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11:00am
Jazeena McCallum CRITICAL REFLEX11:00am - 11:45amRoom 6Develop: FTUE (First Time User Experience) Tuesday
Tuesday 14th July11:00am - 11:45amRoom 6A relaxed and informal roundtable designed to help you get the most out of your time at the conference. A diverse panel of friendly and experienced devs from across the whole industry spectrum want to help anyone who feels shy, awkward, a little out of place, on the outside, or just unable to really squeeze all the goodness out of this amazing show. You'll feel positive, empowered and fully equipped to have an absolutely smashing time, with tips on how to be productive, tools to network, and commitments from volunteers to be your safety net should things get a little too much! Finally, should you feel like it would help, we'll match people up with Show Mentors to ensure however long you're in Brighton, you go back to your studio feeling invigorated and inspired!
Session Takeaway
- Shared experiences that will give you some ideas on best practise plus do's and don'ts for networking at every event.
- Recommendations for talks to attend and delegates to meet, plus practical help to do so!
- Knowledge of safe and quiet spaces to help manage your experience at the show.
- Introductions to helpers who you can approach throughout your visit if you need a friendly face!
12:00pm
Rory Martin Giraffe Head Studios Ltd12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 6Too Many Ideas, One Game: ADHD Survival Guide for Game Dev
Tuesday 14th July12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 6Game development is already a difficult, long, messy marathon. Add ADHD traits like novelty chasing, time blindness, and idea overload, and it can feel like you are constantly fighting your own brain.
This light hearted talk is a practical, real world look at how to work with ADHD in game development and turn common pain points into strengths. Instead of trying to force a “normal” workflow, I will share approaches that harness what ADHD can be good at: creative problem solving, momentum bursts, rapid iteration, and high energy finishing pushes.
It is not a medical talk or about motivation hacks. It is an overview of strategies, habits, and production choices that help you ship, stay sane, and use your brain the way it actually works. It's around how I have turned something that could be considered debilitating into a super power to get sh*t done.
Session Takeaway
- A simple way to capture ideas without derailing the main project.
- A method for choosing the next task when focus is inconsistent.
- A repeatable approach for turning hyperfocus into finished work.
2:00pm
Adam Dolin GameDevDolin2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 6Writing in the Age of LLMs: A Creative Professional’s Roundtable
Tuesday 14th July2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 6Large language models and generative AI are developing rapidly. They're embedded in our phones, our web browsers, and are increasingly shaping the global economy. Meanwhile, creative professionals across nearly every discipline of game development are grappling with fundamental questions about their craft and future. This roundtable brings together developers, designers, and writers for an honest, open conversation about navigating this new landscape.
This roundtable is not a debate about whether AI is good or bad. As a baseline, participants should be able to acknowledge the environmental and ethical concerns around this technology while remaining open to its potential to shape the future. This session is intended as a safe space to share our fears about job displacement and creative devaluation, our hopes for new creative possibilities and efficiency gains, our strategies for adapting our workflows and skills, and practical tips for working with (or around) these tools.
Whether you're an AI skeptic, enthusiast, or somewhere in between, all perspectives are welcome. The only requirement is a willingness to listen and engage respectfully. As writers and creatives, our job has always been to imagine new possibilities—let's explore together what opportunities might emerge, what risks we must remain vigilant for, and how we can shape this moment thoughtfully. Come with your questions, experiences, and uncertainties. Leave with new perspectives, practical insights, and a community navigating this transition alongside you.
Session Takeaway
- A clearer understanding of how other creative professionals are thinking about and responding to generative AI.
- Practical strategies for adapting creative workflows while preserving what makes human creativity valuable.
- Connection with peers who share similar concerns and can offer mutual support.
- A framework for having productive conversations about AI with colleagues and employers.
- Specific resources and tools that other attendees have found useful.
- Greater confidence in navigating uncertainty and making informed decisions about AI in your own practice.
3:00pm
Cinzia Musio Ukie3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 6Raise the Game Roundtable
Tuesday 14th July3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 6Join us to talk about how to make the games industry a more equitable, diverse and inclusive place to be. Through this roundtable, we’ll aim to discuss actionable takeaways to make your studio or company a more inclusive place to work for, and share tips on how to do so sustainably. You will also learn what Raise the Game and their partners are up to, and how you can get involved.
Session Takeaway
- How to make your studio a more equitable, diverse and inclusive place.
- Take action sustainably.
- Make long-lasting changes in your studio culture.
- Become a more organisationally mature studio.
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11:00am
Jazeena McCallum CRITICAL REFLEX11:00am - 11:45amRoom 6Develop: FTUE (First Time User Experience) Wednesday
Wednesday 15th July11:00am - 11:45amRoom 6A relaxed and informal roundtable designed to help you get the most out of your time at the conference. A diverse panel of friendly and experienced devs from across the whole industry spectrum want to help anyone who feels shy, awkward, a little out of place, on the outside, or just unable to really squeeze all the goodness out of this amazing show. You'll feel positive, empowered and fully equipped to have an absolutely smashing time, with tips on how to be productive, tools to network, and commitments from volunteers to be your safety net should things get a little too much! Finally, should you feel like it would help, we'll match people up with Show Mentors to ensure however long you're in Brighton, you go back to your studio feeling invigorated and inspired!
Session Takeaway
- Shared experiences that will give you some ideas on best practise plus do's and dont's for networking at every event.
- Recommendations for talks to attend and delegates to meet, plus practical help to do so!
- Knowledge of safe and quiet spaces to help manage your experience at the show.
- Introductions to helpers who you can approach throughout your visit if you need a friendly face!
12:00pm
Lorna McFall Freelance UI UX Designer12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 6How Does One Freelance?
Wednesday 15th July12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 6Are you someone who is new to the games industry looking for your first client, or have you been in the industry for quite some time as an employee but are now looking to take the freelancer plunge?
When we first take that step, it feels like there are so many unknowns. I know when I first ventured my mind went to:
‘Where do I find the work so I can keep being able to pay rent?’
‘How much should I charge for my skills and time?’
‘What is a self assessment and how do I even go about it?’
And many, many more.
It took time for me to find the answers, and even longer to realise what I should have been asking in the first place.
In this ‘How Does One Freelance?’ roundtable we will discover those questions and openly explore the answers together to help establish whether this work structure is for you. We will discuss all the main FAQ’s, the pros and cons to the choices that don’t necessarily have a right answer, as well as ensure you know how to look after yourself from a work, money and business perspective in a sustainable way. By the end we will have gained insight from one another and leave with a much stronger understanding of what day to day life as a freelancer in games (regardless of your role) could look like.
Session Takeaway
The Work - We will break down different ways to build up your client network and maintain sustainable work so you are thriving and not just surviving.
The Money - A topic we often are too shy to speak about, but we will cover how to price your services and how to go about getting paid.
The Business - How not to have HMRC on your back about self assessment and tax, as well as better understanding legal contracts and business expenses.
2:00pm
Izzie Micul Safe In Our World2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 6Overcoming Barriers to Mental Health Support in the Workplace
Wednesday 15th July2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 6This roundtable will open a vital discussion about the barriers many games industry employers face to implementing positive mental health and wellbeing practices. The types of organisations that make up our fast-paced industry are so diverse that there is no "one size fits all" approach to getting mental health support at work right. This fosters an environment in which leaders will often struggle alone to support the mental health of their teams, not knowing how to overcome barriers including finances, time, personnel, and more. Opening up an honest discussion about these barriers, and sharing best practice on how to overcome them, will ensure attendees leave with practical actions to level up their workplace wellbeing.
Session Takeaway
- Understand the barriers to implementing mental health support faced by organisations across the games industry.
- Gain insight into methods to overcome these barriers, with best practice and recommendations that can be flexible to suit your organisational make-up.
- Connect with industry peers to understand that you're not alone in facing these challenges: this is an opportunity to learn from others and share your insights in a supportive, facilitated environment.
- Leave with actionable goals to improve mental health support in your company.
3:00pm
James Dodd Out Making Games3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 6One Year On: Progress, Gaps, and Possibilities for LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Wednesday 15th July3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 6This year’s LGBTQ+ round table will compare where we were at last year's roundtable, were we are now, and tackle key issues LGBTQ+ professionals are facing in the ever-changing social and political landscape. The hosts will present a series of topics, which attendees will be free to openly discuss, sharing their thoughts, insights and experiences, in a safe and supportive environment. Attendees should leave with a better understanding of what others are or have experienced, steps they have taken to navigate these, the knowledge they are not alone in most instances, and tangible or actionable takeaways to facilitate a better working and social environment for all.
Session Takeaway
What LGBTQ+ professionals are experiencing in 2026.
Practical ways to navigate and mitigate negativity.
Examples of changes to EDI practices around the world along with practical advice on how to navigate them and minimise the effect on yourself.
Steps you or your business can take to support LGBTQ+ individuals and employees.
5:00pm
Helen Race Survivors' Network5:00pm - 5:45pmRoom 6Sexism, Sexual Safety and Allyship in Gaming
Wednesday 15th July5:00pm - 5:45pmRoom 6The games industry thrives on creativity, collaboration, and community—but is not immune to the wider societal problem of sexual harassment and sexist behaviours. We appreciate this may feel like a challenging topic, but we are very used to having these discussions, and making them sensitive and engaging.
Sexism, Sexual Safety and Allyship in Gaming sets the scene by grounding these issues in a broader cultural and legal context, including an overview of the UK’s Worker Protection Act.
We’ll explore why sexual harassment is not just a legal risk, but a serious barrier to wellbeing, retention, and innovation; considering this issue in the context of gaming.
The session will consider challenges that are particularly acute in the gaming industry: power imbalances, freelancer and contractor vulnerability, social events blurring professional boundaries, online spaces, and long-standing cultural norms that can normalise “banter,” exclusion, or silence.
We’ll examine common behaviours to watch out for and discuss their real impacts, especially for women, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalised groups.
Crucially, this talk is not just about identifying problems, it’s about action. Attendees will learn practical, accessible ways to be a good ally and active bystander, regardless of role or seniority. This includes how to safely intervene, support colleagues, challenge harmful behaviour, and help create environments where people feel able to speak up, so everyone can do their best work and feel they belong in gaming.
Session Takeaway
- Identification of potentially unharmful behaviours.
- Becoming confident for bystander intervention.
- Supporting affected parties.
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11:15am
Katie Squires South Westerly Games Ltd11:15am - 12:00pmRoom 6A Holistic Approach to Supporting Mental Health in the Games Industry.
Thursday 16th July11:15am - 12:00pmRoom 6Having open conversations around mental health helps to create a positive culture around mental well-being. This session will explore the importance of eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health by raising awareness and promoting regular conversation around the topic. It will give strategies to help employers understand how to support their staff’s mental health and offer staff ways to feel supported and safe to talk about their mental health. A positive and practical continuum of ideas and resources will be given throughout to support the talented individuals who work to create the games that we love.
Session Takeaway
- How creating a positive mental well-being culture benefits everyone.
- The importance of starting and continuing conversations about mental health to enable support.
- Access to a practical toolkit of ideas that range from easy to implement to in-depth strategies to support mental health.
Anisa Sanusi Limit Break11:15am - 12:00pmRoom 7Breaking Limits: How Mentorship Builds Better Studios
Thursday 16th July11:15am - 12:00pmRoom 7Since its inception in 2019, Limit Break has grown from a small cohort of 100 participants to a massive network of over 1,600 mentors and mentees. But how does a volunteer-run non-profit achieve this scale, and more importantly, why should game studios care?
In this session, Limit Break Founder Anisa Sanusi shares the origin story of the UK’s largest mentorship program for maginalised talent. She will reveal how a grassroots initiative evolved into a pillar of the industry, supporting thousands of careers from entry-level students to seasoned veterans.
Attendees will discover how supporting mentorship programs improves staff retention, levels up their skills, and fosters a healthier, more diverse studio culture. Anisa will also offer practical advice on running a successful non-profit. Whether you want to start your own employee resource group, launch a charity initiative, or simply become a better mentor, this talk will give you the tips you need for managing volunteers, organising community events on little or no budget, and that success often means embracing the chaos, ditching perfectionism, and just doing whatever it takes to get the job done.
Session Takeaway
- The Benefits of Mentorship: Understand the business benefits of mentorship, including higher staff retention, increased skill development, and improved team morale.
- Building a Community: Practical steps on how to set up and manage your own non-profit, charity, or internal employee resource group using a volunteer model.
- Better Mentoring and Leadership Skills: Learn how mentoring can help you to become a more effective leader in your own studio.
12:15pm
Gina Jackson Pitchify12:15pm - 1:00pmRoom 6What’s Concerning Under-35s Working in Games? The Top Five Issues
Thursday 16th July12:15pm - 1:00pmRoom 6With most advisory boards and leading games companies still dominated by leaders in their 50s and beyond, the perspectives of under-35 professionals are too often overlooked. This roundtable creates a dedicated space for younger voices in the games industry to speak candidly about the issues they find most challenging and concerning, including career progression, job security, workplace culture, AI, freedom of speech, leadership, and the future of the industry
Session Takeaway
Top 5 areas to be considered by the industry from the under 35s, these can be published and circulated to some of the national and regional advisory boards who represent the sector.
Molly Holmes Panda Cat Games12:15pm - 1:00pmRoom 7A Beginners Guide to Tiktok (for Indie Games)
Thursday 16th July12:15pm - 1:00pmRoom 7Learn the basics of using TikTok to launch your game and build your brand from Panda Cat Games’ Social Media Manager, Molly Holmes. She’ll share her tried and tested tips and tricks, and what she’s learnt about launching your social presence from scratch and building a following - so that you can do the same for your indie games company. (Warning: May include spreadsheets and graphs!)
This will cover:
- Why TikTok?
- Getting started
- What works and what doesn't (trends, rules, attention spans)
- Growing a following
- How to monitor and improve
- Generating ideas and content
Session Takeaway
- Basic understanding of TikTok.
- Knowledge of how to get started.
- Why TikTok can be important for indie games.
- Tips and tricks for how to get the best out of it.
2:00pm
Cari Watterton ScopelyRobert Macdonald FreelanceHarriet Frayling Many Cats Studios2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 6Making the Case for Accessibility - Roundtable
Thursday 16th July2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 6If you’re a dev who wants to make your game more accessible, but are constantly struggling to get the greenlight - this session is for you.
Our roundtable brings together accessibility specialists working in studios and a former director who successfully established a dedicated accessibility role to give insights on how to get buy-in for accessibility at your studio. We’ll provide a safe space to discuss the challenges of achieving buy-in and explore strategies for making a business case for accessibility. We’ll also share resources, data and help foster connections with the accessibility community that you can take away to help you going forward.
This roundtable aims to be accessible and approachable for everyone, from juniors to directors. We welcome accessibility consultants and lived experience experts to bring their experience to the table and learn more about the challenges developers face in making accessibility a priority.
Alongside Cari, our moderators are:
Robert Macdonald, a UI/UX veteran with over 21 years of experience in game development, most recently serving as Studio UI/UX Director at Splash Damage, where he oversaw UI, UX, and accessibility across multiple projects. His credits include Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Gears Tactics, Gears of War 4 and Batman: Arkham Origins, spanning multiple platforms and genres. An advocate for inclusive design, he led studio-wide accessibility initiatives, including creating and recruiting for Splash Damage’s first dedicated accessibility role and helping embed accessibility into development culture and production practices.
Harriet Frayling, Senior Accessibility Specialist at Many Cats Studios. Harriet has spent 8+ years providing technical accessibility and inclusive design guidance, workshops and talks to studios, publishers and communities. Drawing on her lived experience as a disabled professional, and her expertise as an award winning accessibility consultant, she has helped numerous teams from AAA to Indie navigate the complexities of game accessibility, delivering expert accessibility consultation, research, analysis, testing and process development.Session Takeaway
Space to discuss challenges with getting buy-in for accessibility.
Insights from industry veterans on making a business case for accessibility.
Resources, data, and connections with the accessibility community.
Spring McParlinJones IWGB Game WorkersDeclan Keane ZA/UMJessica Crawford ZA/UM2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 7Fireside Chat with ZA/UM - How Unionisation Empowers Everyone!
Thursday 16th July2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 7The video games ecosystem has encountered many steep challenges recently with increasing redundancies, reduction in new talent entering the industry, and the rise of generative AI to name a few.
Such uncertainty would make anyone doubt the future and wonder where they stand. This was no different for the staff at the Disco Elysium studio ZA/UM. Yet there was a difference, such a difference that it brought employees together to talk, share their concerns and build the courage to address such matters to management. Time passed, yet as of October 2025, developers at ZA/UM formed the first officially recognized trade union in the UK video games industry. Represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) as the "ZA/UM Workers' Alliance," the union secured a voluntary recognition agreement with management to negotiate on job security, pay, and conditions following industry-wide layoffs.
How did such development happen?
Join us for this eye opening session as we explore what it takes to build momentum towards unionisation amongst workers, examining the steps needed to make such change happen from start to finish, and go down the rabbit hole with members of the “ZA/UM Workers' Alliance” to discuss their experiences and the impact unionising has had throughout the studio.
Session Takeaway
- Firsthand telling what it takes to create collective action within a studio and strengthen resolve in having difficult conversations as a team.
- The process in breaking down barriers between staff and management to communicate on mutual grounds for the progression of the company.
- The benefits of unisonising as a video game company that provides advantages for everyone within the business, from empowering workers to meeting goals and compromises as management.
3:00pm
Tika Simone Iverna Island3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 6The Cost of Silence: What We Lose When Systems Stop Listening
Thursday 16th July3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 6This roundtable explores how silence functions inside creative systems and production cultures, particularly in game development and interactive media. From unspoken burnout and inaccessible pipelines to unheard creative voices, silence often shapes outcomes as much as design decisions do.
The session invites participants into a facilitated discussion on how listening, consent, and psychological safety impact creative quality, team health, and long term sustainability. Drawing from real world experience across narrative, sound, and collaborative creative environments, the discussion will examine how teams can build practices that surface insight before harm occurs.
This is a reflective, discussion driven session focused on shared experience, peer learning, and practical shifts that can be taken back to studios.
Session Takeaway
- Delegates will gain practical language for identifying harmful silence in creative teams
- Delegates will learn listening practices that support healthier collaboration
- Delegates will leave with concrete questions and actions to apply within their studios
HaZ Dulull Beyond The Pixels3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 7How to Start an Indie Game Studio From Your Home Bedroom
Thursday 16th July3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 7What does it really take to turn a game idea into a sustainable indie studio, without a publisher at the start, a big team, or a flashy office?
In this candid, behind-the-scenes session, you’ll get a practical roadmap to building an indie game studio from the ground up, starting right where many great studios begin: your bedroom. Drawing on HaZ’s real-world experience of setting up Beyond The Pixels, this talk breaks down the key creative and business decisions every aspiring indie developer must face.
We’ll explore how to scope your first game idea realistically, choose the right engine for your goals, and avoid the common traps that stall projects early. You’ll learn how to assemble a lean, flexible team, collaborate effectively, and start building a genuine, engaged community from day one, not as an afterthought.
Beyond development, the session dives into the often-unspoken business side of indie games: legal setup, trademarks, publishing routes, funding strategies, and the realities of managing cashflow. No buzzwords, no wishful thinking—just honest insight into what it takes to survive and thrive as an independent studio in today’s crowded market.
Whether you’re a solo developer, a student, or a creative ready to take the leap, this session offers a clear, transparent look at turning passion into a studio—and giving your indie game its best chance.
Session Takeaway
- A Solid foundation of what it takes to build an indie studio from scratch.
- Tip on how to deal with business and strategic decisions of running an indie studio.
- The confidence to just take that leap and go for it!
4:00pm
Alistair Hume Full Dive Games4:00pm - 4:45pmRoom 7Making Ambitious Games from Scratch in the UK - Highs, Lows, Lessons and Resources
Thursday 16th July4:00pm - 4:45pmRoom 7I've made a conscious choice to build my career in the UK. I love the culture, landscape, diversity and talent in this wonderful melting pot.
In late 2025, I gave a version of this talk to the Unreal Meetup group in London. The goal was to share my journey in launching a game development studio, finding funding, building a product and finding a way of working that can create incredible and competitive videogame experiences in an increasingly challenging market. After a great response, I'd like to evolve the talk for Develop, and share the granular steps and lessons that I've learned since embarking on the ambitious journey to start a high-end game development studio.
Attendees will go on a linear journey through my work so far, starting in a bedroom, and reaching Gamescom and beyond. As we travel, we will reach checkpoints, in the form of lessons, resources and takeaways, that can be applied to other projects, goals or journeys.
There's no special trick, secret or exceptional talent. Instead, there are repeatable actions, granular tasks and perspectives that can be applied by anyone. I must stress that I don't claim to have all the answers, nor am I a runaway success at everything I undertake. However, I have been able to break into the industry and take on my some of my wildest dreams and goals within game development over the years. I'd love to share that with my peers, and hopefully help a few others to do the same.
Session Takeaway
- Starting a studio from scratch. Step-by-step guidance, lessons and examples.
- Applying for and deploying project finance in the UK. Resources and strategy.
- The realities of building a videogame development studio. What do you actually need to do/have to make it work?
- A step by step journey towards our first high-end commercial videogame. Starting in our bedroom, all the way to Gamescom and beyond.
- How to get your work out into the world - daily tasks and actions.
