GenCon expands Trade Day
GenCon has announced that it is expanding the Trade Day program at GenCon Indy.
From their announcement:
After a successful launch in 2007, Gen Con has expanded its programming for Gen Con Trade Day 2008, an event dedicated to building the business of games.This year Gen Con is offering twice as many sessions for retailers, expanded programming for librarians and educators, and a new track for game companies. Panel discussions will bring together experts in their fields, major speakers will deliver presentations on key topics, and special events will offer the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with other attendees.
Gen Con Trade Day is designed as a forum to serve businesspeople, librarians, and educators at the show, increasing their opportunities at Gen Con to grow games for their businesses, libraries, and schools. Attendance at Trade Day is limited to retailers, librarians, educators, licensing professionals, game publishers and distributors with programming scheduled for Wednesday, August 13th, the eve of Gen Con. Trade Day registrants will also receive exclusive early access to the exhibit floor on Thursday before doors open to the general public. All Gen Con Trade Day attendees, panelists, and exhibitors will be invited to attend a special cocktail reception on Wednesday evening.
Retailer programming will include panel discussions of POS systems, the future of collectible games, the growth of board games, retailer-educator collaborations, and retailer-librarian collaborations. Seminar leaders will present sessions on retirement planning for retailers, store identity, retail management shorts, and how to use Gen Con to buy for your store.
Game company attendees will gain valuable insight from Gen Con and Hidden City Games CEO Peter Adkison who will share his experience on two exciting areas for game company executives–raising venture capital and selling game IP to television. A panel discussion will bring together experts on international game licensing to complete the special programming for game companies.
Educator programming includes sessions on using virtual environments in education, using games to foster creativity in the classroom, retailer-educator collaborations, and a special three-hour session on how to increase academic and social achievement with board and card games.
Programming for librarians include sessions on circulating games, using games in library activities, and on collaborating with retailers. Speakers and panelists will discuss the many ways libraries can support gaming and act as a resource for gamers from hosting game events, to adding video or tabletop games to their circulation collections.