The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Announces Speaking Sessions, Feature Into the Pixel Art Exhibit at PAX East

CALABASAS, Calif., March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), the professional video games organization dedicated to advancing the artistic values of the interactive entertainment community, is pleased to announce its debut at PAX East 2012, a three-day game festival for tabletop, videogame, and PC gamers. The AIAS brings to the PAX East Naga Theatre some of the most recognizable and passionate game makers of our time from the prestigious D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit to interact with fans and reflect on the past, present and future of games. 

Additionally, many PAX East attendees will have a first glimpse at the seventeen pieces from the 2011 Into the Pixel art exhibit, the only juried art exhibition that brings together experts from the traditional fine art world and the interactive entertainment industry to display and discuss the art of the video games.  This impressive display of work features scenes from popular games such as Mass Effect 2, BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, among others.  The Into the Pixel exhibit will be displayed in the South East Lobby on level one of the convention center.

Presented by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the two sessions will be live streamed via Twitch.tv:

• Best of the 2012 D.I.C.E. Summit: Friday, April 6th, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
  Richard Hilleman, chief creative director, Electronic Arts, will present his session titled: "Games as a Language" and will share how a Hippy, a Chinese World Champion, a New Hampshire Engineer, and two Nobel Prize winners invented the modern video games business, by accident. 
• Epic Games: Past, Present and Future: Saturday April 7th, 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Fans of the Gears of Wars franchise will have a chance to get personal with Epic Games Design Director, Cliff Bleszinski and President, Mike Capps.  Listen as they answer 10 questions from their biggest fans on topics relating to design, inspirations and the secrets to staying around for 20 years! Following the 10 questions, Martin Rae, President, AIAS, will get even more in-depth with these two on the past, present and future of this EPIC studio.

"The Academy is pleased to provide access to some of our most enjoyable D.I.C.E. Summit sessions and the Into the Pixel to PAX East attendees," said Martin Rae, president, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.  "This will be the first time that many get a glimpse to the Academy's initiatives, and we're looking forward to continuing this collaboration."

For more information, please visit: www.interactive.org, www.dicesummit.org, www.intothepixel.com. Follow the AIAS on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences