
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CES 2019 Proves AI and 5G Will Transform the Future

Las Vegas – 01/11/2019 – After four days of demonstrating the bright future made possible by technology, CES® 2019 came to a close today. More than 4,500 exhibitors showcased the latest tech innovations to some 180,000 attendees across more than 2.9 million net square feet of exhibit space in Las Vegas. From global brands to visionary startups, these companies set the world abuzz with the promise of technology.

“CES showcases the power of innovation to solve global problems and improve lives around the world,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA). “The passion, ideas and business connections at CES make this the most significant global tech event – and the most inspirational week of the year.”

“Every business must now embrace technology to succeed,” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president, CES. “And companies like Proctor & Gamble, John Deere and Raytheon proved that at CES 2019.”

The CES 2019 keynote stage featured some of the biggest names in tech, including AMD, AT&T Communications, IBM, LG and Verizon. CTA released its 2019 International Innovation Scorecard grading countries on how well they support innovation, and announced it will invest $10 million in venture firms and funds focused on women, people of color and other underrepresented startups and entrepreneurs. CTA also released its newest book, Ninja Future, exploring the skills needed to remain competitive in the rapidly-changing future.

CES is the only show where the entire 5G ecosystem – the backbone for transportation, virtual reality, sports technology and digital health – comes together. “5G will change everything –  5G is the promise of so much more than what we have seen from wireless technology,” said Hans Vestberg, CEO, Verizon, during his keynote. Fellow keynoter John Donovan, CEO of AT&T Communications, discussed the company’s recent launch of its 5G Evolution network.

CES 2019 showed artificial intelligence will influence every aspect of our lives. IBM Chairman, President and CEO Ginni Rometty’s opening keynote explored how AI will prove data is the “world’s greatest natural resource,” enabling revolutions from smart cities to health care, transportation to robotics. During Rometty’s keynote, Delta CEO Ed Bastian and Walmart EVP of Food Charles Redfield shared examples of AI and blockchain technology in their businesses.

CES 2019 was a turbo-charged mobility show, with 11 of the world’s leading car manufacturers highlighting the future of transportation – including an air taxi from Bell Helicopter and an electric motorcycle from Harley-Davidson. Self-driving technology will save lives, enable greater accessibility and improve productivity.

The CESSports Zone showcased the entire sports tech ecosystem – innovations in smart venues, training, virtual and augmented reality and esports creating immersive content that will change the way we play, watch and experience sports. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver discussed how their partnership proves social media can promote fan engagement, and the Gamespot eSports truck featured 10 gaming kiosks for both professional gamers and attendees to showcase their skills.

C Space brought together content creators, Hollywood, the advertising industry, media and leading CMOs – such as Proctor & Gamble’s Marc Pritchard, IBM’s Michelle Peluso, Unilever’s Keith Weed – to explore the future of brand marketing and entertainment. Exhibits and conference sessions explored the effect of AI on marketing and consumer engagement, mobile and over-the-top video, and content consumption.

Eureka Park, the home for startups at CES, featured more than 1,200 companies from over 50 countries offering disruptive innovations, attracting investors and big-name brands. This year Eureka Park – which has launched successful companies including Ring, Benjilock and LifeFuels – included a pitch competition, sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association Foundation and AARP.

Digital health technologies were a major theme, and attendees experienced the latest advances and trends in health care. Over 260 doctors and other health professionals attended the Disruptive Innovations in Health Care conference, which offered Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits at CES for the first time.

Resilient technologies will keep the world healthy, safe, warm, powered, fed and secure. Sustainable technologies from companies including YOLK and Zero Mass Water will produce efficient energy solutions and help provide drinking water to developing nations, while reducing the global carbon footprint. Others like Higher Ground Technologies keep us connected anywhere in the world.

Here’s What You Can’t Miss at CES 2019

Paul Philleo
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Here’s What You Can’t Miss at CES 2019

Las Vegas – 01/05/2019 – CES® 2019 is the largest and most influential tech event in the world – where the entire technology ecosystem gathers to conduct business, launch products, build brands and partner to solve some of today’s most pressing societal challenges. More than 4,500 exhibitors will launch transformative tech to more than 180,000 attendees, encompassing 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, smart cities and resilience, sports, robotics and more. CES 2019 will feature brand new and expanded exhibit areas, 250 conference sessions and 1,100 speakers, and more than 1,200 startups from over 50 countries.

New and Expanded Exhibit Areas

  • NEW Resilience – Discover tech keeping the world healthy, safe, warm, powered, fed and secure. (Westgate, Paradise Center)
  • NEW Enterprise Solutions – Encompasses analytics, consulting, integration, cyber security, ecommerce and mobile payment. (Westgate, Paradise Center)
  • CES Sports Zone – Explore the latest tech innovation impacting athletic performance to fan engagement and the business of sports on and off the field. The Gamespot eSports truck will also provide attendees with a firsthand experience of eSports. (Sands, Level 2 and ARIA, Level 2)
  • Self-Driving Technology – Explore the road to self-driving vehicles through ride-and-drive experiences. (LVCC, Platinum Lot)
  • C Space – Discover where tech and entertainment converge – and how tech is changing the future of brand marketing and entertainment. (ARIA)
  • Smart Cities – See how smart cities will influence policies, transportation, cities and towns, our industry and our planet. (Westgate, Pavilion and Paradise Center)
  • Eureka Park – Uncover 1,200 of the world’s most promising tech pioneers at CES’ home for startups— and maybe a few future unicorns. (Sands, Hall G)

Can’t Miss Conference Sessions and Speakers

  • Keynote Addresses
    • LG Electronics President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. I.P. Park
    • CTA President and CEO Gary Shapiro and CES Executive Vice President Karen Chupka
    • IBM Chairman, President and CEO Ginni Rometty
    • Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg
    • AMD President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Lisa Su
    • U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao
    • AT&T Communications CEO John Donovan and MediaLink Chairman and CEO Michael Kassan
  • Conference Sessions
    • AI Everywhere – AI
      • Daniel Hodges, CEO and Founder, CIM Tours; Eric Colson, Chief Algorithms Officer, Stitchfix; Allende Cornejo, Project Engineer, Drone Racing League; John Teeple, Director, Advanced Technology, John Deere
    • Taking the Lead on Innovation in Cities – Innovation Policy
      • Walter Alcorn, VP, Environmental Affairs and Industry Sustainability, Consumer Technology Association; Muriel Bowser, Mayor, Washington, DC; Joe Buscaino, Councilmember, City of Los Angeles
    • CES 2019 Trends to Watch – Research Summit  
      • Steve Koenig, VP, Market Research, Consumer Technology Association
    • C Space Storytellers
      • Leading brands and CMOs take to our Story Tellers stage,  including IBM’s Michele Peluso, Unilever’s Keith Weed and Proctor and Gamble’s Marc Pritchard
    • CMO Insights: Technology’s Impact on Brand Strategy – C Space
      • Jean Foster, SVP, Marketing and Communications, Consumer Technology Association; Jill Cress, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, National Geographic Partners; Meg Goldthwaite, Chief Marketing Officer, NPR; Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Mastercard
    • #NBATwitter: A Conversation with Adam Silver and Jack Dorsey – CES Sports Zone
      • Rachel Nichols, Anchor, ESPN; Jack Dorsey, CEO, Twitter; Adam Silver, Commissioner, NBA
    • Immersive Media – CES Sports Zone
      • Michael Davies, SVP, Filed and Technical Operations, Fox Sports; William Deng, VP, Media Strategy and Business Development, NFL; Danny Keens, VP, Content, NextVR; Sandra Lopez, VP, Intel Sports and Media, Intel; Geoff Reiss, GM, Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Sports / Verizon Media Group
    • Technology to Feed the World – Resilience
      • Susan McPherson, Founder and CEO, McPherson Strategies, LLC; Jon Friedman, COO, Freight Farms; Dr. Laura Kliman, Senior Flavor Scientist, Impossible Foods; Brigid McDermott, VP, IBM Food Trust, IBM; Carl Vause, CEO, Soft Robotics
    •  Future Focus: With Forbes’ Most Influential CMOs – C Space
      • Jenny Rooney, Editor, CMO Network Forbes; Aimee Lapic, CMO, Pandora; Susan Vobejda, CMO, The Trade Desk; Deborah Wahl, CMO, Cadillac
    • Technology, Jobs and the Future of Work
      • Jennifer Taylor, VP, U.S. Jobs, Consumer Technology Association; Charlie Ackerman, SVP, Human Resources – North America, Bosch; Robert Chiappetta, Director, Government Affairs, Toyota; Bonnie Lee, VP, Property Claims, AllstateInsurance Company; Monica Lucero, SVP, Client Services and Marketing, TeamPeople
  • SuperSessions

Exciting Events, Unconventional Keynotes and New Conference Programming

Resources to Maximize CES 2019

  • CES 2019 Schedule – Explore your options to connect, learn and be inspired at CES.
  • Featured Speakers – See some of the 1,100 industry visionaries slated to speak at CES 2019
  • CES Tech Talk Podcast – Download or subscribe for the top trends at CES 2019
  • Product Launch Page – Browse through the all the latest products unveiled at CES
  • CES App – Everything you need to plan for and navigate CES 2019. Download the CES 2019 App by searching “CES 2019” in your app store
  • B-Roll – High-definition video b-roll from CES is available for easy download
  • CES Photo Gallery – See exclusive photos from the CES show floor, keynotes, conference sessions, events and award ceremonies

Finalists Revealed for the 21st Annual Independent Games Festival at GDC 2019

Mathew Anderson
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Finalists Revealed for the 21st Annual Independent Games Festival at GDC 2019

Today, the Independent Games Festival (IGF) announced the finalists for its 21st annual awards ceremony at the Game Developers Conference 2019 (GDC). The ceremony will be hosted by Meg Jayanth, the award-winning writer of 80 Days, the acclaimed globetrotting interactive storytelling game and former IGF Award winner for best for Excellence in Narrative.

Among the esteemed award nominees are several that have received nominations in multiple categories, including Return of the Obra Dinn, the innovative and uniquely stylized murder mystery from Lucas Pope. The title was nominated as a finalist for the highly esteemed Seamus McNally award and earned nominations in multiple categories, including Excellence in Audio, Design, Visuals and Narrative. Other notable titles receiving multiple nominations include Paratopic, Noita, and Do Not Feed The Monkeys, which are nominated for the Nuovo Award. Alto’s Odyssey and Hypnospace Outlaw are also nominated for Excellence in Audio and Visual Arts.

The full list of award finalists and honorable mentions can be seen in the full press release below. For more information on GDC 2019, please visit www.gdconf.com.

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’, ‘God of War’ and ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’ Lead 19th Game Developers Choice Awards Nominees

Paul Philleo
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‘Red Dead Redemption 2’, ‘God of War’ and ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’ Lead 19th Game Developers Choice Awards Nominees

SAN FRANCISCO  – Jan. 4, 2019 – The nominees for the 19th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards, the leading peer-based video game event celebrating the industry’s top games and developers, have been announced today by organizers. Winners in all categories will be honored at the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) ceremony, taking place on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 6:30pm at the San Francisco Moscone Center during the 2019 Game Developers Conference (GDC) and held in conjunction with the Independent Games Festival Awards (IGF).

Organizers are also announcing that the Game Developers Choice Awards will be hosted once again by Tim Schafer, LucasArts industry veteran and founder of Double Fine Productions (Psychonauts 2). Both GDCA and IGF Awards are available to attend for all GDC 2019 pass-holders, as well as streamed via http://twitch.tv/gdc & other to-be-announced streaming platforms.

Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2 is the leader in award nominations at this year’s GDCA

The developer-picked GDCA nominations are led by Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2 with a total of 7 nominations, followed closely by Sony Santa Monica’s God of War and Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man with a total of 6 nominations each. Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2, the sprawling adventure set in a richly detailed open world at the dusk of the Wild West era, received nominations for Best Audio, Best Design, Innovation Award, Best Narrative, Best Technology, Best Visual Art and Game of the Year.

Sony Santa Monica’s God of War, the epic new chapter of the influential action series that features stunning battles with gods and an involving tale of a father’s struggles guiding his son through an unforgiving world, was nominated for Best Audio, Best Design, Best Narrative, Best Technology, Best Visual Art and Game of the Year. Marvel’s Spider-Man, the acclaimed action-adventure game developed by Insomniac Games starring the beloved comic book character, was also nominated for Best Audio, Best Design, Best Narrative, Best Technology, Best Visual Art and Game of the Year.

Other titles receiving multiple nominations include the rewardingly challenging platformer, Celeste from Matt Makes Games, the innovative puzzle whodunnit game Return of the Obra Dinn from Lucas Pope’s 3909, the deeply immersive take on a classic puzzle game, Tetris Effect from Monstars, Resonair & Enhance, and the emotional tale of life and love, Florence from Mountains.

Any video game that was released and made publicly available during the 2018 calendar year, irrespective of platform or delivery medium, is eligible for free nomination for the 2019 Game Developers Choice Awards. Both nominees and winners are selected by the Game Developers Choice Awards-specific International Choice Awards Network (ICAN), which is an invitation-only organization, comprised of leading game creators from all parts of the industry.

The complete list of nominees, including honorable mentions, for the 19th annual Game Developers Choice Awards is as follows:

BEST AUDIO

Celeste (Matt Makes Games)

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)

God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)

Honorable Mentions: Beat Saber (Beat Games), Wandersong (Greg Lobanov / Humble Bundle), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909), Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios  / Microsoft Studios)

BEST DEBUT

Polyarc (Moss)

Mountains (Florence)

Nomada Studio (Gris)

Villa Gorilla (Yoku’s Island Express)

Sabotage (The Messenger)

Honorable Mentions: Beat Games (Beat Saber), Digital Sun (Moonlighter), Two Point Studios (Two Point Hospital), Okomotive (Far: Lone Sails)

BEST DESIGN

Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Celeste (Matt Makes Games)

Into the Breach (Subset Games)

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)

God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Honorable Mentions: Frostpunk (11 bit studios), Minit (Kitty Calis, Jan Willem Nijman, Jukio Kallio & Dominik Johann / Devolver Digital), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909), Astro Bot Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)

BEST MOBILE GAME

Alto’s Odyssey (Snowman)

Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)

Reigns: Game of Thrones (Nerial / Devolver Digital)

Holedown (Grapefrukt Games)

Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)

Honorable Mentions: Furistas Cat Cafe (Runaway), The Room: Old Sins (Fireproof Studios), Pocket Run Pool (Zach Gage), Alphabear 2 (Spry Fox), Twinfold (Kenny Sun)

INNOVATION AWARD

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)

Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)

Nintendo Labo (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)

Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)

Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)

Honorable Mentions: Minit (Kitty Calis, Jan Willem Nijman, Jukio Kallio & Dominik Johann /

Devolver Digital), Celeste (Matt Makes Games), God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Astro Bot Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Moss (Polyarc), A Way Out (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)

BEST NARRATIVE

Florence (Mountains/Annapurna Interactive)

God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)

Honorable Mentions: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey  (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Celeste (Matt Makes Games), Life is Strange 2 (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix), Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (Dim Bulb Games and Serenity Forge / Good Shepherd Entertainment)

BEST TECHNOLOGY

Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey  (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)

Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)

God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)

Honorable Mentions: Sea of Thieves (Rare / Microsoft Studios), Far Cry 5 (Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft), Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)

BEST VISUAL ART

Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)

Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)

Honorable Mentions: Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance), Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco Entertainment),  Assassin’s Creed Odyssey  (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Below (Capybara Games)

BEST VR/AR GAME

Budget Cuts (Neat Corporation)

Beat Saber (Beat Games)

Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)

Moss (Polyarc)

Astro Bot Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Honorable Mentions: Jurassic World Alive (Ludia), In Death (Sólfar Studios), Tendar (Tender Claws), Firewall Zero Hour (First Contact Entertainment / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Deracine (FromSoftware / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

GAME OF THE YEAR

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)

Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)

Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Celeste (Matt Makes Games)

God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Honorable Mentions: Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance), Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios & Sora / Nintendo), Into the Breach (Subset Games), Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive), Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)

The Game Developers Choice Awards also recognize two individuals this year with annual Special Awards categories: Pioneer and Lifetime Achievement. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to esteemed writer and director, Amy Hennig, who has had a multifaceted career in game development, starting with development on the Atari 7800 and including roles as creative director and writer of Naughty Dog’s Uncharted game series. The recipient of the Pioneer Award will be announced in the near future.

For more information about the 19th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, visit: http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/ For more details on the Game Developers Conference, please visit the GDC’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS. Official photos are available via the Official GDC Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/officialgdc/. Both the Game Developers Choice Awards and IGF ceremonies are available to attend for all GDC 2019 pass-holders.

January 2019 Game Industry Events Calendar

Mathew Anderson
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January 2019 Game Industry Events Calendar

We’re excited to be presenting yet another great list of upcoming industry events! To help you discover upcoming game industry conferences, conventions, festivals and other events, we post a consolidated list here on Events for Gamers each month.

View the complete January event list below. You can also click here for the main calendar view.

January 3-6: MAGFest (Alexandria, USA)
6-13: Games Done Quick (Rockville, USA)
8-11: CES (Las Vegas, USA)
10-13: Midwinter Gaming Convention (Milwaukee, USA)
11-13: OrcaCon (Seattle, USA)
18-20: PAX South (San Antonio, USA)
19: Game On E-Sports Tournament (Oxnard, USA)
21-22: Pocket Gamer Connects London (London, USA)
25-27: Global Game Jam (Worldwide)
29-30: Mobile Gaming Asia Summit (Singapore)
31-02: Interactive Futures (Leamington Spa, UK)
31-03: Ludicious (Zurich, Switzerland)

This list is obtained from the main calendar. Did we miss an event? Let us know!

Hudson Valley Gamer Con to be Largest Esports Event in the Upstate New York Region

Paul Philleo
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Hudson Valley Gamer Con to be Largest Esports Event in the Upstate New York Region

Albany, N.Y. – The team behind HV Gamer Con 2019, is pleased to announce the teams and games have been selected for the tournament and expo to be held March 30 and 31, 2019 in Albany, N.Y.

The HV Gamer Con is the first tournament of its kind in upstate New York and the competition and accompanying expo is expected to draw a tremendous audience to downtown Albany. Collegiate teams from Providence College, Neumann University, Thomas College, Stevenson University, Saint Peter’s University, Moravian College, Keuka College, Marist College, Canisius College, SUNY Canton, Quinnipiac University and Mansfield University have committed to bringing teams to compete in tournaments in League of Legends, Overwatch and Fortnite.

In addition, New York state has recently announced a $152,000 grant award to help fund the event. It is being put on by a team made up of Albany Capital Center (ACC), Center for Economic Growth (CEG), Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC)and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The grant announcement was part of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative in which New York Governor Andrew Cuomo established 10 Regional Councils to develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth in their regions.

“This two-day conference aligns with the Capital Region Economic Development Council’s new video game hub strategy to invest in our state’s creative economy and help establish an ecosystem of new gaming studios and software developers so that they can thrive and attract more people to the area,” said Doug McClaine, general manager of the Albany Capital Center. “This event will be a big draw for gamers and showcase what we have to offer.”

“We would like to thank the Capital Regional Economic Development Council and New York state for their support of the Hudson Valley Gamer Con. Not only will this event bring the nation’s top collegiate gamers and software developers to the Capital Region, it will also allow us to raise the national profile of our video game hub and attract the talent that our thriving video game studios need to succeed,” said Center for Economic Growth President and CEO Andrew Kennedy.

“The MAAC is extremely grateful that New York state and the REDC have decided to recognize the HV Gamer Con. HV Gamer Con is a unique event that will simultaneously allow for a world class esport tournament for fans and players as well as showcase the high-tech industry in the Capital Region allowing us the chance to connect our current players with future employers,” said Kiernan Ensor, MAAC esports consultant and Canisius College esports coordinator.

“We are thrilled at this award from the Regional Economic Development Council,” said Dan Coonan, president and CEO of the Eastern College Athletic Conference. “We applaud their vision for this event and appreciate their support. This promises to be a spectacular event for the ECAC, for intercollegiate esports, and for the Region.”

This grant will help to solidify the Capital Region as a gaming destination for collegiate-level gaming during the growing video game development cluster. Throughout the eight counties, this cluster includes at least 14 studios that employ more than 350 workers, including more than 285 software developers, according to a February 2018 CEG study. More than half of the studios surveyed had hiring plans for the next 12 months.

Tickets for HV Gamer Con 2019 are on sale now. All session tickets will be $40 for adults and $20 for students. Individual session tickets will be $25 for adults and $15 for students and include access to the competition and expo. For the schedule and more information on the event, please visit albanycapitalcenter.com.

Highlights of ‘Events for Gamers’ News from 2018

Paul Philleo
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Highlights of ‘Events for Gamers’ News from 2018

It’s been a wild ride in so many ways throughout 2018, and that ride certainly includes a seat for games and events. Let’s take a look back at a few of the stories that have had an impact on players, game development, and the business that drives the games we play.

 

Sony withdraws from E3 2019

E3 2019 logoWhen it comes to events, with long windows for planning required, the most impactful news involving events for the year following often happens the year before. In this case, when Sony announced in November that they were nixing their presence from E3 2019, it surprised a lot of folks in the business. Perhaps seeing an opportunity to command more visibility, the other major real estate-holders on the E3 Expo floor, Nintendo and Microsoft, confirmed their continued engagement with the show for next year. Still, it will be interesting to see how Sony’s non-presence will shape the look and feel of one of the most impactful shows in the business.

 

Targeted game conference acquisitions


Some smaller, targeted game industry events seem to have matured to a point where marketing or content agencies have started to take a shine to them. Cases in point?  The German games development and business conference, QUO VADIS, was snapped up in November by Booster Space, while less than month later, the indie-social-mobile-focused game development conference with a global-trotting presence, Casual Connect, was acquired by content agency, Greenlit Content. How will these acquisitions change the look of these particular events and others in 2019? The coming year is almost here, so we will see soon enough!

 

When fan-focused events have to deal with angry fans

Diablo ImmortalIn this instance, we’re referring to Blizzcon’s controversy-fraught reveal of the upcoming mobile version of Diablo on the keynote stage. In social media, in op-eds, forums, the discussion was waged, often in heated terms, about fan entitlement. Developers perhaps failing to see and understand their fandom, and the opportunities that come from a change in broader market demands. Just as Diablo Immortal has not been launched, neither has this discussion found a comfortable stopping point. This broader discussion (or argument) is sure to continue, as the industry and market evolve.

 

When the community picks up the mantle of a canceled con


The smaller the event, the less certainty there is that it will return from year-to-year. Staff, budget, and other strong forces of business can shape or break a smaller event. The best insurance against event failure is a robust and well-thought-out plan. When that does not happen, the worst outcome can be an egregiously fraudulent failure, like the Fyre Festival — and the criminal sentencing of the co-founder that happened earlier this year is probably a big enough story in itself to land on this list.

But the sad story about the failure of organization and resource management behind the “multi-fandom Con dedicated to inclusion, highlighting Women, LGBTQ, the Disabled and Persons of Color.” Universal FanCon, which was canceled a week before it was supposed to go live, is a smaller scale story that impacted attendees and vendors, who were caught by surprise, and the outcome arguably affected them more.

The good news is that fans quickly whipped up a pop-up event, Wimicon, to support their community and the vendors who put in their money for an event that had gone into a long-term carbonite hibernation, and at this time, appears to still be on ice.

 

Community anger helps to get a conference canned


As we’ve seen, communities have many ways to use conferences to draw people together, to put attention on their demands, and more. Pulling from the “and more” category, we highlighted the concerns from the gaming and technology community after a controversial keynote speaker, Steve Bannon, was going to speak at the Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology conference, which was to be held in early December in Montana. After being spotlighted in the media and on social media, with support for the conference then being withdrawn, the ACE event was shelved, at least for this year

 

eSports continuing to grow at a healthy rate

 

Some of the most intense change and evolution in events celebrating games and gamers involves eSports, which is seeing dramatic growth in the number and variety of competitive gaming events, from Epic Games’ fast-growing Fortnite to good ol’ real-time strategy game, Starcraft. One of the best ways to track the impact of eSports is to follow the numbers from professional number-crunchers.

Near the start of 2018, market research agency Newzoo projected that eSports would grow, in a VentureBeat story, “38 percent to $906 million in 2018 and further grow to $1.65 billion by 2021 … North America will account for 38 percent of the 2018 revenue, or $345 million, while China will be 18 percent, or $164 million.”

Put side-by-side with the measuring stick of viewership of conventional major league sports, investment firm Goldman Sachs, through a mid-year article on TheStreet, said:

In a report published Tuesday, Goldman said it sees eSports surpassing Major League Baseball and National Hockey League viewership. According to data from NewZoo, an estimated 167 million people around the globe will watch eSports per month in 2018.

“The immense popularity of survival-based games like Fortnite, growing prize pools for eSports tournaments, the rise of live-streaming, and improving infrastructure for pro leagues have all paved the way for eSports to reach 300 million viewers by 2022, on par with NFL leadership today,” said the note.

If the reports are right, with more viewership, larger purses, and better infrastructure, eSports will be a hot topic for years to come, long past 2018.

As for 2019 and what’s to come in games business and culture and events, one of the best ways to keep on top of the latest news is to check up on the Events for Gamers site and on Twitter and Facebook!

Do you have other moments that you think defined the 2018 year in events and gaming? Add them in a comment below!

SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 Makes Crossover History in Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Tokyo

Mathew Anderson
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0
SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 Makes Crossover History in Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Tokyo

SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 Makes Crossover History in Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan, 13 December 2018 – SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 concluded on a record high note in Tokyo, Japan. The 11th edition of the conference drew close to 10,000 attendees worldwide including computer graphics professionals, researchers, enthusiasts and trade visitors from 59 countries and regions. This makes this the largest and most successful SIGGRAPH Asia edition in the history of the event.

“SIGGRAPH Asia is a story of a diverse group of individuals coming together to celebrate the intersection of science, technology, art and entertainment. The variety of expertise under one roof allows for the cross-pollination of ideas which is what makes it a great place for collaboration, disruption and innovation. We knew from the onset that SIGGRAPH Asia in Tokyo was going to a great destination and the end result has proven that it was indeed an excellent choice. Tokyo’s achievement has been the cumulation of over two years of dedication from the conference and local SIGGRAPH Asia committees. SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 has set a new benchmark and we will strive to make the event even more impactful in the coming years.” said Prakash Ramajillu, Division Director – (Technology, Digital Media, Entertainment & Mobility) Koelnmesse Pte Ltd & Chief Staff Executive SIGGRAPH Asia.

Around 750 speakers presented at the conference, discussing the latest industry developments and future of the computer graphics and interactive techniques industry. The exciting line-up featured distinguished keynote speakers such as David Oh, Senior Systems Engineer at NASA JPL who shared about NASA’s recent Mars exploration and their latest mission, Psyche – The first metal asteroid that humankind will visit; Erik Demaine, Professor in Computer Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who spoke about computational origami and how he uses math to create artistic sculptures; and Kaname Hayashi, Founder and CEO of GROOVE X (A member of Pepper Project in Softbank) who gave the final keynote on a “New Generation Household Robot’s” and his LOVOT concept (Love x Robot) exploring the relationship between human beings and robots.

Production and visual effects teams from Pixar Animation Studios, Weta Digital Ltd and ILM Singapore took to the stage to showcase their crossover work; from creating realistic virtual humans, to unforgettable characters in films such as Lord of the Rings and the Avengers franchise, to developing a backstory for Star Wars’ most iconic character, Han Solo.

Emerging Technologies featured strongly at SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 with several presentations on how interactive technology has played a vital role in driving the development of research communities in the pursuit of technological innovations that will impact the public. The Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) program showcased emerging media and cutting-edge technologies in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. The highly engaging sessions were a dive into these emerging digital media and interactive technologies. The Art Gallery featured fascinating crossover pieces titled Candle TV (1975) by Nam June Paik, which is designed to represent two interrelated organisms in a communication system, and Mannbi (1981), a mask used in classical Japanese musical drama Noh, by Ayako Iwai.

The largest exhibition in SIGGRAPH Asia’s history featured 93 exhibitors from over 14 countries showcasing the latest hardware, software, technologies and innovations from around the world. Key exhibitors and brands included: ASTRODESIGN, Inc., AWS Thinkbox, BANDAI NAMCO Studios Inc., BinaryVR, Inc., CLO Virtual Fashion Inc, CyberAgent, Inc., Dell Japan Inc., Digital Hollywood University, Dwango Media Village, EEZ Production Studios Co., Ltd., FORUM8 Co., Ltd., HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES JAPAN K.K., IMAGICA GROUP, InstaLOD GmbH, NOITOM, teamLab, Too Corporation, Tsinghua University-Tencent Joint Laboratory, Unity Technologies Japan G.K., VFX-Japan Association, Visual Computing Center at KAUST, Xsens Technologies B.V., YGGDRAZIL Group Co., Ltd, Zero C Seven, Inc. and more.

Award-winners at SIGGRAPH Asia

SIGGRAPH Asia featured an awards component for the Computer Animation Festival, Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) and the Emerging Technologies programs.

The winners for the Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) are:

  • Best VR/AR Technology Voted by Committee:
    FiveStar VR: Shareable Travel Experience Through Multisensory Stimulation To The Whole Body by Kouichi Shimizu, Gaku Sueta, Kentaro Yamaoka, Kazuki Sawamura, Yujin Suzuki, Keisuke Yoshida, Vibol Yem, Yasushi Ikei, Tomohiro Amemiya, Makoto Sato, Koichi Hirota, Michiteru Kitazaki
    (Winner photo link;  https://buff.ly/2BeZhDD)
  • Best VR/AR Content Voted by Committee:
    Rapture of the Deep VR by Monja Dietrich, Vincent Suttner, Theres Buehler
    (Winner photo link:  https://buff.ly/2BcTZJ4)

Second and third places of each of the above award categories can be found in Annex A (See attached PDF).

Under Emerging Technologies, the winning teams are:

  • Best Demo Voted by Attendees
    Hap-Link: Wearable Haptic Device on the Forearm that Presents Haptics Sensations Corresponding to the Fingers by Taha Moriyama, The University of Electro-Communications, Japan
    (Winner photo link:  https://buff.ly/2Er2rsf)
  • Best Demo Voted by Committee
    Relaxushion: Controlling the Rhythm of Breathing for Relaxation by Overwriting Somatic Sensation, by Yuki Ban, The University of Tokyo, Japan
    (Winner photo link:  https://buff.ly/2Eqg7nn)

The Computer Animation Festival honored the top talent in animation including:

  • Best in Show: L’oiseau qui danse (France), directed and produced by Jean-Marie Marbach
  • Jury Special Award: Vermin (Luxembourg), directed by Jérémie Becquer, Miyu Distribution and produced by Michelle Ann Nardone, Miyu Distribution, Denmark
  • Best Student Film: Reverie (Mexico), directed by Philip Louis Piaget Rodriguez, Miyu Distribution and produced by Michelle Ann Nardone, Miyu Distribution, Denmark

Click here for the press release on the announcement of the Computer Animation Festival Award Winners.

SIGGRAPH Asia 2019

Next year’s edition, SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 will be held at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), Brisbane, Australia from 17 – 20 November 2019.

“Next year’s edition of SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 (SA2019) will be held for the very first time in Australia, in the beautiful subtropical city of Brisbane, which is referred to as Brissy by the locals,” said Tomasz Bednarz, SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 Conference Chair. “The leading theme of the conference is a DREAM ZONE!, therefore you can expect lots of magical experiences that expand perception and interaction through the creative use of computer graphics and interactive techniques, delivered in completely new innovative ways. SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 will include the Studio Program from the North American editions. We will also debut a Demoscene Program, which is inspired by limitation-driven creative, real-time computer graphics underground hack-code-art communities. Mark your calendars for SIGGRAPH Asia 2019! Join the conference and take the opportunity to explore beautiful Queensland.”

Visit the website for more details: http://sa2019.siggraph.org.

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