CALABASAS, Calif. – February 9, 2009 – The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences® (AIAS) today announced that the 2009 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit® has officially sold all of the available attendee slots. The event will be held at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, February 17-20, 2009, and features a line-up of industry leaders, visionaries and decision makers that are shaping the future of interactive entertainment. The Academy has opened a waitlist which will be cleared before the beginning of the summit on February 17th.
“D.I.C.E. was designed to be an open, collegial and productive gathering so we have always limited our attendance. It’s gratifying to see the level of support the Summit receives from our peers, especially in what we all know to be a challenging year,” said Joseph Olin, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. “With an increased number of industry leaders speaking, and a strong showing of leaders from publishers, developers and games industry service companies, D.I.C.E. is more than a conference. We aim to have D.I.C.E. always be a must-attend for key decision makers and a truly unique experience for our industry.”
The D.I.C.E. Summit 2009 will also play host to the 12th annual Interactive Achievement Awards® ceremony on February 19, where industry leaders and members pay tribute and recognize the individuals and products that contribute to the growth of the interactive entertainment software business. Comedian, actor and proud game enthusiast, Jay Mohr will return for his fourth year to host the award festivities. Announced speakers include:
• Dan Bilson, THQ.
• Chris Cao, Sony Online Entertainment
• N’Gai Croal, Newsweek
• Michael Denny, Sony Corp. EU
• Alex Evans, Media Molecule
• Anita Frazier, NPD Research
• Julianne Greer, The Escapist
• Lars Gustavsson, DICE Studios/EA
• Michael Haigh, SCE Worldwide Studios
• Mona Hamilton, Capcom
• Rich Hilleman, Electronic Arts
• Todd Howard, Bethesda Studios
• Geoff Keighley, Spike TV
• Alex Laurent, LucasArts/ILM
• Ralph Osterhout, Serial Inventor
• David Perry, Acclaim Entertainment
• Ted Price, Insomniac Games
• J. Paul Raines, Gamestop
• John Riccitiello, Electronic Arts
• Seth Schiesel, New York Times
• Bruce Shelley, Ensemble Studios
• Mike Snider, USA Today
• Jun Takeuchi, Capcom
• Chris Taylor, Gas Powered Games
For more information and registration: www.dicesummit.org
About The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences® (AIAS) was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of the interactive arts. The Academy’s mission is to promote and advance common interests in the worldwide interactive entertainment community; recognize outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences; and conduct an annual awards show (Interactive Achievement Awards®) to enhance awareness of the interactive art form. The Academy also strives to provide a voice for individuals in the interactive entertainment community. In 2002 the Academy created the D.I.C.E. Summit® (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain), a once yearly conference dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. The Academy has more than 12,000 members, with the board comprised of senior executives from the major videogame companies including Bioware/Pandemic, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and Ubisoft. More information on AIAS and the D.I.C.E. Summit can be found at: www.interactive.org andwww.dicesummit.org
