Hype or Real Deal | Ron Powers, Frederik Hammes, Rick Marazzani, Thorsten Kolisch, Stefan Betzold

Audio & slides (60 MB) Listen, learn, and laugh as we explore the latest trends in casual games and ask industry pundits to voice their opinions. Is it “real” or is it “hype”? We’ll explore topics like pricing, consolidation of portals, audiences, development trends and emerging business models. Delivered at Casual Connect Europe, February 2010

DOWNLOAD

Ron POWERS (email) Ron Powers was one of the principals at GameHouse, going back to 1999, where he was VP of Business Development. After helping with the sale of GameHouse to RealNetworks in 2004, Ron continued to run the Business Development efforts for both GameHouse and RealArcade. In 2006 Ron accepted a role as VP of Content Business Development for Oberon Media, in Seattle, and remained in that position until Fall of 2008. Later in 2008, he joined PopCap as Head of Global PC Products.

Frederik HAMMES (email) Frederik Hammes was born in Heidelberg in 1979. He studied Business Administration in Sigmaringen. He made first contact with the videogames industry while working in the US. Frederik became Master of Media Science at the University of Tubingen. He worked as a freelance writer for daily newspapers and corporate publishing projects. He is the author of “Brandbuilding in Videogames.” Frederik joined Europe’s leading publishing house Gruner+Jahr as Editor for B2B-magazine GamesMarkt in 2007. He is an avid gamer from core to casual.

Rick MARAZZANI (email) Rick started his career in mass-market games at Maxis working on Sim City 3000, and spent several years at EA/Maxis/Pogo. Later, as a founding employee at Digital Chocolate, and then at Hands On, he championed casual gameplay for mobile phones. As Director of Content and Programming at Exent, Rick licenses and promotes the best games to delight and entertain Exent’s Games on Demand audience. With rich experience as developer, publisher and now distributor across platforms, Rick has deep insight and a long view of the game industry.

Thorsten KOLISCH (email) Thorsten Kolisch started out as project manager at Me, Myself & Eye Entertainment GmbH in 1997. From 1999 to 2001, he acted as general manager at the management consultancy AHEAD and its successor company Valtech. Subsequently, he was head of the on-line activities of MME AG as executive producer. Since 2003, Kolisch is a partner and managing director of INTENIUM GmbH, supervising the divisions of on-line business development and international expansion.

Stefan BETZOLD (email) Stefan Betzold is Head of Channel Management at Bild Digital. In this role he is responsible for product marketing, partner cooperation and eCommerce activities on bild.de, Germanys largest News & Entertainment portal. Prior to joining Bild Digital, Stefan was heading the Products & Social Media department at AOL Germany, being accountable for strategy, positioning and P&L of AOL DEs product and paid service portfolio. Stefan holds a Master in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Hamburg.