The DeanBeat: What the industry’s top leaders have to say about the video game business

I’ve spouted a lot of opinions about video games in this column. But I like to listen to what some of the smartest people in the game business have to say about what stirs their passions. Before, during, and after the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show in Los Angeles, I had a chance to interview 18 different CEOs, executives, and game creators about their views of gaming. I’ve dedicated this week’s story to gleaning the most interesting observations from those interviews.

After all, that’s how I get a lot of my own opinions, and it’s the best part of my job. I talk to the people with the ideas, the passion, and the insights. Please check out my favorite quotes from each interview. These are the kinds of comments that gamers and industry followers can have long conversations about. They talked about creative freedom, digital disruption, and the craft of making games. I fully expect to absorb these quotes, internalize them, and use them to tout my own forceful opinions some day.