The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) announced today that Steve Wadsworth, President of Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG) will keynote the D.I.C.E. Summit, which will take place at Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas, on February 17-19, 2010.
Wadsworth leads the Walt Disney Company segment that's responsible for the global creation and delivery of Disney-branded entertainment and lifestyle content across all interactive media platforms, including online, mobile devices and game consoles. DIMG also provides digital media strategy, technology solutions and execution for Disney and its ABC and ESPN units.
"Disney is synonymous with great entertainment across the spectrum of media choices we have today. Steve Wadsworth is the at the helm of Disney's interactive experiences for all video games, online and mobile devices -- from the Epic Mickey game to the Marvel acquisition to the success of Club Penguin as well as his views on the future of connectivity - we look forward to hearing his thoughts on this rapidly changing industry," said Joseph Olin, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.
The Walt Disney Company formed the DIMG business segment in 2008, which is a combination of its preexisting Walt Disney Internet Group and Disney Interactive Studios units, to take best advantage of rapid advancements in interactive digital media and cross-platform content convergence. Wadsworth was named President of DIMG at that time.
"The Walt Disney Company has a history of taking risks within interactive entertainment and has demonstrated how to deliver relevant content across diverse brands, platforms and consumer groups. Mr. Wadsworth will share his insights, challenges and successes on how he negotiates with an audience that is always in a state of flux looking for the next thing in entertainment; a challenge that everyone who attends the D.I.C.E. Summit contends," says Olin.
For more information: www.dicesummit.org or www.interactive.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 whose mission is to promote, advance and recognize common interests and outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences. The Academy conducts its annual awards show, the Interactive Achievement Awards, to promote and acknowledge exceptional accomplishments in the field. To further enhance awareness of the Academy's vision, the organization created the D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit in 2002, 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. With the success of D.I.C.E., the Academy took the exclusive event to Singapore to launch the first ever D.I.C.E. Summit Asia this year. With more than 20,000 members, including Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Ubisoft, THQ, Day One Studios, Epic Games and Insomniac Games, The Academy is the leading advocate of video games worldwide