Village Gamer

From video games and TV to toys and eBooks, there is an ever-increasing focus on interactivity and the interconnections between platforms in the kids’ media space. Interactive Ontario‘s INplay Conference will highlight new insights and opportunities in kids’ creative industries when it returns on May 15 & 16, 2013 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Now in its fourth year, the 2013 edition will take place in partnership with Canada 3.0, the national digital media conference presented by the Canadian Digital Media Network.

“Canada 3.0 and INplay are both centred on innovation and on the importance of the digital economy in Canada, so it seemed like a natural fit to bring the conferences together for a day.  We’re pleased to be partnering with CDMN in order to bring greater programming and networking opportunities to delegates of both conferences,” said Interactive Ontario President & CEO Donald Henderson.

INplay delegates will have access to CDMN Canada 3.0 programming on May 15th, with the option to attend Canada 3.0 on May 14th at a reduced price. Canada 3.0 attendees will also have access to INplay speakers on May 15th, with the option to attend the second day of INplay at a reduced rate. Of particular interest to delegates from both conferences is the May 15th appearance of Lane Merrifield, co-founder of Club Penguin. He will deliver a keynote presentation on the creation and growth of Club Penguin, the opportunity that Disney saw in opening a studio in Kelowna, thanks to digital production enabling the brand to utilize Canadian animation and programming expertise while also capitalizing on the business benefits of a studio outside L.A. or New York. Sharing a true Canadian success story, Merrifield will speak to the confluence of benefits to Canadian digital media production and how to realize them in other fields.

“Today’s children will be the innovators of tomorrow, so it’s critical that we target the imaginations of young minds for digital media engagement,” said Kevin Tuer, CDMN Managing Director. “The convergence of INplay and CDMN Canada 3.0 provides a great opportunity to broaden the experience and collaboration at both these important conferences and advance objectives for Canada’s digital economy.”

Previous INplay conferences have featured speakers from academia, government and industry, including Mozilla, Schell Games, CBC, Monster Factory, Children’s Technology Review, TVO, BBC, Toca Boca, Fuel Youth Engagement, Sesame Workshop, Pancake Mountain and many more.