slides & audio (71 MB)
This panel represents over 3 billion dollars of yearly revenue in the gaming space. That is a lot of money. But it doesn't mean the core publishers are here to squish the casual games industry - they are here to help us all grow the industry together. Happy loving industry.
our take:
Okay - you guys are all OBSESSED with the big core publishers entering the space. But not to fear, the big core publishers deep down (very deep down) are just as warm and fuzzy as we are in the casual space.
Delivered at Casual Connect Seattle, 19 July 2007
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Eric Schwertzel (email)
Eric is the founder of Alphabit Digital, a digital lifestyle consulting firm that helps companies monetize digital assets. He is currently working with a game company, a mobile phone advertising platform, a music remix company and video encoding company. He is a well-known figure in the digital distribution and entertainment industry, having over the last 10 years built up a wide range of strong relationships in the semiconductor, gaming, music and video industry. Eric has recently worked with Capitol Records, Live Nation, Virgin Records, Vivendi and Fox Studios. He also has presented at industry trade events including Game Developer's Conference and iHollywoodForum on branded entertainment.
Lou Fawcett (email)
Lou has held a variety of senior industry sales, marketing and business development posts and now runs the recently created Casual Games division at Eidos where she is responsible for all aspects of publishing boxed casual retail titles on all formats.
Lou’s career spans nearly 15 years in the home entertainment, media and games industries, including most recently as Vice President of Business Development for Climax Group. In 2002, Lou co-founded leading games agency Symbiosis Media, representing global and domestic brands such as Adidas, Masterfoods and Nestle and delivering high-profile campaigns for the likes of Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft and VU Games.
Prior to this, Lou was at the forefront of digital distribution, rolling out Infogrames’ European broadband strategy with over 30 leading European ISPs and telcos and at Hasbro Interactive was responsible for the delivery of multi-million dollar sales targets throughout Europe and Latin America.
Jon Estanislao (email)
Jon Estanislao is Senior Manager of Online Publishing at Activision, leading the strategy and business for downloadable games, downloadable content, and digital distribution of retail PC products. Jon was previously the senior manager of business development for emerging platforms at Activision. In this role, he was responsible for creating opportunities for mobile, interactive TV, and online PC/console gaming, and developing strategies to leverage Activision’s content on those platforms.
Formerly, Jon was a strategy manager in the Communications, Media and Entertainment practice of Accenture LLP. He specialized in the interactive entertainment industry and assisted clients, including console manufacturers and software publishers, with online strategies, competitive analysis, market entry, financial analysis, and customer relationship management.
Jon was one of the original steering committee founders on the International Game Developers Association’s (IGDA) Online Games Committee, an assistant editor of the mobile games section of the 2004 IGDA online games white paper, and was vice-chairperson of the committee for the 2003 IGDA online games white paper.
David Haddad (email)
David Haddad is senior vice president of Sierra Online, a division of Vivendi Games. Haddad oversees Sierra Online’s global product marketing, sales, live production and business development initiatives for PC platform and console downloadable titles.
Prior to joining Sierra Online, Haddad was executive vice president of Business Development for The Hatchery, a family-focused media entertainment company. Haddad led the company’s business development initiatives, operations and business strategy and was responsible for scouting and acquiring intellectual properties for development.
Haddad has held executive positions in companies from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Before The Hatchery, Haddad was president and chief operating officer of Liveplanet Inc., an entertainment company that developed integrated programming designed to leverage the power of traditional media with new media. Haddad led operations, marketing, strategy and investor relations.
Previously, Haddad held positions with eToys.com including president and executive vice president of New Channels. Haddad was also co-founder and CEO of eParties.com, a Web-based store and e-invitation service which was sold to eToys in 2000.
Before founding eParties.com Haddad also served as divisional President of Mattel Toys, overseeing its Mattel Media and interactive toy division. Haddad also served as vice president and publisher of the Walt Disney Company’s children’s publishing division.
Haddad holds a master’s of business administration in marketing and finance from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, and a bachelor’s degree in business from Miami University.
