EA And Microsoft Bossmen To Keynote DICE 2008

The American Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (or the AIAS for short – basically the equivalent of BAFTA in the UK) has announced the dates and first details on next years D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit, set to take place in Las Vegas at the Red Rock Resort, February 6-8, 2008.

SPOnG will be donning its Elvis suit and filling its pockets full of dimes and quarters and heading out there for some much-needed respite from the long, cold British winter. We look forward to running into some of the leading lights of the industry, with confirmed speakers for the event so far including Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello as keynote, Microsoft Game Studios head Shane Kim, the NPD Research Group's Anita Frazier, Oddworld Inhabitants' Lorne Lanning, and Ubisoft CEO Yannis Mallat.

The AIAS will be announcing more D.I.C.E. events and more speakers over coming weeks.

The annual highlight of the D.I.C.E. Summit is always the Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony, hosted once more for the third year running by comedian Jay Mohr, “to celebrate individuals and products that contribute to the growth of the interactive entertainment software business.”

EA CEO John Riccitiello will 'share his views on current challenges game creators face today', and Microsoft Game Studios' Shane Kim is to take part in a live interview session. Both will no doubt also be getting involved in the industry golf tournament and partaking of the late night action out on the strip.