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Mike
Wilson - Publisher
For the last seven years, SubstanceTV Publisher and co-founder Mike Wilson has held executive positions of increasing responsibility in new media development, publishing, and Internet marketing. Widely regarded as a pioneer and leading expert in development and marketing to the $6 billion computer and video game audience, Mike has been featured in such high-profile publications as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New York Daily News, Wired, and Texas Monthly.
As co-founder and CEO of Gathering of Developers (GodGames), Mike created and established one of the most highly regarded worldwide brands in the crowded, rapidly-consolidating computer game publishing industry in the span of only two years, from 1998 to 2000. Gathering of Developers was sold to New York-based publisher Take Two Interactive (TTWO) in May of 2000.
Mike’s role at the Gathering included managing both the company’s operations and the growth of the brand. In this capacity, he oversaw the launches of several top-tier titles, including the Railroad Tycoon II series and Max Payne, and built an outstanding organization and team structure with 34 employees in Dallas and Austin, TX. After handing over the GodGames brand to Take Two’s New York management in July of 2001, Mike moved on to create SubstanceTV, along with nearly all of his Texas staff.
Prior to the Gathering’s creation, Mike co-founded and was named CEO of
ION Storm, where he managed the creation and launch of one of the most high-profile game company brands in computer game industry history. He negotiated one of the most lucrative publishing contracts ever for the startup development team led by industry legend John Romero, and helped grow the organization from 8 to 88 employees during 1997.
Mike’s reputation for innovative marketing and distribution strategies was cemented during his tenure as Vice President of Marketing and Distribution for id Software, one of the most successful independent game developers in the world. From 1995 to December of 1996, Mike managed the company’s business and marketing affairs, overseeing its publishing relationships with GT Interactive (GTIS) and Activision (ATVI), while establishing distribution for id’s self-publishing efforts. He also directly managed the launch of the megahit Quake series, as well as many products in the best-selling DOOM series.
Mike entered the game industry in 1995, spending nearly two years as Vice President of Development at IVS/DWANGO, the first nationwide online gaming service. During this time, he managed the company’s growth from a single-server, 4-man operation in Houston, TX, to a nationwide franchise operating in 22 markets in less than 6 months, establishing a foothold for the pioneering service that still exists today.
Mike studied PR and Journalism at Louisiana State University, and, in the past five years, has been a featured speaker at major industry events and conferences including E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), GDC, (Game Developer's Conference), SPA (Software Publishers Association) and others. He lives with his wife and children in Austin, Texas.
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