WonderCon Anaheim 2017

Warren Davis, the designer and programmer of the original Q*bert arcade game, tells the story of the adorable noser's creation, evolution, and impact on popular culture. The early 1980s was like the Wild West of video game design. You'll go behind the scenes of the coin-op industry and learn what it was like to make video games during that golden age.

How do you create and build a new universe from scratch? Where do you begin when developing a game for billions of people on a brand new platform? How do you ensure that your creation will be compelling, luring in gamers to your creation and also to the new platform that supports it? This panel brings together three successful gaming pioneers who have done all of this and more: Tom Kalinske (former CEO of Sega of America, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega Genesis), Ernestine Fu (partner at venture capital firm Alsop Louie Partners, co-founder of Blackstorm, creator of EverWing), and Jia Shen (founder of social gaming company RockYou and toy company PowerCore, lead of Studio Azuki at Blackstorm). These three visionaries will discuss the process by which they created new and unique IP universes that scale to billions of people. Moderated by Michael Piech (strategic consultant at Blackstorm Labs).

It's the dawn of VR and AR, so how do you create compelling TV series, films, and other stories that work in this new medium? Learn the dos, don'ts, and secrets of success from the trail blazers and get a sneak peek at what's next with Brett Thomason (COO, Mandt VR), moderator James Ganiere (WB, Rio Vista Universal VR producer DP, Disney), Tony Mugavero (LittlStar founder, VR distributor), Dekker Dreyer (Disney, Clever Fox VR writer director, WB), and David Nelson (MxR Lab, USC VR & AR head of creative technologies).

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of George Lucas's Star Wars in 1977. The film developed an indelible franchise that over the years has come to encompass not just films but television series, comics, collectibles, games, toys, and books that expanded Lucas's initial vision into a sci-fi wonder. Craig Miller (Star Wars publicist/director of fan relations), Michael Kogge (writer, The Force Awakens Junior Novel, Star Wars: Poe Dameron: Flight Log), Daniel Cooney (artist, Topps Star Wars Masterwork, Rogue One 2016), and Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr. (writer, Empire Triumphant: Race, Religion and Rebellion in the Star Wars Films) discuss all aspects of Star Wars past and present and speculate on what's ahead with moderator Fanbase Press editorials manager Michele Brittany.

A lot can happen in six years. Adam Shere, Kiet Pham, and Ryan Van Lu lead a discussion for Nintendo fans with StreetPass OC about becoming a part of or creating a thriving StreetPass community group. StreetPass OC will also answer your questions about the Nintendo Switch, gaming, and the future of StreetPassing in a Q&A session and may even test your knowledge with some Nintendo trivia! Moderated by Andres Cervantes.