Lewis Ward is a Research Manager in the Consumer Markets group based at IDC's headquarters in Framingham, Massachusetts. His area of coverage includes the worldwide evaluation and forecasting of opportunities, threats and trends in the console, personal computer and handheld/mobile gaming industry. Software, hardware and service aspects are examined in his advisory service, within the context of the broader consumer electronics space. A long-time enthusiast who developed a text-based game in BASIC for use on the Apple II in middle school and ruled the roost at Joust in the mid-80s, Mr. Ward brings more than two decades of game-related experience to bear in his current role. Since attending his first E3 in Atlanta in 1997, he has written about and/or played countless hours of FPS's, adventure games, and a variety of other genres –though a piece of his heart still belongs to Lara Croft.

Connected console gaming and community services are a significant focus of his program, as are the innovative and increasingly immersive input mechanisms. Online PC software are service uptake and revenue are also considered, informed by primary survey research. Regional distinctions allow game publishers and developers, hardware vendors and other ecosystem constituents to refine their strategies using the latest actionable intelligence. He joined the board of GamePro Media in mid-2010

Prior to his current role, Mr. Ward covered mobile entertainment, including gaming, music and TV/video, at IDC from 2004 to early 2009 (spanning service provider, content developer and device perspectives). An award-winning author and frequent lecturer, his work has been featured in many industry-leading publications and Web sites. He was promoted from Senior Analyst to his current position in 1Q06. Before joining IDC, Mr. Ward was an analyst at Collaborative Strategies, a San Francisco-based management services firm from 1998 to 2004. He received a BA in English from the University of California at Berkeley in 1994, loves basketball, and spent a year in Spain while in college where he learned to enjoy tapas while discussing the finer points of Gaudí and Picasso.