Click a track to filter sessions
Select a day
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
-
9:45am
Jens Andersson MachineGamesPete Ward MachineGamesKate Edwards Geogrify / SetJetters9:45am - 10:45amRoom 1KEYNOTE: The Spirit of Adventure – Bringing Indiana Jones Back to Gaming
Tuesday 8th July9:45am - 10:45amRoom 1A fireside chat with MachineGames’ Design Director Jens Andersson and Audio Director Pete Ward. This session promises an engaging discussion about the challenges and triumphs of adapting the legendary Indiana Jones IP for a modern gaming audience.
Hosted by: Kate Edwards, Geogrify/SetJetters
-
9:45am
Sam Lake Remedy EntertainmentSam Loveridge GamesRadar9:45am - 10:45amRoom 1KEYNOTE: Remedy’s Sam Lake: 30 Years of Storytelling
Wednesday 9th July9:45am - 10:45amRoom 1This fireside chat will explore Develop Star Award recipient Sam Lake's long career in games. He’ll discuss starting out as a writer on Death Rally in 1996 to playing Max Payne, his involvement in the Alan Wake games plus his journey to becoming the multi-award-winning story-teller and Creative Director of Remedy Entertainment. Sam will also share what inspires him today and his creative drive to make a brighter future for the games industry.
Hosted by: Sam Loveridge, Games Radar
3:00pm
Jane Perry Actor3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 5KEYNOTE: Performance in Games: From Data to Drama
Wednesday 9th July3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 5As an award-winning actor with a career spanning theatre film, television, and video games, Jane Perry has been at the forefront of the evolving relationship between performance and interactive storytelling. From embodying characters in the motion capture volume to creating complex and engaging vocal performances, Jane has witnessed firsthand how far the industry has come in supporting truly immersive and collaborative experiences for both the actor, developer and the player.
In this keynote, Jane will explore why celebrating performance in games is more important than ever before. She’ll share insights from her own journey, discuss the challenges and opportunities for actors in this space, and examine what game developers can learn from traditional performance techniques.
Join Jane as she explores the journey from Data to Drama and makes the case for why elevating acting in games is essential for the future of interactive entertainment.
Session Takeaway
- Why understanding the craft of acting is important in the interactive media space
- What are the skills that are required of the actor, and how can the developer best support these needs?
- A brief overview of my own career over the past 15 years, and some thoughts on what we might hope for in the future
-
10:00am
Tara Mustapha Code Coven10:00am - 11:00amRoom 1KEYNOTE: Build What You Have: Rethinking Studio Sustainability in 2025
Thursday 10th July10:00am - 11:00amRoom 1Many of today’s studio leaders came up experimenting with whatever tools they had - hacking, prototyping, modding, and storytelling in unexpected ways. That same mindset is exactly what the industry needs now, not just to survive, but to rediscover why we make games in the first place.
In this keynote, Code Coven founder Tara Mustapha shares a vision for building sustainable, inclusive studios in a time of economic pressure and creative uncertainty. Drawing from her firsthand experience supporting hundreds of marginalised developers, Tara explores how creative resilience, strategic thinking, cultural leadership and your love of games are key to long-term success, no matter your size or stage.
Whether you’re an indie founder navigating your first fundraise or a veteran rethinking your team’s future, this session is a call to build intentionally, play in the sandbox and break the rules.
Session Takeaway
- How resourceful, experimental thinking can guide studio strategy today
- What sustainable, inclusive studios look like in practice
- Where the real funding opportunities are - and how to access them
- Why inclusion is a competitive advantage in an unstable industry
- Practical frameworks for lean hiring, long-term KPIs, and community driven development
