Expansion.

The Games for Health Conference will be holding its sixth meeting this year at the Hyatt Harborside Hotel in Boston, and the schedule is finally out.  The traditional two-day conference will offer over 40 sessions with 60 speakers and will cover a wide range of topics including exergaming, health behavior change, biofeedback, rehabilitation, physical therapy, disease management, epidemiology, medical training, cognitive and emotional health, nutrition and health education.

What really makes this year’s conference exciting is the addition of several co-located pre-conferences, including the first ever Mobile Serious Games Day.  These five days of health game events have been dubbed Games Beyond Entertainment Week.  Here’s what to expect for Games Beyond Entertainment Week.

Serious Games Day: Monday May 24, 2010

Games Beyond Entertainment Week 2010 kicks off with Serious Games Day. The Serious Games Initiative, with support from the Federation of American Scientists and other partners present this event in which leading serious game projects and research will be showcased to assist developers, sponsors, and partners operating in the serious games field.  The evening will be wrapped up with the Serious Games Festival.

1st Annual Mobile Serious Games Day: Tuesday May 25, 2010

Out & About is the first ever event dedicated to the creation and distribution of serious games on mobile platforms.  From ARGs, to pedometer powered adventures, Out & About will bring you up-to-speed on this exciting new area of the serious games field.  The conference will feature a mobile games gallery and two tracks to choose from: pioneering projects and mobile games for health and healthcare.

3rd Annual Games Accessibility Day: Tuesday May 25, 2010

Games Accessibility Day explores every aspect of making and creating accessible games specifically for people with lifelong, chronic, and temporary disabilities.  This conference included demos of existing accessible games as well as lectures and networking opportunities dedicated to making all games more accessible, and helping people with disabilities play their way to better health and wellness.

3rd Annual Virtual Worlds and Health Day: Tuesday May 25, 2010

Virtual Worlds and Health Day explores the entire spectrum of opportunities and happenings related to health, healthcare, multiplayer games, and social virtual worlds.   Be prepared to learn about massive multiplayer games and social virtual worlds and including WhyVille, Second Life, and Habbo Hotel.

Emerging Markets in Videogames Symposium: Tuesday May 25th, 2010

This single track conference will cover highly emergent efforts in commercial entertainment and non-traditional sectors. The goal of the Emerging Markets Symposium is to create a place for understanding new opportunities in games as well as provide a forum for discussion of how such innovative areas can be created and nurtured long-term.  Tuesday will conclude with an evening at the IDGA Boston games showcase and reception.

6th Annual Games for Health Conference: Wednesday May 26th and Thursday May 27th, 2010

The sixth annual Games for Health Conference will be held at the Hyatt Harborside Hotel in Boston from May 25 to 27.  Building on the success of previous years, the 2010 conference promises to provide even more insight around the use of interactive video games advancing heath and health care through exergaming, active games, health training games, disease management efforts and more.  Wednesday evening also includes a GFH reception and afterplay event.

International Leadership Breakfast: Friday May 28th, 2010

Conclude your serious games week by connecting with international networkers and leaders at the International Leadership Breakfast. The goal of this event is to foster stronger cross-border collaboration, project, and business development.

Registering for the conferences.

This line up is sure to attract healthgamers from all over the world.  Last year’s Games for Health Conference sold out early so the Games for Health Project recommends you register as soon as possible.  For complete information about this and the rest of the week, visit www.gamesforhealth.org and www.gamesbeyondentertainment.com.  To download a complete brochure suitable for forwarding to colleagues, visit http://www.gamesforhealth.org/brochure.pdf.