A franchise spanning literature, comics, film & television, board games, and widely popular video games, The Witcher has touched millions with its engaging characters and exciting adventures. A diverse panel of experts discuss the many aspects of this renowned universe. Be the first to see new Dark Horse publications, see the first-ever live consumer demo of the upcoming The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt video game, and get a chance to meet the team behind Wild Hunt. Panelists include actors Doug Cockle (Geralt of Rivia, The Witcher franchise), Dark Horse Comics author Paul Tobin (The Witcher House of Glass), Nick McWhorter, CD PROJEKT RED's game developers Damien Monnier and Lukasz Wnek (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), and Rafal Jaki. Moderated by SpikeTV's Geoff Keighley.
Thursday July 24, 2014 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 6A
Naruto is one of the world's most popular manga series, with over 60 bestselling volumes published. Get all the latest news on the Naruto manga, anime, video games, and more at this super-sized panel, featuring guests from VIZ Media, Bandai Namco games, and a special guest you'll have to see to believe!
Thursday July 24, 2014 10:00am - 11:30am PDT
Room 8
Prepare for your next step in the Halo Journey with a deep dive into Halo: Nightfall, the upcoming live-action digital series from 343 Industries and Scott Free Productions. Panelists include 343's Kiki Wolfkill (executive producer) and Frank O'Connor (franchise development director) along with key Halo: Nightfall cast and crew. Be among the first to get the details of the story and production.
Thursday July 24, 2014 11:45am - 12:45pm PDT
Room 6BCF
UPDATED: Sat, Jul 12, 09:35AM Before it's at comic shops, it's in the Previews catalog! This panel shows you how to use the Diamond Comic Distributors' Previews catalog for preordering all of your favorite comics, graphic novels, toys, and other pop culture merchandise. Attendees will get a free copy of the August issue and have a chance to win other exciting prizes! Plus, see how Previewsworld.com interacts with the catalog to inform fans about everything they need to know to get what they want at their local comic shop. Panelists include Previews editor Marty Grosser, Previewsworld.com editor Vince Brusio, and Diamond consumer marketing manager Andy Mueller.
Thursday July 24, 2014 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Room 8
The game's always changing for League of Legends-it's a constantly evolving universe. Whether it is adding new content, updating champions and maps, reworking gameplay, or just giving older art a fresh face, League of Legends is constantly trying to level up the quality and player experience wherever it can. Sit down with members of the art, game design, sound, and production teams as they share insights and swap stories from their time spent working on League of Legends. The panel will kick off with a discussion about current and recent releases before opening it up for Q&A.
Thursday July 24, 2014 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 6BCF
Explore the past, present, and the future of female character creation for film, TV, comics, video games, and novels and examine the traps of common tropes, clichés, and stereotypes, while discussing how content creators can create wonderful, relatable, and realistic female characters with moderator Michele Brittany (West Coast Bleeding Cool News correspondent), Neo Edmund (Red Riding-Werewolf Huntress, Kaijudo Rise of the Duel Masters), Charlotte Fullerton (My Little Pony, Ben 10 Omniverse), Clare Kramer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Geek Nation), Marv Wolfman (Teen Titans, creator of countless comic book characters), Andrew Robinson (Kaijudo Rise of the Duel Masters, Rescue Bots), and Mairghread Scott (Transformers Prime, Rescue Bots).
Thursday July 24, 2014 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 28DE
Superstar creators Jock (Batman), Chris Burnham (Batman), Henry Flint (Judge Dredd), and Michael Carroll (Jennifer Blood) are all here as the legendary British comic book kicks off San Diego with all the 2000 AD and Judge Dredd talk and games you can handle! Moderated by 2000 AD's Michael Molcher and definitely not for Thrill-suckers!
Thursday July 24, 2014 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 29A
Chris Metzen (Blizzard Entertainment SVP story and franchise development) and a team of esteemed Blizzard guests reveal next year's lineup of never-before-seen loot! Interact with designers, writers, and artists as they dig into toys, books, collectibles, and more! Panel and Q&A moderated by Kim Phan (host of DirecTV's BlizzCon coverage).
Thursday July 24, 2014 2:15pm - 3:15pm PDT
Room 6BCF
SDCC's annual jobs panel is back-and with folks who are hiring! Just because you missed out on the writing and drawing genes doesn't mean there isn't a place for you in the comics, animation, and gaming industries. Panelists include Blur Studio animation supervisor/motion capture choreographer Derron Ross (Batman: Arkham City), PCB Productions CEO and gaming director Keith Arem (Call of Duty), Fox Digital Entertainment VP of mobile Matt McMahon (Family Guy app), and Man at Arms star/weapons maker Tony Swatton (Pirates of the Caribbean), who will discuss their gigs and ways into the biz you many not have even considered. Moderated by Fast Company'sSusan Karlin.
Go behind the scenes with the research that went into building Far Cry 4's open-world Kyrat for the next generation. The team traveled to Nepal with VICE to draw inspiration and create authentic Kyrati characters and environments native to the region. Also learn more about Far Cry 4's Quest for Everest, when panelists pick a winner for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the first to play a video game on Mount Everest.
Thursday July 24, 2014 3:15pm - 4:15pm PDT
Room 6DE
What does it take to animate a video game? How does animation in video games differ from conventional animated media and where does it overlap? ASIFA-Hollywood invites you to join the panel for a lively discussion on the wide array of disciplines and possibilities in video game animation, which will include artists who have experience in CG key frame, motion capture, sprites, hand-drawn and dynamic animation. This is a panel aspiring game animators don't want to miss!
Thursday July 24, 2014 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 5AB
Moderator Francis Mao (Capcom) and a panel of Capcom staff members share the latest updates on all the hot, new Capcom games, including Ultra Street Fighter IV, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Dead Rising 3, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, plus sneak peeks at all the latest cool Capcom merchandise and maybe a surprise or two.
Thursday July 24, 2014 4:45pm - 5:45pm PDT
Room 6BCF
UPDATED: Sat, Jul 12, 09:35AM Xbox Live's Major Nelson gives an inside look into the inspiration behind the vibrant and off-the-wall style of Sunset Overdrive, a new open-world action game coming exclusively to the Xbox One this fall. Audience members will be the first to see new Sunset Overdrive content illustrating the creative freedom the game offers players. Hear directly from Insomniac Games's Drew Murray and Marcus Smith (game and creative director, respectively) along with art director Jacinda Chew and lead character artist Gavin Goulden.
Thursday July 24, 2014 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 5AB
Firefly Online (FFO), the first and only officially licensed video game based on the cult-hit TV show Firefly, aims for nothing less than to bring Firefly back to life for millions of fans. Executive producer Andy Gore, technical director John O'Neill, voice-over and casting director Andrea Romano (Batman: The Animated Series plus many others), game director Adam Cogan, art director Ben Lichius, and composer David Joseph Wesley present the first official public demonstration of FFO. FFO is a multi-user strategic role-playing game set in the universe of Joss Whedon's beloved TV show Firefly. You'll see how to get a ship, hire a ragtag crew, and do whatever it takes to survive in The Black! The demonstration will be followed by Q&A. Also, expect a few surprises.
Thursday July 24, 2014 6:30pm - 7:30pm PDT
Room 24ABC
ADDED: Wed, Jul 23, 06:49AM Want to work in a fandom-related industry you're passionate about, but not sure where to start? These professional "Nerds for a Living" will discuss careers within gaming, film, comics, illustration and more. LeeJoyner (director of admissions, Cinema Makeup School), TomKurzanski (art director, TeeFury), ClaireHummel (production designer, HBO; concept artist, BioShock Infinite), KarenHallion (artist and illustrator), BradHerman (lead product designer, DreamWorks Animation), and PatLoika (Loikamania Podcast) will share their career-building experiences. Topics include training, online resources, networking, and tactics to use (and avoid) for breaking into your dream industry. Moderated by WendyBuske (marketing director, Nerd For A Living). This panel will conclude with an audience Q&A.
UPDATED: Tue, Jul 22, 11:07AM David Brevik (CEO Gazillion, visionary behind Diablo and Diablo II) sits down and talks with James Schmalz (CEO, Digital Extremes), Chris Lee (CEO, En Masse), David Eddings (VP, Gearbox) and Jared Gerritzen (VP, MLG) about the evolution of the action-RPG genre. From turn-based to real-time action, hear from the movers and shakers on how far the action-RPG genre has come and where it will be going in the future. Don't miss this chance to ask those burning questions you have in the Q&A session moderated by Genese Davis (The Holder's Dominion, MMORPG.com, The Gamer in You).
Friday July 25, 2014 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 25ABC
Meet some of Magic: The Gathering's top creators answer your questions and share a sneak peek at upcoming releases, including September 2014's Khans of Tarkir. The panel, moderated by Mark Rosewater (head Magic designer), includes Doug Beyer (senior creative designer), Mark Purvis (brand director), and Gavin Verhey (R&D game and experience designer).
Saturday July 26, 2014 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 25ABC
The Marvel Games team and some of the most talented developers in the industry cover nearly 15(!) awesome Marvel gaming experiences spanning all platforms-many of which feature the Guardians of the Galaxy! Whether it's exclusive announcements regarding one of the year's biggest console titles (Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes), updates to current favorites (Marvel Avengers Alliance, Marvel Avengers Alliance Tactics, Marvel Heroes, Marvel Puzzle Quest, Marvel: War of Heroes, X-Men: Battle of the Atom, Marvel Pinball), or entirely new game announcements, there's something here for every True Believer of the digital age. Also, a surprise special guest appearance-and the coolest giveaway this panel has ever handed out!
Saturday July 26, 2014 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Room 6A
Mass Effect developers from the Edmonton and Montreal studios discuss what it's like to expand on a well-established and beloved video game franchise. Panelists Carl Boulay (lead animator), Fabrice Condominas (producer), Mike Gamble (producer), Noel Lukasewich (senior artist), and Jessica Merizan (community manager), share their experiences in shaping the next Mass Effect game with new possibilities while staying true to the critically acclaimed series. Moderated by Nerdist.com.
Saturday July 26, 2014 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 25ABC
We're seeing a groundbreaking evolution happening in e-Sports as pro players become recognized as professional athletes who are awarded visas and salaries. However, their journey has not been easy. Esteemed panelists Genese Davis (The Holder's Dominion, MMORPG.com, The Gamer in You), Ryan "Fwiz" Wyatt (VP of programming and eSports commentator, Major League Gaming), Sam "Samzorz" Hall (pro gamer, Mortality eSports, Twitch, founder of CODpedia), and John "ZeRo4" Hill (pro gamer, world champion: Quake) as they discuss the obstacles players face when seeking viable careers as e-Sports competitors. This high-powered panel will divulge exactly what it takes to become a pro gamer and how the e-Sports evolution is impacting the video game industry at large.
Saturday July 26, 2014 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
Room 26AB
Jerry Bennington and Nate Murray from IDW's new division, IDW Games, share top secret info on the best tabletop board games around, including X-Files, Kill Shakespeare, Chew, Machi Koro, and more. Featuring John Layman of Chew fame, and others. Who knows, you may even get to play a game or two!
Chris Castagnetto (DJ Helsing) hosts the Official Gaia Online panel, your chance to meet the Gaia staff, including Princess Angelishia, get your burning questions answered, and take a sneak peek at some of the great stuff Gaia has planned for 2014. Expect plenty of fun and some great prizes.
Saturday July 26, 2014 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 5AB
Japan has long had a history of "visual novels", which are highly evolved story-based games for PC as well as game consoles like PS2/PS3. These games simulate interaction between the player and various characters, often with romantic elements. While many games are adult, the genre is well represented by both adult and nonadult games, and many of the top games are made into mainstream anime series. Peter Payne, owner of JASTUSA, will outline the history of these games from the 1980s to now and will include discussion of the growth of the genre, as well as covering subgenres. Examples of these are "otome games," or girl-centric romance Sims for female players (one of the hottest kind of games for girls in Japan now), and games like Steins;Gate, a hardcore sci-fi/time travel visual novel (all ages) with romantic themes. Steins;Gate was recently released in the USA in English.
Saturday July 26, 2014 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 29A
Members of the San Diego Star Wars Society, veteran hosts of trivia panels at Star Wars Celebration III and Comic-Con International since 2002, have prepared an even more challenging contest this year for all fans who think they know the galaxy far, far away. Returning this year will be a game round for kids (12 and under), followed by three adult game rounds (ages 13 and up). All game rounds are conducted in a Last Man Standing format. Come test your knowledge, and win valuable prizes. The trivia panel hosts are Dean Amstutz, Linda Crispien, Leia Hornedo, Brendan Prout, and Jessica Woods.
Saturday July 26, 2014 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Room 23ABC
Brian Bowler (brand marketing director, LEGO) will take you on an exclusive, inside look at the development of LEGO Legends of CHIMA with Tommy Andreasen (senior creative manager, LEGO), John Derevlany (writer, LEGO), and Samuel Johnson (senior product designer, LEGO). Hear how the TV series and toys came to life, with the team behind the theme!
Sunday July 27, 2014 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 25ABC
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games present an inside look at LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, its upcoming, multiplatform game. Produced by the creative geniuses of TT Games, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham puts Batman, Superman, and the heroes of DC Comics in an out-of-this-world adventure to various Lantern worlds battling Brainiac and some of the universe's most cunning villains. More than 150 characters with amazing powers and abilities provide a whole new twist on the popular action-adventure game. Be among the first to see a Comic-Con exclusive game-play demonstrations and character reveals, receive exciting prizes and giveaways, and witness a true blockbuster announcement. Panelists include TT Games game director Arthur Parsons and executive producer Phill Ring, as well as several members of the stellar voice cast, many of whom are reprising their roles in the famous franchise, including Troy Baker (Batman: Arkham Origins ), Travis Willingham (LEGO Batman: The Movie: DC Super Heroes Unite!), Laura Bailey (Batman: Arkham Origins), Dee Bradley Baker (Phineas and Ferb), Josh Keaton (Green Lantern: The Animated Series)-and special guest star Adam West!LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham will be available in the fall.
Sunday July 27, 2014 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 6BCF
Jessica Chobot (Mass Effect 3) and the Nerdist News team catch you up on the latest in movie, TV, comic book, gaming, and tech news. The Nerdist team is going to break down the day's news, interview guests, and then turn some of the questions (and jokes!) over to you.
Sunday July 27, 2014 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 24ABC
Remember when Sonic took on Mario and tried to prove that Sega does what Nintendon't? Revisit the first generation of console wars with author Blake J. Harris (Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation) and some of the video game personalities who were in the trenches-Tom Kalinske (Sega of America), Al Nilsen (Sega of America), Bill White (former Nintendo of America employee), and Perrin Kaplan (former Nintendo of America employee), as well as Julian Rosenberg, producer of the upcoming Console Wars documentary.
Sunday July 27, 2014 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Room 23ABC
The LEGO: Ninjago team talks about the development of the TV show and toys.Tommy Andreasen (senior creative manager, LEGO), series writers Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman, and Simon Lucas (product designer manager, LEGO) discuss the behind-the-scenes development of the LEGO Ninjago product line and TV series, with Brian Bowler (brand marketing director, LEGO) moderating the panel.
Interested in a career doing voices for animation and video games? There are plenty of people around who'll take your money and tell you how to go about it...but here's 90 minutes of absolutely free advice from folks who work in the field. Come hear cartoon voice actor Bill Farmer, talent agent Sandie Schnarr (AVO Talent) and others, along with your moderator, voice director Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show).
Sunday July 27, 2014 3:00pm - 4:30pm PDT
Room 25ABC
The pop culture explosion through gaming, comics, TV, and film has opened up new opportunities for cultural diversity; however, many challenges and obstacles still exists in today's media. In this humorous but poignant discussion, diverse geek experts will discuss breaking ethnic stereotypes and what changes need to happen for us to boldly go into the future. Panelists include Linda Le (professional cosplayer), Andre Meadows (Black Nerd Comedy), clinical psychologist Dr. Andrea Letamendi (The Arkham Sessions), and Tony B. Kim (Crazy4ComicCon.com).
Sunday July 27, 2014 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 28DE
