The mega San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) event is right around the corner, taking over southern California July 23rd-27th. SDCC celebrates every genre of the entertainment industry, bringing together over one hundred thousand attendees to celebrate epic fandom, esteemed creators, and breathtaking artwork.
This year there are quite a few awesome events featuring video games or the video game industry. I’ll be there on location with MMORPG.com premiering five exclusive panels running Thursday through Saturday. Check them out!
WHAT VIDEO GAMES CAN TEACH
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Join this high-powered panel divulging how much of an impact video games can have on people's lives in-game as well as offline. Parents advocating for a learner-centered approach often bring up the question, "Won't my kids just play video games all day?" Although the answer to that is multi-faceted, we know that no experience is devoid of learning. And, in fact, some may have more opportunities for development than we first believe. Join featured panelists Genese Davis (The Holder’s Dominion; MMORPG.com; The Gamer In You) Stephan Frost (Game Design Producer - Carbine Studios) Kate Edwards (Executive Director - International Game Developers Association) and Justin Burnham (Director of Operations - Devolver Digital; Project Manager – South by Southwest) as they discuss the benefits and potential drawbacks to video games and how to navigate both. This high-powered panel will plunge into video game culture and its social development divulging how video games affect our lives and education. Thursday, 7/24/14, 6:30p.m. - 7:30p.m., Room: 4
WONDER WOMEN OF THE 21st CENTURY: FEMALE PROTAGONISTS
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We couldn’t imagine our favorite comic book, TV show, video game, novel, or film without our beloved super heroines. However, the journey for them has not been easy. Whether it’s cultural barriers or societal sexism, super women have had to fight more than just crime in order to survive. Join esteemed creators Genese Davis (The Holder’s Dominion; MMORPG.com; The Gamer In You) Adrianne Curry (Reality TV personality; Spokeswoman; Model; America's Next Top Model) Michele R. Wells (Disney Publishing Worldwide; DK Publishing; Penguin) and Adam Simon (Man Down; Synapse) as they discuss the challenges and obstacles to creating relevant female protagonists, the influence female heroes possess in pop culture, and how the entertainment industry is evolving at large. Friday, 7/25/14, 4:00p.m. - 5:00p.m., Room: 9
EVOLUTION OF THE ACTION-RPG
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David Brevik (CEO Gazillion, visionary behind Diablo and Diablo II) sits down with fellow industry professionals to discuss the evolution of the action-RPG genre. From turn-based to real-time action, hear from the movers and shakers on how far the action-RPG genre has come and where it will be going in the future. Don't miss this chance to ask those burning questions you have in the Q&A session moderated by Genese Davis (The Holder's Dominion; MMORPG.com; The Gamer in You) Friday, 7/25/14, 7:00p.m. - 8:00p.m., Room: 9
E-SPORTS - HOW TO BECOME A PRO COMPETITOR
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We’re seeing a groundbreaking evolution happening in e-Sports as pro players become recognized as professional athletes who are awarded visas and salaries. However, the journey for them has not been easy. Join esteemed panelists Genese Davis (The Holder’s Dominion; MMORPG.com; The Gamer in You) Ryan "Fwiz"Wyatt (VP of Programming and eSports Commentator - Major League Gaming) Sam "Samzorz" Hall (Pro Gamer - Mortality eSports; Twitch; Founder - CODpedia) and John "ZeRo4" Hill (Pro Gamer - World Champion: Quake) as they discuss the opportunities and obstacles players face when seeking viable careers as e-Sports competitors. This high-powered panel will divulge exactly what it takes to become a pro gamer and how the e-Sports evolution is impacting the video game industry at large. Saturday, 7/26/14, 4:30p.m. - 5:30p.m., Room: 26AB
VIDEO GAMES AND OUR FUTURE: WE’RE ALL GAMERS
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Veterans of the video game industry join forces for this highly anticipated panel. Don't miss Genese Davis (The Holder’s Dominion; MMORPG.com; The Gamer In You) Ryan "Morello" Scott (League of Legends) Kate Edwards (Executive Director - International Game Developers Association) and Jennifer Zhang (Twin Galaxies) give their insight on everything ranging from creating futuristic video games to delving into themes that span the most prevalent elements of pop culture. Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at video game story details, gameplay features, and the influence video games possess in both video game culture and pop culture at large. These high-power panelists will discuss the past of video game culture as it compares to today and how "gamification" is making it possible for everyone to become a gamer. Saturday, 7/26/14, 6:30p.m. - 7:30p.m., Room: 24ABC
Hope to see you at SDCC! If coming out to California this year just isn’t in the cards, no worries! We will have high-powered panels at various Comic-Cons and Entertainment Expos across the nation. Connect with me on Twitter and Facebook and at GeneseDavis.com and find all the locations on my 2014 National Tour. Talk soon!
Bimonthly, Holder’s Dominion author Genese Davis opines about MMO gaming, the issues the genre faces, and the power of shaping online worlds.
Check out more columns by Genese:
· Ten Most Voted MMORPGs For Female Characters
· Twelve Famous MMORPG Player Driven Moments
