It has been more than a year since the foundation of Game Workers Unite UK, Britain's first unions of game developers. Join them in discussing how unions can help people who are facing issues at work, how they operate and what your rights as workers are. You can discuss your experiences, questions, and concerns regarding the unionisation of the industry with the people at the forefront of labour organizing.

Takeaway:

• Understand how unions functions and how they can help workers.
• Learn about the structure and historie of Game Workers Unite UK & the IWGB.
• Learn the basics of Labour Law and what avenues are available to you when you face issues at work.

An open and welcoming forum for LGBTQ+ games professionals and students to have frank conversations about the challenges they face. Let's celebrate the wins we've made over the last year and work together towards improving outcomes for the future.

Takeaway:

• We will be leveraging the experiences of the attendees to build takeaways such as... .
• An understanding of the concerns of LGBTQ+ individuals working in the games industry Techniques shared from first hand experiences of celebrating diversity in workplaces
• Tips and tricks for pushing for better in game representation from within the industry
• Building a sense of community and optimism for the future!

With a huge amount of media, government and educational attention focusing on the games industry, who is responsible for how these messages reach mainstream discussion? What is your responsibility within the games industry and how can we work together across the different stages of development to create more positive messaging surrounding games? What does the future of the games industry look like and what do we want to see going forwards?

Takeaway:

• What responsibility do you hold for the future of the games industry?
• How can we work together to ensure more positive messages and connections are made when talking about games?
• What changes need to take place for this to happen?

What’s it like to break through in an industry that is still heavily male-dominated? Where do you even start? What can you contribute and why are you stressing about it? Whether you are looking to find a way into gaming or want to know more from the women who are already a part of the industry, this Frontier fronted roundtable is all about asking the right questions to define opportunities that will help women succeed, and openly talking about the experiences that helped shape us into the women we are today. With guests across varying disciplines and experience levels, we will look at how to deal with everything from stressful deadlines, to negotiation tips, from being Emotional Creatures™, to defining moments in our career – and why it matters to talk about it all. Chaired by Bo Marit (Lead Community Manager), we’ve got five amazing women from different backgrounds and experience levels: Samantha Cox (Sr. Video Artist), Robyn Rutter (Senior Product Manager), Chanté Goodman (Community Manager), Philippa Moore (Programmer), and Samantha Marsh (QA Tester). Our hope is to empower others to take the plunge into a brilliant industry filled with other like-minded and creative individuals.

Takeaway:

• Inspire others to enter the gaming industry, regardless of background, interest, or education.
• Hear from and ask questions to successful women at Frontier.
• Share experiences about starting and working in a male-dominated industry.

Business advisers are so often recommend hiring more people, getting investors and sharing equity. But studios come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so no single direction fits all. Share and hear ideas, stories and anecdotes of starting and “growing” a micro studio through all sorts of ways. For single-person developers, family-run studios, remote-based teams and more. Hear about getting funding, getting income, paying yourself and others, and balancing your time. 6 years establish studio, Triangular Pixels, host a roundtable where you will walk away with some great tips for the studio you run now, or will create in the future.

Takeaway:

• Ways people have started their studio
• How a studio has been structured
• If and when to hire people
• Sources of income and getting paid
• Getting brand awareness

Covering gender, LGBTQ and BAME D&I, this panel discussion will be fully representative and will provide actionable tips and advice on how to create a fully diverse and inclusive workforce. Following the launch of Ukie's Diversity Census, as well as its #Raisethegame Pledge, it is clear that studios want to take action - they just don't know where to start, and don't necessarily have the resources. The panel will provide real advice, as well as demonstrating why diversity is important for your business.

Takeaway:

• Tackling unconscious bias
• Attracting & retaining a diverse workforce
• Flexible & remote working
• First steps to a diverse & inclusive workforce