Big names join GDC Online board
Execs from Zynga, PopCap, Blizzard and more join conference advisory board
Organisers of the Game Developers Conference Online (GDC Online) have announced additions to the main conference and summit advisory boards, with the involvement of a number of veteran industry figures.
The board members have been involved in rating, commenting on and discussing more than 340 submissions for GDC Online 2011; after meeting in person in Austin, Texas last week to choose a lecture program.
The new members are Brandon Beck, co-founder and CEO of Riot Games; John Blakely, former vice president at Sony Online Entertainment and now acting general manager at Zynga; J. Allen Brack, production director at Blizzard Entertainment; Gordon Walton, vice president and executive producer at Playdom Austin; Joe McDonagh, director of production at PopCap Games; and Chris Mayer, founder of Night Owl Games.
Existing board members include Richard Vogel of BioWare Austin, Eugene Evans of BioWare Mythic, Cindy Armstrong of Electric Bat Interactive, Thomas Bidaux of ICO Partners, Mike Goslin of Mindspark Worlds, Min Kim of Nexon America, Raph Koster of Playdom, and Sheri Graner Ray of Schell Games.
GRL Games owner Graeme Devine, who oversaw iOS gaming strategy in Apple's iPhone Game Technologies Division, and ngmoco's Caryl Shaw will also join the Smartphone & Tablet Gaming summit advisory board.
Finally, CCP CEO Hilmar Petursson will join the board for the new GDC Virtual Items summit, where he will discuss his experience of CCP title EVE Online.
GDC Online will take place at the Austin Convention Center on October 10-13, 2011. Further information can be found at the official website.