At this year’s 2008 ION Game Conference organizers announced today that it has arranged for John Smedley, the president of Sony Computer Entertainment, to deliver the keynote address on Wednesday, May 13th at this year’s conference. During his address Mr. Smedley plans to delve into greater detail regards that Sony Online Entertainment has made-past, present, and future-and the MMO genre have so far accomplished. In addition Smedly will recognize SOE’s Seattle studio which has been the driving force behind Sony’s The Agency title which is now being developed for the PC and Playstation 3.

Peter Freese, the Conference Director for the 2008 IGN Game Conference, expressed confidence in Mr. Smedley when he commented that “ “I don’t think it’s possible to overstate John Smedley’s impact in the online game industry” as “his insight from the past and his vision for the future of our business is a message I’m excited to share with our attendees.”

Mr. Smedley currently has over 10 year’s experience in the field of interactive entertainment such as time with ATG, Knight Technologies, and a five year stint with 989 Studios in capacity as Director of Development. In addition Smedley also was crucial to the development of the first EverQuest title, was a co founder of Verant Interactive, which was later renamed Sony Online Entertainment after Verant Interactive was purchased by Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2000.

More information  on this year’s 2008 ION Game Conference is available at http://www.ionconference.com and for those wishing to have the most up to date information on the 2008 ION Game Conference the sign up page for the Conference’s newsletter is at  http://www.ionconference.com/signup.html.