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FREE - Roundtables
Fixing The Talent Crisis: Moving From Conversation To Action
This Roundtable is focused on the learnings from today’s Games Edu track. We will be consolidating and sharing our thoughts with each other, giving plenty of time for networking to build the necessary bridges and move the discussion into practice.
We will cover the key outcomes from the earlier sessions in the track. Giving a chance for educators, studio leads, and practitioners to share their own observations and challenges, looking for the common ground: where are the successes happening, and where do the challenges remain?
Moving on to networking and further discussion with the view to building the connections that will create lasting links to maintain the momentum and turn conversation into action.
Session Takeaway
- Consolidate key themes and learning from the Games Edu track.
- Share challenges and successes in developing early‑career talent.
- Build new connections across industry, education, and bridging organisations.
Graduate Journeys: Experiences, Challenges, and Gaps in Education and Support
This Free Round table gives the opportunity to hear firsthand from those that have made the journey from education to industry and those that build the pathways. It provides the opportunity to participate in an open discussion around those experiences and their learnings.
In this open, organic conversation, the students and the path builders will share the positive impact of studio-led mentorship and dedicated incubation. We’ll explore the gaps they found and how the support structures helped them overcome those challenges.
Whether you're a student looking for your own path or a studio head looking to build a better internal culture, join us for a constructive look at the practical magic that happens when education and industry truly collaborate.
Session Takeaway
- Gain first‑hand knowledge from those that have made the transition from education to industry.
- Learn how studios and programmes support graduates through mentorship and pathways.
- Gain clarity on practical next steps for moving from education into professional practice.
How Does One Freelance?
Are 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.
One Year On: Progress, Gaps, and Possibilities for LGBTQ+ Inclusion
This 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.
Overcoming Barriers to Mental Health Support in the Workplace
This 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.
Raise the Game Roundtable
Join 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.
Sexism, Sexual Safety and Allyship in Gaming
The 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.
Too Many Ideas, One Game: ADHD Survival Guide for Game Dev
Game 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.
Writing in the Age of LLMs: A Creative Professional’s Roundtable
Large 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.
