E3 06: E3 Expo details conference program

While gamers the world over know of the Electronic Entertainment Expo and the exhibition halls full of ornate booths, heavy-duty sound systems, and demo kiosks for next year's games, not as many are aware of the E3 conference program that runs alongside the main event each year.

This year's program runs from May 9 through May 11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and features more than 175 executives, analysts, artists, developers, and others discussing the topics and trends that will shape the industry for years to come.

The program is broken down into three different tracks this year: "Creativity and Technology: Taking Control of the Next Generation of Gameplay," "Business Strategy: Embracing a New Set of Best Practices," and "Market Analysis: Understanding the New Digital Entertainment Landscape."

A number of notable speakers will appear, including THQ executive vice president of worldwide publishing Kelly Flock, Lionhead founder Peter Molyneux, Lumines and Meteos developer Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Ultima creator Richard Garriott, Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley, Electronic Arts vice president Neil Young, God of War designer David Jaffe, and Junction Point Studios president Warren Spector.

In addition to the conference program proper, there will be a dozen workshops and three special midday sessions that will feature the likes of The Sims creator Will Wright and BioWare joint CEOs Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk.

For more information on the conference program or the rest of E3, check out the expo's official Web site.