Next Generation Gaming: How Technological Developments, Improved Infrastructure, Next Gen Networks, and Other Key Innovations are Shaping the Future of Gaming. It’s clear that the future of gaming will be supercharged by rapid advances in game engine technology which is driving convergence across entertainment media, edge-based high-performance computing that means that higher quality interactive experiences can become increasingly ubiquitous across an increasing range of devices. A panel of industry experts will discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with this future of gaming as games continue to emerge from the basement and the bedroom into the world around us.

 

Moderator

James Hursthouse, CSO – AMPD

James Hursthouse is a twenty-year veteran of the global games and digital media sector. He has proven success across content development and publishing, infrastructure and technology for ‘games as a service’, and more recently with new technologies such as mixed reality, blockchain and artificial intelligence. After spending the first half of his career in Asia and Silicon Valley, he moved to Vancouver, BC in 2010 to co-found and be the CEO of Roadhouse Interactive, a mobile gaming studio that grew to 180 people at its peak. Between 2016 and 2018, James served as the Executive Director of DigiBC where he continues to serve on the board. As CSO of AMPD he is tasked with helping drive the organization to achieve its goals and vision.

 

Julien Bouvrais, Head of Studio – Eidos-Sherbrooke

Julien Bouvrais is now the head of Eidos-Sherbrooke, the research and development studio in charge of accelerating the technological innovation of the Eidos-Interactive group. When Eidos-Montréal was founded in 2007, Julien joined the founding team as programming director for Deus Ex: Human Revolution and later became the company’s Chief Technology Officer. In this role he supervised the departments of research and development, artificial intelligence, engine creation and tools. Julien started in the video game industry at Ubisoft in France as a physics programmer on Pro Rally 2001. His skills and interests led him to Ubisoft’s Studio in Montreal where he continued to hone his expertise as a programmer on Speed Devils Online Racing. He then invested in a new project by becoming a principal programmer. This strategic role allowed him to make a significant contribution to the development of a state-of-the-art automotive gaming engine. In 2004, he switched to the PS2 version of the game Splinter Cell Chaos Theory. Following the great success of the project, Julien was commissioned to lead the Xbox, PS2, GameCube, and Wii programming team for Splinter Cell Double Agent. Along with his teams, Julien is now working on the technologies that will be at the heart of tomorrow’s video games.

 

Keith Beaudoin, Head of product – OVA

Keith Beaudoin has a bachelor degree in Computer Science from UQTR and has acquired his experience over the past 14 years in the start-up world and in numerous technology projects for Fortune 50 companies, such as Google and Apple. In 2006, he joined the young start-up Poly9 as a developer in the field of web mapping and the company was acquired by Apple in 2010. In 2010, he was one of the founders of AptGeek and the company was offering cutting-edge consulting services in the field of web, mapping and mobile technologies. In 2014, he joined AmpMe as a project manager and release manager to help market a cross-platform mobile application that allows you to synchronize your phones, speakers and computers with those of your friends to create the biggest and most portable sound system. In 2018, he joined the ranks of OVA as Head of Product and helps the vision and development of StellarX, a multimodal collaborative platform, which facilitates the creation of interactive and immersive environments, dedicated to businesses and non-programmers.

 

Krystian Guevera, Co-founder Of Bunker Digital Inc.

KG has been working in the digital entertainment industry for over 18 years. He has been at the forefront of new product development for leaders and trend-setters such as Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Bron Studios, Gold tooth, THQ, Ubisoft and Square Enix in the development of video games, film, animation, immersive experiences and advanced technology. He has worked on international projects such as consulting on the creation of an incubation hub for the video game industry in the Middle East, and has been a speaker and panelist at local and international tech and entertainment conferences. He Co-founder and was the Creative Director of DreamCraft Attractions, a company that designed award-winning products, motion platform systems, VR / AR rides, virtual humans, real-time interactive projection mapping, scalable ride systems and full-bore story-driven experiences for theme parks, live events, and major entertainment centres. His most recent enterprise has been as Co-founder Of Bunker Digital Inc. Bunker Digital is a new breed of studio – fully virtualized, fully remote, and fully focused on real time workflows. The studio specializes in Virtual production, LBE and real time Mixed reality interactive experiences.

 

Workshop Supporters