Industry Evangelist, Amazon Web Service Executive Chris Melissinos to Keynote MDEV Day 2
Author, Principal Evangelist, livestream host, and previous Chief Gaming Officer, Chris Melissinos, joins the Midwest’s largest games industry conference as a keynote speaker.
Madison, WI - October 7th, 2024 - The Wisconsin Games Alliance has announced that Chris Melissinos, author of “The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect”, previous Chief Gaming Officer at Sun Microsystems, Inc., and Boss Rush livestream host, will be the day 2 keynote speaker at MDEV 2025—the 7th edition of this premier event for games industry professionals. The event will take place on November 7-8th, 2025, in Madison, Wisconsin.
“As someone who believes that developing video games (the greatest artform we have at our disposal) is truly within the grasp of developers, artists, and story tellers everywhere, it is wonderful to see the Midwest becoming a powerhouse for game industry growth,” said Melissinos. “MDEV has become the center of gravity in the Midwest that pulls game developers, new and experienced alike, together to exchange ideas, inspire each other, and explore the possibility space that video games inhabit. It is an honor to have been asked to speak at the 2025 MDEV conference and I can’t wait to share my passion for video games, where they are headed, and exchange ideas and stories with you all!”
MDEV has solidified its place as a central hub for indie and AAA developers, industry professionals, students, and casual games alike. This year will feature two full days of expert-led panels, speakers, workshops, and networking alongside the opportunity for developers to showcase their games.
“Evangelist is the best way to describe Chris as a person and what he does for the games industry. We are so fortunate to be able to have such a positive and forward-facing leader, with the depth of historical knowledge Chris has, coming to Madison to speak to our growing ecosystem. I know the wisdom, perspective, and insights he’ll bring to his keynote will enlighten and kick off day 2 of MDEV in a huge way,” said Ben Kvalo, President of the Wisconsin Games Alliance.
As the Midwest’s games industry continues to grow at an incredible pace, MDEV has seen its own surge in momentum with attendance increasing by more than 307% since 2022. Last year’s event drew support from Unity, Raven Software, PUBG Studios, Respawn Entertainment, Lost Boys Interactive, Midwest Games, Wolfjaw Studios, and Xsolla.
A special thanks to our headline sponsor Hathora and all of our others sponsors SciPlay, Midwest Games, Respawn, Raven Software, Lost Boys, Bradley University, PUBG Studios, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Xsolla, University of Wisconsin-Stout, IndieGameBusiness, Powell Group, Hoyos Consulting, WACOM, Perkins Coie, Dashscored, and Global Game Jam. MDEV is also supporting Charity Partners: Starlight Children’s Foundation, Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters, and Women in Games International (WIGI).
About Chris Melissinos
Chris Melissinos is the Principal Evangelist for Video Games and Immersive Technologies at AWS, where he helps influence the next generation of game technology and offerings from AWS while also acting as a developer advocate, ensuring that the needs of game developers are met. Prior to AWS, he was the Chief Gaming Officer at Sun Microsystems, Inc., creator of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s “The Art of Video Games” exhibition, Executive Director of Media and Entertainment for Verizon, and a founding board member of the Video Game History Foundation.
His “The Art of Video Games” exhibition explored the 40-year evolution of video games as an art form, demonstrating its impact on American culture, and traveled to 10 additional museums across the US. For this work, he received the industry “Ambassador Award” at the 2013 Game Developers Choice Awards at the Game Developers Conference. He co-authored the book, “The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect”, and has contributed to or been featured in numerous other works.
A frequent speaker at major industry events and universities around the world, he has been featured in more than 30 news outlets including CBS, ABC, BBC, NPR, Wired, Time Magazine, National Geographic, Nintendo Power, Game Informer, and TEDx. He is also the host of the weekly “Boss Rush” video game industry news livestream on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitch.
About MDEV
MDEV is the Midwest’s largest games industry event. With attendance growing over 307% since 2022, it continues to serve as a hub for indie and AAA developers, industry professionals, students, and casual gamers.
This event will feature two full days of expert-led panels, speakers, workshops, and networking alongside the opportunity for developers to showcase their games. Tickets are available at www.mdevconf.com.
For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or more information, please contact:
contact@wisconsingamesalliance.com
MDEV assets are available here.
About Wisconsin Games Alliance (WGA)
A local network of game studios, independent developers, faculty, investors, and regional economic agencies with the shared mission of promoting Wisconsin as a premier site for game development.
The Wisconsin Games Alliance (WGA) is dedicated to advancing the games and related industries in Wisconsin and the broader Midwest and beyond. They believe that game development and enjoyment is for everyone. For more information, please visit www.WisconsinGamesAlliance.com.
