Outlook on the VR Market

In 2016, VR (Virtual Reality) products are in full bloom. Full-scale development in the field has begun, with a wide variety of VR content such as videos, games, and interactive content loaded on VR hardware provided by game console manufacturers, smart phone manufacturers, PC manufacturers, and IT companies. Key individuals from VR platform manufacturers and VR content developers in pioneering positions in VR utilization will gather to discuss issues that need to be resolved as the VR market expands in the future, as well as trends in technology and user needs, and prospects for the market.

Location: Event Stage in Hall 1

• ●Masaru Ijuin
  CAPCOM, Deputy Senior Manager
• ●Seiji Hayashi
  SEGA Games, Producer
• ●Jun Tamaoki
  BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, CS Business Unit
• ●Lochlainn Wilson
  FOVE, CTO/Co-Founder
• ●Raymond Pao
  HTC, Vice President
• ●Moderator: Atsumi Watanabe
  Operating Officer for Nikkei BP / Former Chief Editor for Nikkei Trendy

Memories About the Establishment of CESA to Pass on to the Future: The Progress and Prospects of Twenty Years of CESA

It has been twenty years since CESA was established. In that time frame, the Japanese game industry has significantly changed. Its scale, business structure, and market have all grown to massive proportions. CESA has become an important part of Japan's industry. But it hasn't always been a smooth journey. Only by overcoming a wide range of difficulties did we manage to arrive at our current position. Looking back upon the eve of CESA's establishment, core CESA members will help to unravel the issues and countermeasures that the game industry tackled as we trace our way from the past to the present. There will also be a discussion of CESA's vision for the next twenty years.

Location: Event Stage in Hall 1

• ●Kenzo Tsujimoto
  CAPCOM, Chairman and CEO
• ●Keiko Erikawa
  KOEI TECMO Holdings, Chiarman
• ●Hideki Okamura
  SEGA Holdings, President and COO
• ●Haruhiro Tsujimoto
  CAPCOM, President and COO
• ●Eiji Maeda
  SMBC NIKKO SECURITIES, Senior Analyst
• ●Hirokazu Hamamura
  KADOKAWA DWANGO Director, Member of the Board

The Fate of the Global Game Market

Location: Makuhari Messe Hall 1 Event Stage

In Global Game Business Summit 2016, the top members of several of the world's major game companies will gather to discuss trends in the global game market. This year will be the first that the summit has been held. At the present, in addition to new home video game consoles, there are various game platforms such as PC and smart phone devices that are beginning to connect with content all around the world. What is happening in today’s borderless game market? We will take a look into what might be the next move in the global game market.

• ［United States］
  Kaz Makita, Electronic Arts Corp VP & GM Mobile Japan
• ［Spain］
  Eva Gaspar, Abylight Studios, CEO
• ［Thailand］
  Pramoth Sudjitporn, Asiasoft Online Studios, CEO
• ［China］
  Juno Shin, Tencent Japan, Country Director Head of Business Development Dept.
• ［Japan］
  Hirotaka Reizei, BANDAI NAMCO, Director of CS Business Unit
• ●Commentator：
  Eiji Maeda, SMBC NIKKO SECURITIES, Senior Analyst
• ●Moderator：
  Hideo Shinada, Nikkei BP Senior Researcher at Nikkei BP Institute for General Hit Research / Editor for Nikkei Entertainment!

The New Relationship Between AI and Games as Learned from Schoolgirl Chatbot Rinna

Location: International Conference Hall 2F: Conference Room 201

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been making rapid progress as a result of recent technological innovations. Its use is being considered in various industries, and specific operations have begun in several of them. Since long ago, content utilizing AI technology has been created in the game industry, but those concepts and usage methods have started to drastically change. One project on the forefront of such technology investigates the new relationship between AI technology and games with a focus on Microsoft Japan's AI "Rinna."

• ●Mitsuaki Nakazato
  Microsoft Japan Bing International (Bing Search & AI Rinna)
  Japan & South Korea Business Integration Senior Strategy Manager

Promoting Female Participation in the Game Industry

Location: International Conference Hall 2F, Conference Room 201

With the spread of games on the smartphone platform, the number of female users has steadily increased. On the other hand, the work environment for women in game creation could hardly be called satisfactory. What should the management do when they have acquired highly-talented female personnel? Conversely, what kind of an attitude should women working in the game industry take? Measures for promoting female participation in the game business will be considered from both sides.

• ●Nanako Higashi
  Voltage, Vice Chairperson

A. Game Trends Session

Latest Developments of the e-Sports Market
― Raising Market Expansion Expectations and Obstacles that Must be Overcome ―

Location: International Conference Halls 3F, Conference Room 301

There are many tournaments with cash prizes, and these create professional gamers. The potential of “e-Sports”, with new ways of enjoying games by watching thrilling competitions that expands the range of the market, and obstacles to further expansion in the Japanese market will be discussed.

■Symposium & Panel Discussion

Koichi Sugiyama
CAPCOM CO., LTD., Development Department 2, Development Division 1, Producer

Yuito Kimura
Cygames Executive Director & General Producer

Seita Kadosawa
Fuji Television Business Development & Enterprises Dept. Media Development Center Pay TV Division Department Chief

Moderator: Tetsuro Ito, Associate Editor for Nikkei BP, Nikkei Entertainment!

B. Game Technology Session

The New Age of Games Using VR and AR

Location: International Conference Halls 2F, Conference Room 201

2016 has been called the “First Year of VR” with many Head Mount Displays (HMD) for VR and games for VR being released. AR is also drawing a great deal of attention thanks to the hit smartphone game “Pokémon GO”. Those at the forefront will discuss how fun and new games can be created utilizing technologies such as VR and AR.

■Symposium & Panel Discussion

Junichiro Koyama
Executive Producer, Bandai Namco Entertainment, AM Business Unit

Yukiharu Tamiya
Produce Section 1 Manager, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Planning and Development Department 1

Yuka Kojima
FOVE CEO

(Arrangements are being made for additional lecturers)

Moderator: Tadashi Nezu, Reporter for Nikkei BP, NIKKEI ELECTRONICS

C. Digital Marketing Session

Ways to Thoroughly Utilize Digital Marketing
― Methods for Utilizing Recommendations and Social Media to Maximize the Effects of Small Budgets ―

Location: International Conference Halls 3F, Conference Room 301

Digital marketing that is capable of producing effective results on a small budget is essential for making a game successful in a time where so many game titles are constantly being released. The latest developments and future prospects of digital marketing techniques will be introduced, including recommendations utilizing data and notification methods utilizing social media such as Twitter.

■Symposium & Panel Discussion

Hajime Sato
DeNA Co., Ltd., Japan Region Game Business Unit, Publicity Dept., Senior Marketing Producer

Yamato Muraoka
Allied Architects, Marketing Division, AD-Tech Business Department Director

(Arrangements are being made for additional lecturers

Moderator: Junpei Furuhata, Associate Editor for Nikkei BP, Digital Marketing