News
Announcing the 10th Annual Christian Game Developers Conference
NEWBERG, Ore. – May 24, in the year of our Lord 2011. The Christian Game Developers Conference (CGDC) is the premier Christian gaming event of 2011 and will be held at George Fox University July 7-9, 2011. Celebrating its 10th’ Anniversary, CGDC provides an environment that encourages and sparks open minded discussions, networking and cross pollination of ideas, allowing participants to network, and express their creativity. CGDC is the only conference with the purpose of building up Christians to live and thrive in the exploding game industry.
The Christian gaming industry is evolving, influenced by a fractured social structure and new technology advancements that now make the creation of quality games efficient and affordable. With over 67% of households in the US playing games, and the average gamer age being 34, there is a distinct need for a new type of game beyond the sex and violence packed offerings from many mainstream game studios. Leading game developers, designers and Christian thought leaders will be on hand at the conference to demonstrate how to engage with this cultural shift and how to apply Christian principles and purpose to high quality games with spiritual meaning.
“We’re excited about what we see happening in the mainstream gaming world,” said Erin Morris, Event Director of CGDC. “Our goal is to put on a conference that will teach developers new skills, provide them with an understanding of the opportunities available in the market and help motivate and elevate their spirits through connection. We want to help them see the big picture about what is happening in this genre in the mountain of arts and entertainment.”
Developers, artists, writers and enthusiasts are welcome to attend the conference to share in the wealth of knowledge and be inspired by speakers like: Os Hillman, Gary Barkalow, Lance Priebe, Mark Soderwall, Kyle Garner and Jeff Gerke. There will also be a special worship set performance by Barlow Girl.
While many forms of Christian entertainment have been able to penetrate the mainstream audience, such as music, films and books, the gaming industry has been challenged to find its way in an increasingly opportunistic and growing market. Lucasfilm veteran game developer Mark Soderwall sees more opportunities available today than at any point in Christian gaming.
“As a development professional and passionate gamer, it’s been an enigma to me over the years about the lack of attachment or influence Christian games has had on the gaming market,” said Mark Soderwall, President, Authority 5 Entertainment. “Even though music, movies, TV and books have gained momentum and acceptance, Christian games haven’t been able to chip the side of the Entertainment and Media Mountain. This is crazy, especially when you consider how big the gaming market is today, with audiences in the hundreds of millions. That is why this year's CGDC is going to be such an exciting and empowering event!”
Independent game developers like Soma Games are a growing trend. Focused on producing high quality, visually stimulating and mentally challenging games with a spiritual twist they offer an alternative to the current world of gaming. “We see a coming of age in Christian gaming and we’re excited! Games allow us to tell stories at a deeper level and help others learn about themselves and God,” said Chris Skaggs, Founder and CTO of Soma Games.
To register for the event, visit the website: http://cgdc.org/page/registration-1