Contact: Spencer Stuart
(608) 301-5578
stuartsw@uww.edu
WHITEWATER From its humble beginnings at Indiana University, GameZombie TV has reached unprecedented levels of success for a student-run game media studio. The project, started in spring 2007, has made its way to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
GameZombie started with the concept that video game reviews could be made more interesting if presented during a zombie apocalypse. From this idea, creator Spencer Stuart, faculty member in the media arts and game development lab at UW-Whitewater, developed GameZombie into one of the most successful student-run game media Web sites in the world.
With more than seven million unique views to its name, GameZombie offers students the chance to see their work displayed on a larger stage than ever before. The Web site, http://www.gamezombie.tv, is home to the most game developer interviews of any one site on the Web, as well as extensive coverage of major gaming conferences, including E3 and Comic-Con.
“GameZombie is about bringing a lot of style to the video game genre,” said Stuart, who will head up a speech class in spring 2010 focusing on the development of the GameZombie Web site. “We want to make something that will really compete with what’s on the Web.”
A new, state-of-the-art multimedia room will be used in McGraw Hall for the course. Anyone interested in multimedia or video games will be exposed to emerging technologies. Video conferencing will be utilized to coordinate the work being done by UW-Whitewater students and students from Indiana University.
Junior management computer systems major Nicholas Shulte plans to work as a video editor for GameZombie in the spring 2010 semester.
“I wanted to have some real world experience,” Shulte said. “I’ll attend and film conventions, conduct interviews, then chop it all up and put together the best parts.”
GameZombie has already won two Webby Honoree Awards in the online video category. Intent on continuing to expand the site’s audience, Stuart has even more innovations in store for the production of the student-run startup company, including the addition of a video-commenting system for the Web site and the production of Facebook and iPhone applications.
Junior multimedia arts major Mike Meloy got involved with the program because of a passion for video games.
“I’ll be working on video production and web development. I love video games and have always wanted to work with them on some level,” Meloy said.
Along with the class offered in spring, Stuart is looking for student interns with an enthusiasm for video games, marketing and Web development.
“GameZombie presents the opportunity to make something real that will compete on the web and to say you’ve worked for a start-up company,” said Stuart. Students interested in getting involved with the project should contact Spencer Stuart at contact@GameZombie.tv or by phone at (608) 301-5578.
