At 2018's annual BlizzCon event, members of the Diablo team posed a question that was not received well by attendees and became an online meme: "You guys all have phones, right?" While meme-y given the context of the situation itself, they weren't wrong. Everyone in attendance and watching online had a cellphone, likely a smart one too. So why hasn't gaming, specifically esports, flocked to that platform when it is the most accessible system? 

Mobile esports veterans and entrepreneurs descend onto IGEC to discuss trends and future opportunities in mobile gaming. From West to East, our panelist dive into mobile esports infrastructure and leagues, sharing insights and first-hand experiences from marquee events like the Jakarta-Palembang Asia Games 2018, where mobile esports was featured for the first time in history as a demo medal event. We all have a sense of the bright future and potential of mobile esports -- now it is time to act and re-assess our priorities. A crucial panel for forward-thinking investors, content creators, or competitors.

From buttons to touch screens

Long gone are the days where your mobile device was confined to only being able to play Tetris, Snake or pinball on a slow, blocky screen. Where "gaming" on your cellphone meant playing what came with your device, not what was available in the app store. Where device's had physical, clunky buttons you had to squash with your thumbs for them to respond. 

In 2019, the possibilities for gaming on your phone are endless with the future only looking brighter by the day. Developers from around the world are creating mobile games that are not only meant to be enjoyed but competitive. SuperCell, the Finnish mobile game developer, is leading the way with ground-breaking titles that have already made traction in the esports space such as Clash of Clans, Clash Royale and Brawl Stars. Tencent Games, based in China, is a tech giant that has created/published competitive mobile games such as PUBG Mobile, Arena of Valor and soon-to-be Call of Duty Mobile. 

More and more companies from around the world are dedicating their resources to the growing mobile gaming space. Our panel of experts will dissect and discuss the current global landscape and what is to come in the very near future.

The Mobile Experts

Matthew Jones is one of the pioneers of mobile esports in the west. As the VP of Operations for Nova Esports, he has been intimately involved in mobile esports at a grassroots level as well as working with developers and key stakeholders to establish competitive ecosystems for western mobile titles. He has overseen the creation, development, and success of the first mobile esports teams, as well as multiple championships teams since, in games including Clash Royale, Arena of Valor and others.

Patrick “Chief Pat” Carney is the CEO/Founder of Tribe Gaming, the leading North American mobile gaming esports organization. As the first mobile gaming content creator in 2012, he’s amassed over 3M followers and 670M video views across his social channels to date. Few individuals around the world are as synonymous within the mobile gaming scene as Chief Pat is.

Originally from Los Angeles, Flannery Dunn is currently a Publisher Developer Relations Manager at ESL. She graduated from the University of Michigan and got her start in traditional advertising working with Team One on the Lexus account. She then moved into gaming at Nexon America as a Digital Marketer and later Brand Manager helping the launch of multiple titles, including LawBreakers, Hyper Universe, and MapleStory 2. After launching LawBreakers, and seeing the need for strategic marketing in competitive multiplayer titles, she transitioned to ESL to pursue a career in esports. Her most recent project with ESL is with Tencent and PUBG Mobile.

Moderating the panel is Jeff "SuiJeneris" Chau. His long resume in mobile esports includes: the GM/Head of Mobile Immortals; Team Liquid; Analyst Commentator for Tencent Games, Supercell, Red Bull Esports, and Super League Gaming; and has experience as a former professional player, head coach, Esports org founder/owner, Twitch partnered streamer, and mobile gaming tournament & league owner/administrator. You can catch Jeff commentating Arena of Valor and Clash Royale on weekends and running GameGether, a gaming social+ mobile app tailored for gaming communities as Founder/CEO.

This panel will take place at 2:00pm in Emerald Bay of the University of California Irvine's Conference Center. Feel free to check out more of the IGEC panels here: https://www.invenglobal.com/igec/panels.