Mobile Empowerment in Emerging Markets

Speakers: Craig Smith

Track: Mobile: Planning Ahead

Format: Lecture

Experience Level: All

Description: At a time when wireless is the driving force in global business, gaming is driving wireless. However, in order to succeed in this new environment, wireless gamers must not just entertain users but empower them. The speaker, a former Harvard professor of technology policy, describes how games empower and why empowerment will determine winners and losers in the rush to win loyalty cell phones users among the second billion cell phone customers in emerging markets. The key, is to develop cross-platform games that empower as well as entertain. This session presents a formula for gaming business models that can succeed in the two areas where the global competition in mobility is hottest: lower middle class users in India, China and other key emerging markets.

Idea Takeaway: Design principles for exploiting new dimensions of the gaming experience in emerging markets to empower users. Game developers will learn how to incorporate social computing, blogging, cross-platform gaming, use of cyber cafes, tie ins to education ministries and NGOs. Practical instructions on how to position gaming in the center of business ecosystems in emerging markets.

Intended Audience: In presending the big picture of the new role of gaming within Microsoft, Nokia and other major players the presentation will speak to a broad audience and particularly those who see gaming as a competitive factor in big emerging markets such as China, India, Indonesia and Brazil.