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

    Helped shape media and entertainment strategy, led the development of an interactive entertainment platform at Verizon Media, and led 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

Unlocked · Player 1 picks

All-time favorites

The games Chris keeps coming back to.

  1. Space Invaders: advertisement flyer, japan1978Space InvadersArcade · TaitoAdvertisement flyer, Japan · LaunchBox Games Database
  2. Pac-Man: advertisement flyer, north america1980Pac-ManArcade · NamcoAdvertisement flyer, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  3. New Rally-X: advertisement flyer, japan1981New Rally-XArcade · NamcoAdvertisement flyer, Japan · LaunchBox Games Database
  4. Donkey Kong: advertisement flyer, united states1981Donkey KongArcade · NintendoAdvertisement flyer, United States · LaunchBox Games Database
  5. Robotron: 2084: advertisement flyer, north america1982Robotron: 2084Arcade · WilliamsAdvertisement flyer, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  6. Ms. Pac-Man: advertisement flyer, north america1982Ms. Pac-ManArcade · MidwayAdvertisement flyer, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  7. Pengo: advertisement flyer1982PengoArcade · SegaAdvertisement flyer · LaunchBox Games Database
  8. Lady Bug: box front, north america1982Lady BugColecoVision · ColecoBox front, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  9. Pitfall!: box front, north america1982Pitfall!Atari VCS · ActivisionBox front, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  10. TRON: advertisement flyer, north america1982TRONArcade · Bally MidwayAdvertisement flyer, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  11. Journey: advertisement flyer, north america1983JourneyArcade · Bally MidwayAdvertisement flyer, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  12. Star Wars: advertisement flyer, north america1983Star WarsArcade · AtariAdvertisement flyer, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  13. The Legend of Zelda: box front, north america1987The Legend of ZeldaNES · NintendoBox front, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  14. Raiden: advertisement flyer, japan1990RaidenArcade · Seibu KaihatsuAdvertisement flyer, Japan · LaunchBox Games Database
  15. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: box front, north america1992The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the PastSNES · NintendoBox front, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  16. Chrono Trigger: box front, japan1995Chrono TriggerSuper Famicom · SquareBox front, Japan · LaunchBox Games Database
  17. NiGHTS into Dreams: box front, north america1996NiGHTS into DreamsSaturn · SegaBox front, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  18. Final Fantasy VII: box front, north america1997Final Fantasy VIIPlayStation · SquareBox front, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  19. Tetris DX: box front, north america1998Tetris DXGame Boy Color · NintendoBox front, North America · LaunchBox Games Database
  20. Sonic Adventure: box front, north america1998Sonic AdventureDreamcast · SegaBox front, North America · LaunchBox Games Database