The Montreal International Games Summit (MIGS) was created in 2004 in response to the needs of the local video game industry, to promote the growth of its workers and its businesses alike. This year the conference will take place on November 13 – 14, 2012 at the Hilton Montreal Bonaventure Hotel.
It has grown since its introduction, with over 1700 attendees at the 2011 event and is now the largest event in game event in Canada and the North East United States. This will mark the conference’s ninth year, and the focus will be on six main disciplines within the gaming industry: Arts, visual effects, sound, design, production, and technology.
This year’s event will feature two keynote addresses. On November 13th, Tim Sweeney, founder of Epic Games, known for their Unreal Engine, will be discussing the challenges and constraints of releasing new generations of consoles in an industry where mobile gaming and free-to-play are taking root, and how Epic Games is planning for that future.
On the following day, Peter Molyneux, Creative Director of 22Cans and designer of such games as Fable, will be delivering an address on experimentation and innovation, going over 22Cans’s experiences with experimentation, discussing how best to foster creativity, and proposing a new approach to innovation in game design.
Of course, the Summit isn’t limited to these two presentations alone. Additional presentations will be given by such people as Vander Caballero, Rod Abernethy, Lee Sheldon, David Sears, Sergei Savchenko, Stephan Martiniere, and more.
Also planned for the event are an exhibition area where game and technology designers and developers will be able to display their current and upcoming products and projects:
> a business area where attendees will be able to meet and greet with some big names in the video games industry
> a “Demo Zone” where 19 developers will be able to show off demos of their latest projects
> an art gallery
> a job fair where prospective professionals can meet with, learn about, and interview with potential employers
> a VIP cocktail which will feature even more meet-and-greet time with big names in the video games industry
> a party with live entertainment for all delegates at the show
With all the entertainment and opportunities on offer, this is certainly a show to attend and if you can’t definitely make sure to follow the news.
For more information please go to the MIGS website: http://mtldgtl.com/migs/
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