Dustin Clingman, First5 Games, Re-elected Chair Of International Game Developers Association

MOUNT ROYAL, NJ ‐ 06 May 2013 – Dustin Clingman, CEO, First5 Games, was re-elected chair of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) during the April 2013 board of directors’ meeting. Also re-elected to their positions were Ed Fries, Former VP, Microsoft Game Studios, as Treasurer, and Sheri Rubin, Founder and CEO, Design Direct Deliver, as Secretary. Brian Robbins, Mobile Games Consultant continues in his role of Vice Chair.

Clingman, a long-time member of the IGDA, says he is excited to continue leading the board as the association continues to broaden its outreach and advocacy on issues that matter most to game developers.

IGDA continues to mature into an International organization with a focus on professional development and advocacy,” said Clingman. “We have an amazing Staff and incredible leadership on our Board. The future has never looked brighter for The IGDA!”

The IGDA Board of Directors also recently welcomed back Tom Buscaglia as a returning board member and Luke Dicken as a first‐term member. “Both Tom and Luke have proven themselves to be valuable contributors to the IGDA” said Robbins. “Their continued efforts for helping drive the IGDA’s mission forward will be invaluable to the org and the industry.”

IGDA’s complete list of 2013‐2014 Directors:
•  Dustin Clingman (Chair) – CEO, First5 Games
•  Ed Fries ‐ (Treasurer) Former VP, Microsoft Game Studios
•  Sheri Rubin (Secretary) – Founder and CEO, Design Direct Deliver
•  Brian Robbins (Vice Chair) – Mobile Games Consultant
•  Tom Buscaglia – The Game Attorney
•  Luke Dicken – Founder, Robot Overlord Games
•  Cordy Rierson, GPM, Microsoft Studios

The IGDA Board of Directors would like to thank all of the former directors and officers for their service to the association and all the IGDA members who voted in the most recent election.

Visit www.igda.org/directors for more information.

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
In its 17th year, the International Game Developers Association is the largest non‐profit membership organization serving individuals who create video games. The IGDA is committed to advancing the careers and enhancing the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community. For more information on the IGDA, please visit www.igda.org.

IGDA Names Kate Edwards Executive Director

Game Industry Culturalization Strategist, Longtime IGDA Member
To Work with the IGDA Board to Grow the Organization

MT. ROYAL, NJ – 27 December 2012 – The International Game Developers Association (IGDA), the world’s largest organization serving individuals who create games, has named Kate Edwards Executive Director. Edwards brings more than 16 years’ experience in the game industry as a culturalization strategist to the position.

Edwards has applied her expertise to many game titles, including Halo, Age of Empires, Fable, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Fallout 3, Modern Warfare 3 and Dance Central. As Microsoft’s geopolitical strategist in the internal team she created (’92 – ’05) and as a consultant in her company Englobe (’05 – present), she pioneered the field of “culturalization” to identify geopolitical and cultural risks and opportunities in digital content.

“Kate’s knowledge of the global game industry and local cultures make her ideal to lead the IGDA,” said Dustin Clingman, Chair, IGDA. “Her long service to our organization and commitment to the global development community will lay a foundation for ongoing international growth.”

In her new role, Edwards will work closely with the elected board of directors to further the IGDA’s goals — empowering game developers to advance their careers and, in turn, enhance their quality of life.

“Game development is an artistic endeavor with mass appeal,” Edwards said. “Developers and fans alike are increasingly aware of the diversity of those who both create and play games. Today, we’re engaged in creating great games for a global audience, and the IGDA remains the relevant focal point for supporting developers in the broadest sense of the definition. I’m thrilled to be given the privilege to lead and nurture this awesome community.”

Edwards has been a member of the IGDA since 2004, founding and chairing its Localization Special Interest Group, which led to her co-organizing Game Developer Conference’s Localization Summit.

Beyond games, Edwards has handled a broad range of issues regarding global-facing content, from online mapping and government relations to marketing and distribution in local markets.

Edwards will remain based in Seattle.
About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
The International Game Developers Association is the largest non-profit membership organization serving individuals who create digital games. The IGDA is committed to advancing the careers and enhancing the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community. For more information on the IGDA, please visit www.igda.org.

CONTACT
The Bohle Company for the IGDA
Attn: Robert Brown
Robert at bohle dot com
Tel: +1 310 785 0515 x231

IGDA to Partner with Newly Independent GGJ Nonprofit to Produce Global Game Jam 2013

MOUNT ROYAL, NJ — Oct. 29, 2012 — Continuing a five year partnership, the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) and Global Game Jam Inc. (GGJ), a newly formed nonprofit, will combine forces to produce Global Game Jam 2013, a worldwide event fostering fun, creativity and innovation in game design, the weekend of Jan. 25-27, 2013.

“The Global Game Jam has become the preeminent annual event for the development of innovative game concepts,” said Dustin Clingman, Board Chair, IGDA.  “We are extremely proud to have helped make GGJ viable as a sustaining independent organization. Going forward, we look forward to working with the new nonprofit the founders have formed.”

Under the banner of the IGDA, the jam has seen considerable growth since its launch in 2008. The IGDA has mentored GGJ, helping it achieve record breaking successes, including a nomination for a Guinness World of Records for World’s Largest Game Jam.

Global Game Jam 2013 will be the first event under the new organization, with the IGDA continuing as a partner with a dedicated seat on the new board of directors.

The new Global Game Jam organization will be led by the team responsible for the previous editions of GGJ, Susan Gold, Gorm Lai, Foaad Koshmood, Zuraida Buter, Elonka Dunkin and Ian Schreiber. Groups interested in hosting an event can find more information at the GGJ site: http://www.globalgamejam.org

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
In its 17th year, the International Game Developers Association is the largest non-profit membership organization serving individuals who create video games. The IGDA is committed to advancing the careers and enhancing the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community. For more information on the IGDA, please visit www.igda.org.

###

CONTACT:
The Bohle Company for the IGDA
Robert Brown
Robert@bohle.com
Tel: (310)-785-0515 x231

Board Update – 09/21/2012

Hello IGDA Members,

As always, thank you so much for your support and participation. Because of your engagement, this organization is able to evolve, grow, and better serve all of its members.

The Board of Directors recently had their semi-annual offsite meeting. We met for two days to discuss IGDA business, assess our achievements from last year, and develop the guiding vision for the organization for the future.

At last year’s offsite meeting, four main priorities were identified:

1. IGDA.org
2. Global Game Jam
3. IGDA Scholars
4. IGDA Summit / Leadership Forum

Here is the current status of each of those projects:

1. The IGDA website redesign project is moving full steam ahead. We’ve finished creating and distributing the RFP (request for proposal) and are working to source and select a vendor.
2. The IGDA Scholars program had a bigger year than ever and we now have a new IGDA Scholarship committee to help beef up the program and its infrastructure. We have some fantastic volunteers helping oversee things: Heather Decker-Davis, Luke Dicken, Kenji Ono, and Ashley Zeldin.
3. Global Game Jam was wildly successful – so much so that the event is now officially a Guinness World Record holder. There are tons of volunteers all around the world preparing for the 2013 jam.
4. We had a great IGDA Summit – two amazing keynotes and lots of great sessions. Many attendees told us that IGDA Summit and Casual Connect (our generous partner – huge thanks to them!) are now their two favorite game dev conferences to attend each year.

During this year’s transitional period, the Board decided to re-work its focus for the next six months. Each Board Member selected a few key areas as their priority moving forward spread between the new “Top Three” and some general operations areas.

The “Top Three” main focuses for the board going forward are:

1. IGDA Website Redesign
2. Membership Program
3. Fair Employment Agreements

The rest of the board’s time will be focused on the following:

1. Executive Committee
2. Finance
3. Executive Director Search
4. “Staff Box” aka Day to Day Operations

If you have questions regarding any of these key focus areas, please feel free to reach out to us. Individual email addresses can be found at http://www.igda.org/directors, or you can contact the entirety of the Board at board@igda.org. We will continue to provide updates on these projects monthly, so please watch this blog for our meeting minutes.

Speaking of meeting minutes, at the Board offsite we also approved the July meeting minutes. You can view those and any previous minutes at http://www.igda.org/board/minutes.

Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, September 27^th.  August minutes will be made available once they are approved and ready for posting.

Thank you again for your participation.

We look forward to serving you and hope that you’re having a great year!
IGDA Board of Directors

IGDA Executive Director Gordon Bellamy Steps Down

Rejoins Board of Directors; Search for Replacement Underway

MOUNT ROYAL, NJ – July 30, 2012 – The International Game Developers Association’s (IGDA) Executive Director Gordon Bellamy is stepping down after two years to take a position with Tencent as Director of Business Development and Industry Relations.  Dustin Clingman, chair of the board of directors, and CEO, ZeeGee Games, will serve as the interim Executive Director until a suitable replacement is found.

“Gordon has done great things for the IGDA.  He has been a tireless and thoughtful champion publicly as well as behind the scenes for our community,” Clingman said.  “We wish him well in his new position.”

During Bellamy’s two years as executive director, the association began several new programs and saw a marked increase in membership and chapters.  Among the programs Bellamy spearheaded was the expansion of the IGDA’s Scholars program.

Before becoming executive director, Bellamy was a member of the IGDA board of directors, serving as Board Chair in 2010.   He will now rejoin the board and finish the third year of his board term.

“It is a great privilege to serve our global development community,’ Bellamy said. I want to thank our leaders and their inspiring colleagues who paved the way for me to have the opportunity to serve our community.  As I enter my 20th year in our craft, I will still be very much involved with its leadership as we move forward. It is incumbent upon developers to value and help other developers.”

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
In its 17th year, the International Game Developers Association is the largest non‐profit membership organization serving individuals who create video games. The IGDA is committed to advancing the careers and enhancing the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community. For more information on the IGDA, please visit www.igda.org.

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rob Brown
The Bohle Company for The IGDA
(310) 785 0515 Ext. 231
robert@bohle.com

Board Update – July 17th, 2012

Hello IGDA Members!

The IGDA Board blog will be evolving slightly to better serve our members – we will start publishing updates here on a more regular basis. Some of the items you’ll see will include notices regarding upcoming board meetings, links to our meeting minutes (so you can see what happened), and news about some of the various projects the board is working on.

To kick this off, we’re announcing the next board meeting, which will be held this Thursday, July 19th. With the 2nd Annual IGDA Summit happening next week, the meeting will likely focus primarily on the event, but you can still look forward to some brief updates on the website improvement project, our current financial status, and other items.

We also posted our most recent meeting minutes for public consumption and you can view them here: http://www.igda.org/board/minutes

Lastly, we hope to see many of you at IGDA Summit where your fellow board members, staff, and a slew of awesome volunteers and members have put together a great set of sessions that will help inspire you and give you tools you need to make better games. You can find out all about the event at http://www.igda.org/summit.

Thanks again for helping make this organization great!
IGDA Board of Directors