Art
Game visuals today span the artistic spectrum, from iconic mobile graphics to lush AAA productions and now of course the shift towards virtual reality and a return to photo-realism. Our Art Track will provide artists with inspiration, practical advice, best-practise guidance and real-life case studies from not just the games industry but other creative industries too.
Audio
Nothing ruins a good game faster than annoying music or inferior sound effects. Our Audio Track curated by John Broomhall, is for anyone involved in sound or music and video games. Audio professionals can expect to be inspired by the latest techniques and trends, plus hear from peers and experts who will share their own experiences and knowledge on all things sound related. The Audio Day runs on Thursday 10 July.
Business
Without some commercial know-how and a sensible business model you won't get very far in today's hugely competitive games industry. Our Business track brings together some of the smartest brains in games to share real-life case studies, practical advice, and best-practise tips so you can run a truly successful business as well as make great games. Also covers the challenges of game production and funding plus new technologies, new trends and new business models.
Coding
The games industry clearly remains the most exciting and varied sector for a programmer to go to work in. In the Coding Track our seriously knowledgeable and experienced technical speakers will show you exactly how to rise to the many challenges and opportunities facing game programmers today - including new and emerging platforms like VR, AR and MR.
Design
Creativity in games has recently undergone a renaissance due to Indie developers, new formats, smaller budgets and online distribution channels as well as mainstream innovations. So contemporary game design is a challenging mix of cutting edge tech versus old school techniques like storytelling and game play. Come and be inspired by some of the world's most innovative and successful game designers offering their own top tips, and insight.
Discoverability
One of the biggest challenges facing game developers today is how to get your game on people's radar in such a competitive marketplace. The Discoverability track will focus on helping you do just that - finding and attracting the right audience, nurturing your community and building good relationships with media, streamers and other influencers. Hear case studies, top tips and practical advice from the people behind some of the most successful games around.
Games:Edu
A series of talks, panels and workshops bringing together industry and education and focusing on how to address the needs, challenges and opportunities the sector is facing. We will all be sharing our expertise, experiences and solutions so that we can all benefit - helping forge new partnerships and moving to meet the needs of both education and industry. Hosted by Dr Tom Cole of Greenwich University and Frontier's Laurence Oldham, Games:Edu will run on Tuesday 8 July.
Indie
Being an indie developer comes with its unique commercial challenges and rewards, so we’ve separated our Business track in two – the original aimed at larger studies and the new Indie track aimed at smaller independent studios. Indies will hear from experts sharing real-life case studies, practical advice, and best-practice business tips specific to small studios. Also covers the challenges of indie game production and funding plus new technologies, new trends and new business models.
Indie BootCamp
Free sessions for students, start-ups, and anyone else looking to be the next big thing! Join us to hear straight talking from successful indie developers about how they started, what worked for them, and what mistakes they made – so you can avoid repeating them. Plus talks from experts and leaders in their field who can guide, advise and inspire you on your game making journey. Indie Bootcamp runs on Thursday 10 July.
Keynote
Our Keynotes are inspirational sessions with legendary or pioneering game makers.
Mobile
Mobile makes up the biggest part of the worldwide games market, so we’ve introduced this track dedicated to exploring the best business strategies, technical challenges and game design for mobile F2P games. Come and hear some of the most successful studios in mobile game dev share their experiences and top tips. The Mobile Track runs on Tuesday 8 July.
Performance
Bringing characters to life and making them feel real is a collaborative process between performers and game developers, and that can make all the difference for user experience. This new track aimed at voice actors, performers and narrative teams covering all aspects of performance in games includes casting, direction, technique, representation and talks by established actors. The Performance track runs on Wednesday 9 July.
Roundtables
The Roundtable discussions are free to attend and open to everyone - you don't need a conference pass to take part. They'll provide a safe place during the conference to discuss sensitive topics and personal issues affecting game devs today. And we'll ask people to turn off their devices so that conversations can be uncompromised. Come and share your experiences, ideas and point of view with others.
