Updated: Evolution of the Action RPG | San Diego Comic Con
THE EVOLUTION OF THE ACTION-RPG
Friday, 7/25/14, 7:00p.m. – 8:00p.m., Room: 25ABC
David Brevik, (Gazillion Entertainment) visionary behind Diablo and Diablo II, sits down with fellow industry professionals David Eddings (Gearbox Software), James Schmalz (Digital Extremes), Jared Gerritzen (Major League Gaming) and Chris Lee (En Masse Entertainment) 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).
David Brevik
David Brevik is a video game designer and producer known as the co-founder and president of Blizzard North (Condor Inc.), the highly successful video game company behind titles such as the Diablo series. His prior position was lead technical director at Iguana Entertainment. GameSpot named him as 1996′s fourth most influential person in computer gaming for his role in the inception and development of Diablo. Brevik co-founded Flagship Studios (in 2003) as well as Ping0 (in 2006), a sister company to Flagship Studios. Brevik went on to become the new creative director for Turbine and its new West coast studio. In 2009, David Brevik began at Gazillion Entertainment in San Mateo, California working in the Gargantuan Studio. In 2011, Gargantuan became Secret Identity Studios and David Brevik was named president and chief operating officer of Gazillion Entertainment.
James Schmalz
James Schmalz is a game developer and founder of Digital Extremes. Schmalz began developing games at the age of 12, creating an Ultima clone called Sorcery on an Apple IIe computer. From there, he continued dabbling with game development through his University years at University of Waterloo. Upon graduation, left with a choice between a full-time paid engineering position and the option of self-employed game developer, Schmalz chose the latter and created Epic Pinball, published by then shareware publisher, Epic Megagames. Bolstered from the success of Epic Pinball and the rising technology movement in the mid-90′s toward realistic 3D graphics, Schmalz officially founded Digital Extremes and the company began co-development with Epic Games on what would become Epic Games‘ Unreal franchise.
David Eddings
David Eddings is the VP of business development at Gearbox Software. Eddings has extensive expertise in video game development and publishing, toy manufacturing, entertainment licensing, marketing, and branding. He began his career in video games as an executive with Gathering of Developers (GodGames) where he played a key role in launching numerous titles including Tropico, Serious Sam, and Max Payne. After GodGames was purchased by Take2, David and his partners founded Radioactive Clown, a toy company that made action figures based on video games (Unreal Tournament, Call of Duty, America’s Army). Now as the point man for Business Development and Licensing at Gearbox, Eddings’ goal is to make Gearbox Software, and its many wonderful properties, a household name among gamers.
Jared Gerritzen
Jared Gerritzen is a video games industry veteran who is currently the VP of Publisher and Developer Relations at Major League Gaming. With nearly two decades of games industry experience focused on the art and craft of video game creation and a deep knowledge of the space, Gerritzen joins MLG from Zombie Studios where he most recently headed development for the Blacklight Series. As MLG’s VP of Publisher & Developer Relations, he will focus on management of publisher and developer relationships as MLG continues to broaden and strengthen its position as the global leader in eSports while helping partners benefit from MLG’s competitive gaming solutions.
Chris Lee
Chris Lee is the CEO of En Masse Entertainment. Lee previously served as Vice President of Publishing at En Masse Entertainment, Inc. Overseeing publishing, business development, and marketing, Lee has ambitions to create a global presence for En Masse and its inaugural MMO project, TERA. He has successfully managed and delivered creative marketing programs for blockbuster franchises like Halo, Need for Speed, Age of Empires, and Aion at companies such as Electronic Arts, Microsoft, and NCsoft. He served as Art Director of Doppelganger, Inc. and was part of the games group at Microsoft Corporation. He joined Microsoft as part of the acquisition of Bungie Studios where he was a key member of the art team on the critically acclaimed Halo 1, Halo 2 and Oni. He was a Commercial Architect and has won design distinctions both architecture and interactive.
Genese Davis
Genese Davis is an American author, host, columnist and media personality. She is the author of The Holder’s Dominion, a next-generation thriller heralded as a breakthrough novel by Publishers Weekly. Davis is the founder of The Gamer In You and was recently awarded iGR Woman of the Year. Her writing expertise expands across various literary genres including thriller, fantasy, sci-fi, gamer-lit, new adult, and young adult, along with screenplay, playwriting, video game lore, characterization, and narrative. Davis is an in-demand host, speaker, and moderator, appearing internationally for TV, web-series, conventions, academic fairs, publishing workshops, as well as literary and entertainment expos. In addition, she is a featured columnist at MMORPG.com. Residing in Irvine, CA, Davis advocates for her other passion, animal rescue. To learn more, visit GeneseDavis.com | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Flickr
