J.J. Abrams joining Newell to keynote DICE

This year's DICE Summit is getting a little injection of Hollywood, as producer J.J. Abrams (Star Trek) will have a keynote discussion with Valve president Gabe Newell. The two will sit down to tackle the subject: "Storytelling Across Platforms: Who Benefits Most, the Audience or the Player?"

Newell will also be headlining his own individual keynote address, entitled "The View on Next Steps." It will focus on the future of the industry, and Valve's own plans involving Steam and Big Picture to that end. He'll also be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame at the DICE Awards.

"J.J. thoughtfully weaves together suspense, action, emotion, and fun into every one of his projects - elements every game developer aspires to capture as well," said AIAS president Martin Rae, in the announcement. "Each year, the D.I.C.E. Summit sets the tone for the year ahead in games and adding J.J. and Gabe's shared insights is a natural fit as we see all forms of entertainment converge."

The DICE Summit and awards will be taking place February 5-8 in Las Vegas.