Disney’s Wadsworth To Kick Off D.I.C.E.

The trade show season is about to start firing on all cylinders again with CES, D.I.C.E. and GDC all happening back to back. The second in the series of three, the D.I.C.E. Summit, is a gathering of the who’s who of the game industry and features many keynotes by some top tier names. Disney and the Academy of Interactive Sciences have announced that Steve Wadsworth, President of Disney Interactive Media Group will kick the event off with the first keynote.

While Wadsworth spearheads the entire interactive and digital initiative for Disney, it’s worth noting the steps that the company has been taking over that last few years to become a heavyweight in the game industry. We recently revealed Disney Epic Mickey from Junction Point to the world, the rebranding of the legendary mouse which is just the latest in the company’s new plan. Developer Black Rock’s Split/Second is also a hot spot on the radar after an impressive E3 showing and the company’s success with the ATV arcade game Pure. Disney also made waves when it acquired comic juggernaut Marvel Entertainment.

"Disney is synonymous with great entertainment across the spectrum of media choices we have today. Steve Wadsworth is the at the helm of Disney's interactive experiences for all video games, online and mobile devices -- from the Epic Mickey game to the Marvel acquisition to the success of Club Penguin as well as his views on the future of connectivity - we look forward to hearing his thoughts on this rapidly changing industry," said Joseph Olin, President of the AIAS.

The D.I.C.E. Summit also plays host to the AIAS Awards which are given out to the best games of the year by development’s peers. D.I.C.E. will return to the Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas, on February 17-19, 2010.