LittleBigPlanet Creators To Keynote GDC Paris

Author: by Staff

Mark Healey and Alex Evans, co-founders of Media Molecule, will deliver a keynote speech titled, “Media Molecule, Little Team, Big Ideas,” at this year’s Paris Game Developers Conference (Paris GDC). Healey and Evans will address the breadth of ways in which game developers can incorporate creativity into their designs. From god-games and sim-games to full-on modding, they will discuss the past, present, and future of user-generated content as illustrated through the story of Media Molecule’s conception and its first title, LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation 3. Paris GDC, the second French edition of the Game Developers Conference - the premier event for developers and publishers in the videogame industry - is scheduled for June 23-24 at the Coeur Défense Convention Centre in Paris. A veteran of the games industry since 1988, Healey is currently the Creative Director at Media Molecule. He has coded, designed, and contributed to game audio for Bullfrog Productions and Lionhead Studios. Having contributed to acclaimed titles such as Fable, Theme Park, and the Black and White series, Healey then led the development of the cult hit title, Rag Doll Kung Fu, which became available through Valve’s digital distribution system Steam, in 2007. After writing software renderers for Bullfrog Productions, Evans joined Lionhead Studios where he worked on the 3D engine of the milestone title Black & White. In 2006, Evans and Healey formed Media Molecule, where he is the Technical Director, in hopes of bringing creative gaming to life on PlayStation 3. The result was the world-renowned LittleBigPlanet. “The first build of LittleBigPlanet was the most fun and exciting game I played in 2006, leading up to its iconic reveal in Phil Harrison’s GDC keynote in 2007,” said Jamil Moledina, Executive Director, Game Developers Conference Events. “Yet one of the most tantalizing and little-discussed elements of the game is the degree to which the toolset empowers the gamer to become the developer. This represents a turning point in the game industry, and we anticipate the Paris GDC attendees taking voluminous notes in this detailed examination of the building blocks of this highly coveted title.” “We are thrilled to have renowned industry figures Mark Healey and Alex Evans kick-off Paris GDC with the opening keynote address,” said Pierre Carde, Executive Director, Paris GDC. “This visionary talk encapsulates the main issues and trends developers are interested in hearing about and sets the stage for two days of exceptional content.” Paris GDC 08 offers more than 50 sessions presented by industry experts and designed for developers looking to expand their expertise, network, and learn from their peers. Visit the Paris GDC website for the complete list of confirmed sessions. Videogame professionals who wish to take advantage of the Super Early Bird Rate and save more than 50% on their pass have until April 23rd to register online at the conference's website.