Bridge the Gap Between Casual vs. Hardcore Games

A session at SXSW Interactive 2012

With the emergence of highly accessible electronic games developed for Facebook and smartphones, there has been a clear democratization of electronic gaming that has led to many people discovering video games for the first time. It has also caused some to suggest that console game companies such as PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox could struggle to survive against the games targeting casual gamers from companies like Zynga and Glu. However, what these casual gamers are really showing is that the expansion of this technology is opening up new gameplay opportunities to the advantage of developers. Technology is progressing in many ways, helping developers improve the game experience. For example, technology is making games part of everyday life. Rendering technology is also becoming increasingly available and powerful. This combination creates game experiences that are more diverse, and many games are now blurring the line between casual and hardcore games.

About the speakers

This person is speaking at this event.

Jack Buser

Senior Director, PlayStation Digital Platforms, Sony Playstation

Jack Buser is the Senior Director of PlayStation Digital Platforms for Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA). Jack has over 15 years of product marketing and business development experience, and acts as the business unit general manager for digital platforms, including PlayStation Network, PlayStation Suite, PlayStation Home and e-commerce. Jack is involved in all aspects of digital platform strategy including business strategy, marketing, customer experience, product planning, integration of 1st and 3rd party games, pricing, communications, media, PR, distribution and promotions. Previously, Jack served as Director of Worldwide Technology Evangelism at Dolby Laboratories. At Dolby, he drove the adoption of new audio and video technology by developing new business segments for both Games and Internet entertainment. Jack received his Bachelor of Science degree with honors in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.