Industry Executive, USC Professor Gordon Bellamy to Keynote MDEV Day 1
After holding key business and product leadership roles at Tencent, Electronic Arts, and MTV Networks, Gordon Bellamy comes to Madison as a keynote speaker for the Midwest’s largest games industry conference.
Madison, WI - October 7th, 2024 - The Wisconsin Games Alliance has announced that Gordon Bellamy, Executive Director / CEO of the Gay Gaming Professionals, board member of Directors of Wave, and Director of Cinematic Ethics at USC, will be a 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.
"The Midwest has always been a quiet powerhouse in game development, where creativity, collaboration, and perseverance converge to shape the industry in profound ways. From pioneering studios and independent innovators to the emerging voices in the Collegiate Games Challenge, the Heartland continues to define what’s next for our medium. I’m grateful for the opportunity to spend time with this community, to celebrate its legacy, and to share in the optimism and ingenuity that continue to drive it forward," said Bellamy.
With attendance growing over 307% since 2022, MDEV continues to serve as a hub for indie and AAA developers, industry professionals, students, and casual gamers. Last year's sponsors/attendees included companies such as Unity, Raven Software, PUBG Studios, Respawn Entertainment, Lost Boys Interactive, Midwest Games, Wolfjaw Studios, and Xsolla.
“Gordon has driven a huge impact in the games industry across his career. From Madden to MTV to social impact organizations he leads to students he educates at USC, he’s been a driver of positive change for students, professionals, and organizations,” said Ben Kvalo, President of the Wisconsin Games Alliance. “He’s been a big supporter of the growth of the Midwest and Wisconsin, actively engaging Big Ten schools, and beyond, to work together to grow pathways and education into games.”
This event will feature two full days of expert-led panels, speakers, workshops, and networking alongside the opportunity for developers to showcase their games.
As the Midwest’s games industry continues growing at an incredible pace, MDEV is positioning itself as the go-to gathering point for the region, uniting developers and professionals from cities across the Midwest like Chicago, Minneapolis, Ann Arbor, Indianapolis, Columbus, and Cincinnati.
A big thanks to our current sponsors Hathora, 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 Gordon Bellamy
Gordon is a Professor of the Practice of Cinematic Arts at USC and the Director of Cinematic Ethics, helping to cultivate the next generation of leaders in our craft. He has played key business and product leadership roles at Tencent, Electronic Arts, as a designer on Madden NFL Football, and MTV Networks.
In 2020, Bellamy was honored by Games for Change as their Vanguard Award winner for his contributions to the craft. In 2019, he was awarded the first ever Jerry Lawson Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2018 he was featured in Nickelodeon's Black History Month. Currently, he is featured in Netflix's Game Documentary, High Score, Amazon’s It’s In The Game Docuseries, and on The World According to Jeff Goldblum on Disney + .
Gordon serves as the Executive Director / CEO of the Gay Gaming Professionals and on the Board of Directors of Wave and has served as Executive Director of both the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and the International Game Developers Association. He is a graduate of Harvard College with a BA in Engineering, and resides with his husband Joe Heally, and their dog, Colby Janet, in Los Angeles, California
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.
