Gamesauce: Global Inspiration for Game Developers

main

Events Game Development News

Reaching Gen-Z with Apps and Games

July 8, 2016 — by David Radd

Casual Connect USA is about matching the creativity of the games industry with new media innovation and investment. There will be many talented speakers at Casual Connect USA 2016, and today we are giving you a glimpse of some of the Kids & Family track speakers.

Children are our future, and they’re also digital natives that are consuming apps and games from a very young age. Join experts as they discuss successful strategies to engage and teach this younger generation. The panels and sessions will take place on Tuesday, July 19 and Wednesday, July 20.

Asia 2016 Video Coverage

Robby Yung: Connecting with Kids | Casual Connect Video

June 25, 2016 — by Catherine Quinton

“I’ll show you how to reach customers outside your game. You can reach customers you would not ordinarily reach by creating a fan base,” offered Robby Yung, CEO at Animoca Brands, to the audience at Casual Connect Asia. You too can get some advice from a leading publisher and developer of mobile games in the video below. As CEO, Robby focuses on creating and publishing games from Animoca’s library of licensed intellectual property. Robby’s prior experience in the games industry includes co-founding both Redgate Media and One Media Group.

During the talk, Robby examined current trends in mobile entertainment for children, including the brands, the charts and the evolving consumer base, with special emphasis on how to connect with this consumer base. Robby said, “Kids used to have to borrow devices. Then they get old devices. Now they have their own primary device.” To learn more, watch this video of the session below.

DOWNLOAD SLIDES

To read more about this great developer and publisher, see this exclusive article.

Tel Aviv 2015 Video Coverage

Julie Kuhn: Children Learning with Fun and Laughter | Casual Connect Video

January 27, 2016 — by Catherine Quinton

“The best way to get children to learn is to make them think they are playing!”, observed Julie Kuhn, founder of Super-Julie Apps during her session at Casual Connect Tel Aviv 2015. As a matter of fact, kids love apps that aren’t their parents’ favorites. Parents mainly see the tablet as an educational tool (and they can be skeptical, but minds are changing). The kids just want to play. The best apps use the best parts of the video game design to help children learn something new, step by step, challenge after challenge. Here are the ingredients of success you won’t want to forget. To learn more about what Julie has to offer, tune in below.

Tel Aviv 2015 Video Coverage

Sebastian Wehner: Developing and Producing Family Entertainment | Casual Connect Video

January 22, 2016 — by Catherine Quinton

'Children have to see and feel that coding can change their world for the better.'–Sebastian WehnerClick To Tweet

If you make kids apps, you may want to consider developing your intellectual properties through more media than just video games, according to Sebastian Wehner, who spoke on the subject at Casual Connect Tel Aviv 2015. “Developers of children’s apps should consider multi-media channels for their IPS,” Sebastian said. “IPs can extend beyond just apps into other platforms such as TV, toys and, of course, books.” See his full session below.

USA 2015 Video Coverage

Rod Humble: Exploring New Paths | Casual Connect Video

January 5, 2016 — by Catherine Quinton

It is very hard to find 'programmers who can design and designers who can program'. - Rod HumbleClick To Tweet

Conversation embodies the human social experience. The rapid evolution of computer conversation is poised to transform and revolutionize computer gaming and methods of learning as we know them today. At Casual Connect USA, ToyTalk’s Chief Creative Officer, Rod Humble offered an overview of the key advances in speech and conversational AI, and insight into the types of gaming and educational experiences that can be created through these new technologies that enable personal and tailored conversation with characters. He framed his talk around this quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein, “The limits of my language means the limits of my world.” He revealed, “In our case, the limits of our language define the limits of our art form.” Find out what he meant by that statement in the video below.

Tel Aviv 2015 Video Coverage

Shai Samet and kidSAFE: Safeguarding the Children | Casual Connect Video

December 29, 2015 — by Catherine Quinton

'Typically, a COPPA violation…will end up on the front page of newspapers.'–Shai SametClick To Tweet

Complying with COPPA and similar regulations on kids apps can be complicated and frustrating. In his Casual Connect Tel Aviv lecture, Shai Samet laid out ways developers can comply without compromise. “The consequences for noncompliance can be quite steep,” Shai said. “On average, the Federal Trade Commission fine for a COPPA violation over the past 15 years has been a whopping $416,000-plus.” Watch his presentation below for tips on avoiding trouble when making kids apps.