Chris Melissinos

Ch 00 · Power on

Chris Melissinos: technology executive, keynote speaker, and creator of The Art of Video Games

Helping companies turn emerging technology into business strategy, from Sun to Verizon to AWS.

Chris Melissinos smiling in front of a wall of pixel-art alien invaders

CH 01 · Chris Melissinos

Change the channelTurn the dial: 10 channels. Channels 2 to 10 play videos featuring Chris.

Technology executive working across games, media, cloud, and telecommunications. He has led corporate strategy, business development, and go-to-market work at Sun Microsystems, Verizon, and AWS, often building the teams and partner networks behind new platforms.

Ch 01 · On the dial, 2001 to today

5 companies, newest first.

  1. Amazon Web Services
    2020 – today

    Principal Evangelist

    Connects Amazon's most innovative technical work with customers worldwide; before that, AWS's principal evangelist to the games industry.

  2. Verizon
    2013 – 2020

    Executive Director, Interactive Entertainment

    Led media and entertainment strategy, an interactive entertainment platform at Verizon Media, and the 5G Disruption team.

  3. GoPop.tv
    2012 – 2013

    Co-founder

    Co-inventor on US Patent 9,197,911 for interactive experiences built from content metadata.

  4. Verisign
    2011 – 2012

    Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Communications

    Ran global brand, press and analyst relations, events, and digital properties.

  5. Sun Microsystems
    2001 – 2010

    Chief Gaming Officer; Chief Evangelist

    Led Sun's games strategy, drove Project Darkstar, and founded JavaGaming.org.

SUN
VRSN
VERIZON
GOPOP
AWS

Selected videos

Where to start

Four videos that tell the story best.

  1. 01TEDxHerndon · 2017

    Video Games: Limitless Universe for Exploring Humanity

    How video games grew from the playthings of the 1970s into one of the most important art forms we have, and a powerful medium for storytelling and empathy.

    Watch on YouTube
  2. 02Supercell Games First keynote · 2026

    The Future of Video Games is Play 2.0

    From the earliest arcade machines to where games are headed next, and why this is still one of the most exciting moments in history to be making games.

    Watch on YouTube
  3. 03Reason TV · 2012

    How Washington Learned to Love Video Games

    The Art of Video Games at the Smithsonian as the sign that official Washington had finally learned to love video games, two decades after Congress scolded the industry.

    Watch on YouTube
  4. 04Game Developers Choice Awards, GDC · 2013

    Acceptance speech, Game Developers Choice Awards

    His acceptance speech for The Art of Video Games, on stage at GDC in San Francisco, March 2013.

    Watch on YouTube

Ch 07 · Game over? Insert coin

Say hello

chris@chrismelissinos.com