"It's that couch experience -- chatting around the game is as much fun as the game itself," Whitten said.
Still, chatting while deploying an arsenal of weapons to destroy one other is different from most Hollywood networking, which is often "of the boring, drinking variety," said Justin Wilson, director of alumni relations at USC's School of Cinematic Arts.
Wilson says people can break into Hollywood or get ahead in many ways. He plays basketball with Hollywood types every Tuesday night. His friends play in poker games. USC holds film screenings and receptions, during which students can talk to alumni.
"It's about getting yourself in front of someone so they'll remember you, and find some point of connection," he said.
Marks, the screenwriter, made that connection by excelling at blasting rivals in Gears of War. He frequently battled another sniper, and soon found out that this sharpshooter was Zach Schiff-Abrams, a producer with Michael DeLuca Productions.
Marks' agent had been sending his scripts to Schiff-Abrams, who gets dozens a day, for a potential project. So Marks introduced himself one night during Nerd Poker. Two weeks later the two met face to face, and they are now looking for a project to work on together.
The meeting wouldn't have happened as quickly without Nerd Poker to facilitate it, Schiff-Abrams said.
"It's a great arena to meet people I wouldn't have otherwise," he said.
Douglass, the William Morris agent, said he's had about 15 meetings with Nerd Poker players or their friends. He calls them his "Nerd Poker specials."
For example, through Nerd Poker he and Marks became close to an executive from game publisher Capcom. When the executive revealed the company was looking to write a comic book version of its game "Bionic Commando," the three agreed Marks should write it.
Fritz has developed sources through Nerd Poker and written a story about his experience for Variety.
"I've blown up lots of people I've worked with," he said.
Nerd Poker has expanded beyond the Thursday night sessions. The group has breakfasts and dinners at major gaming events such as the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and at ComicCon. In June, the group held Nerd Fest: a weekend of nonstop gaming that culminated in a party, attended by 130 people, at Schiff-Abrams' house.
"It's kind of a support group," said Chang, the film executive.
