2012 Game Developers Conference Opens Call for Submissions for All Summit Sessions Through October 31, Debuts Two New Summits

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The call for submissions to present sessions for the specialized Summits kicking off the 2012 Game Developers Conference® (GDC) is now open through Monday, October 31 at 11:59pm ET. The GDC Summits, which take place the first two days of the five day conference, cover pertinent topics in emerging sectors of the game industry, with a focus on broadening the scope of games to incorporate new audiences, new platforms and new gameplay ideas. Organized by the UBM TechWeb Game Network, GDC 2012 will take place March 5-9, 2012 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California.

Two new Summits are being introduced to this year's lineup: the Game IT Summit and Games for Change @ GDC. The Game IT Summit is a daylong conference that focuses on the use of videogames to tackle common organizational goals through enterprise focused game development. The Game IT Summit is designed to address the need for fresh discussions about the integration between games and technology-oriented practices that are implemented by today's forward-thinking organizations.  Advisors for the program include Jane McGonigal Creative Director of Social Chocolate, Ian Bogost, Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Ben Sawyer, Co-Founder of Digitalmill.

The introduction of Games for Change @ GDC marks the first time that GDC has partnered with Games for Change, an organization that facilitates the creation and distribution of social impact titles that serve as critical tools in humanitarian and educational efforts.  Through this partnership, Games for Change @ GDC is the first ever opportunity to bring together funders, non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies, and educators with top game developers from the independent and commercial sectors to discuss practices to leverage interactive entertainment for social good. It is a complement to the annual Games for Change Festival which takes place each summer in New York City.

The two new summits join a lineup of popular returning summits; the complete lineup for the GDC 2012 Summits follows:

• AI Summit
• Game IT Summit
• Localization Summit
• Games For Change @ GDC
• GDC Education Summit
• Independent Games Summit
• Smartphone & Tablet Games Summit
• Social & Online Games Summit
• Game Career Seminar

For more information regarding the submission process and guidelines for the GDC summits, please visit http://gdconf.com/conference/c4p/summits.html.

The GDC 2012 Summit advisory committees have added several new members, including the co-presidents of Games for Change, Asi Burak and Michelle Byrd, who will be leading the Games for Change @ GDC.

New advisors on the Smartphone & Tablet Game Summit advisory committee include Chris Pruett, founder of game development company Robot Invader, and Caryl Shaw, executive producer at ngmoco. Frank Cartwright, senior vice president of product and platform development at K2 Network/GamersFirst, and David Edery, Fuzbi manager and Spry Fox CEO, both join the Social & Online Games Summit advisory committee this year.

"The introduction of the Game IT Summit and the Games for Change @ GDC demonstrates how the Game Developers Conference continues to offer attendees a unique opportunity to participate in diverse conversations that will shape the technology landscape for years to come," said Meggan Scavio, event director.

For more information about the Summits at GDC 2012 and advisory board members, please visit http://www.gdconf.com.

About the UBM TechWeb Game Network 
A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the  UBM TechWeb Game Network – formerly known as the Think Services Game Group - offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include the Game Developers Conference®, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com and network of sites, the Game Advertising Online ad network, the Game Developers Conference® Online, the Game Developers Conference™ Europe, the Game Developers Conference™ China, Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Game Career Seminars and GameCareerGuide.com, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards. Visit www.jointhegamenetwork.com

About UBM TechWeb
UBM TechWeb, the global leader in technology media and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the transformative power of technology. Through its three core businesses – media solutions, marketing services and paid content – UBM TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed brands and media applications in the technology market. More than 14.5 million business and technology professionals (CIOs and IT managers, Web & Digital professionals, Software Developers, Government decision makers, and Telecom providers) actively engage in UBM TechWeb's communities and information resources monthly. UBM TechWeb brands includes: global face-to-face events such as Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and Enterprise Connect; award-winning online resources such as InformationWeek, Light Reading, and Network Computing; and market-leading magazines InformationWeek, Wall Street & Technology, and Advanced Trading. UBM TechWeb is a UBM plc company, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion. Visit: www.ubmtechweb.com

SOURCE UBM TechWeb