Great Players Make Games Matter - D.I.C.E. 2012

If there's one thing to take away from the D.I.C.E. presentation of EA chief creative officer Richard Hilleman, it's that the world changes the games we play, and games in turn can change the world. In a half-hour session, the man behind the Madden series' early days on the Genesis talked about world champions in chess and table tennis, how they found their games used as fodder for international conflicts, and how damaging things happen when outside forces exert their control over the players. He asked the developers in the audience to love the players of the game more than the game itself, to build the tools of expression that let players take the game and make it their own.

The D.I.C.E. Summit (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) is a once yearly conference dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. It is organized by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and hosts the annual Interactive Achievement Awards, which celebrate the best games of the past year, as voted by AIAS members. Comedian Jay Mohr will return to host the awards show, which takes place on February 9.

For more, check out GameSpot's coverage page, which will feature full video of every panel and keynote address from the 2012 D.I.C.E. Summit.