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11:00am
Leon Hijazi-Killin Sumo Group11:00am - 11:45amRoom 3You’re Expensive for Just Dealing With Pronouns and Wokeness: The Real Cost of Workplace Inclusion
Tuesday 11th July11:00am - 11:45amRoom 3In a rapidly changing world, businesses on the surface seem to be stepping back from diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts and investments, while much our newly emerging talent in the job market is specifically seeking working environments with proven track records of prioritising the emotional and psychological safety of their people. Are inclusive practices really "too expensive" for business or have we been lead to think about this from the wrong angle?
This talk asks and seeks to answer the questions:
- Within this precarious market, are short-term savings costing us greatly in the long run, and are we missing out on opportunities to attract critical talent into our businesses by discounting inclusive working practices as simply "pronouns and wokeness"?
- What is the cost for companies who opt not to invest in people-first mechanisms and support, materially, financially, legally, reputationally and emotionally?
- Are inclusive practices really "too expensive" for business or have we been lead to think about this from the wrong angle?Session Takeaway
- Taking inclusion seriously as a strategic component of business planning and analysis.
- The different ways in which overlooking, or down playing, the important of inclusive practices in the workplace, costs the business as a whole.
- The value of investing in people today paying dividends in products, reputation, and talent in the future.
12:00pm
James Batchelor GamesIndustry.biz12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 1The Games Industry 2024 Survival Guide
Tuesday 11th July12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 1'Survive 2024' is a phrase that's been discussed a lot in the early months of this year, but now we've reached the halfway point (or at least we will have by the time we're in Brighton), it's worth sharing what we have learned in order ensure more businesses make it safely and comfortably to 2025.
GamesIndustry.biz editor-in-chief James Batchelor invites an array of industry veterans and up-and-coming entrepreneurs - both in the room, and via video - to share their best advice for games businesses looking to weather this tumultuous time in the industry - from how to make your teams more efficient, to how to future-proof your talent base and your product pipeline, and more.
Session Takeaway
- Hear advice from the best in the business on how to fortify your business in tough times
- Learn more about how successful games studios have dealt with the many difficulties presented by 2024 so far
- Leave with an optimistic outlook on how the industry and your business can thrive in 2025 and beyond
2:00pm
Abubakar Salim Surgent StudiosDana Thompson Surgent Studios2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 1The Realities of Starting a Game Studio - From Knowing Nothing to Too Much
Tuesday 11th July2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 1Join us for an intimate fireside chat with Abu, the visionary founder of Surgent Studios, where a simple idea blossomed into an immersive game. Abu will recount the journey from concept to shipping, exploring the challenges and triumphs of scaling a studio from a team of four to forty. Delve into the intricacies of running a studio, from securing funding to fostering a culture of innovation.
Explore The Legacy of Kenzera: Zau, a game that delves deep into themes of grief and loss within African culture and mythology. Discover how personal experiences influenced its mechanics and art style, infusing raw emotion into interactive gameplay while drawing inspiration from diverse traditions and folklore.
Whether you're an aspiring developer or a seasoned professional, this chat promises to reignite your passion for game development and inspire your own journey. Join Abu as he reveals the realities, challenges, and joys of bringing dreams to life in the dynamic world of gaming.
Session Takeaway
- Understand Game Development: Learn how games are made, from idea to launch, handling challenges, growing a team, and fostering creativity.
- Personal Stories Influence: See how personal experiences and culture shape games, affecting themes, mechanics, art, and storytelling.
- Get Inspired: Feel encouraged to start making games with practical tips, real stories, and a focus on storytelling's power in gaming.
3:00pm
Joe Brammer BULKHEAD3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 4The Truth About The 4 Day Work Week
Tuesday 11th July3:00pm - 3:45pmRoom 4This session is not about highlighting the obvious benefits of a 4 Day Work Week. It's about the rarely discussed negatives.
After running an 18 month 4 Day Work Week trial, BULKHEAD made it a permenant benefit for their staff. The 4 Day Work Week isn't perfect, but you'll struggle to find an article, paper, or report of anyone shedding light on the down sides of running a 4 Day Work Week. In this session Joe Brammer the Studio Lead of BULKHEAD opens the books and discusses all the gory details of their 18 month trial and subsequently how they graduated from trial to permenancy.
This talk is for everyone who has even the slightest bit of intrigue in changing from the 9-5 Monday to Friday that the working world opted into in the 1920s. Not only does Joe discuss their findings and results, Joe will also be sharing the alternatives they considered in an effort to 'rethink' the way we work.
With such an evocative topic, there will be lots of time at the end for questions.
Session Takeaway
- Fundamentals of The 4 Day Work Week
- A clear picture of the negative impacts The 4 Day Work Week
- How BULKHEAD chose to roll out their trial and subsequent new contracts
- Easy mistakes to make!
5:00pm
John Lau ustwo games5:00pm - 5:45pmRoom 3Stuck in the Middle With You: Translating Between Business and Creativity as a Producer
Tuesday 11th July5:00pm - 5:45pmRoom 3A game producer’s role is an ill defined thing: Is it operational? Is it commercial? Is it creative? Is it organisational? Is it facilitation? Is it all of the above?
Drawing on a 17-year career ranging from work-for-hire production, game design and indie games, ustwo games Lead Producer John Lau sketches out a way of understanding the producer’s role not just as an organiser, but as a translator between two uneasy allies: the creativity of a game team, and the logistical realities of the businesses that employ them.
Session Takeaway
- Developing a commercial literacy helps a producer understand their stakeholder’s problems. Understanding your stakeholder’s problems allows you to do your job better.
- Understand that the ideal situation for a business is for things to be perfectly predictable. Not only is that impossible, it’s the opposite of what your team needs to be creative.
- Reframe conflicts between commercial and creative as mismatches of language: always try to translate the problems of one into the language of the other.
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11:00am
Charity Joy Criterion (EA)11:00am - 11:45amRoom 3The Art of Leading Leaders
Wednesday 12th July11:00am - 11:45amRoom 3Executives and senior leaders are required to manage people who are experts in their respective fields, bringing together a variety of diverse (and often conflicting) points of view, and enabling them to output the highest quality work collaboratively.
This is no small feat. And not something most leaders are explicitly trained to do.
In this session, we’ll explore six key competencies that will allow you to confidently lead people who know more than you, in ways that empower everyone to succeed.
Session Takeaway
Learn how to:
- Use Trust as a framework for feedback and management
- Ask the right questions to unlock your team’s full potential
- Understand how small tweaks in your behaviour have an outsized impact on your team
12:00pm
Luke Hebblethwaite BAFTAKatherine Bidwell State of PlayKathryn Ellis Strategy & DEI Consultant12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 4BAFTA Games: How We Can All Level the Playing Field
Wednesday 12th July12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 4Improving social mobility within the games industry is important now more than ever before. But how can we all play our part in levelling the playing field? In this talk, you will gain insights from other industries on how they identified issues and worked to rectify them as well as receive the opportunity to ask questions yourself. You will also get a short live demonstration of BAFTA’s Invisible Barriers resource, an interactive guide to assist hirers in the screen industries to support individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Session Takeaway
- What actions have been taken to improve social mobility in other creative industries?
- How can we all play a part in the games industry when it comes to social mobility and why is it important?
- What is BAFTA doing in this area?
Piers H Hunt HH5Nick Johnson The Affect Group12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 6Business FREELevel Up Your Business: Navigating Debt Financing and Cashflow Strategies in the Gaming Industry
Wednesday 12th July12:00pm - 12:45pmRoom 6Join us for an insightful session that delves into the intricacies of cash flow management and its pivotal role in enhancing the financial resilience of gaming businesses. In this presentation, an experienced accountant and a seasoned financier will collaboratively guide you through the fundamentals of debt financing and cash flowing, tailored specifically for the gaming industry.
The spotlight will shine on the nuances of UK tax credits, providing attendees with valuable insights into leveraging financial opportunities unique to the region. Our experts will also shed light on the latest developments in HMRC's tax credit regime, ensuring participants stay well-informed and equipped to optimize their financial strategies.
Don't miss this opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of how effective cash flow management can propel your gaming business towards sustained success in the dynamic landscape of the industry.
Session Takeaway
Discussion of debt, financing and cash flowing
The talk will explain:
- Mastering cash flow strategies for gaming businesses
- Understanding the essentials of debt financing in the gaming industry
- Insight into financiers' criteria and lenders' expectations
- Unveiling the intricacies of UK tax credits, with a focus on the latest HMRC updates
2:00pm
Jonny Hopper Glowmade2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 4How to Grow a Game Studio Through Challenging Times
Wednesday 12th July2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 4Launched in 2015 by Lionhead alumni, Glowmade has grown to become a team of 60+ developers - but the journey has not always been easy. The Guildford-based game studio has weathered storms, made mistakes and learned from them, but is now thriving with the studio growing in size, and working on an exciting new IP which will be published by Amazon Games.
In this session Glowmade Studio Head Jonny Hopper presents a candid story about how to build and grow a studio through turbulent times, and how embracing core values and creating a positive culture is essential to success.
Session Takeaway
- Launching and growing a studio
- Adapting a business throughout turbulent times
- Defining company values
- The importance of staying honest and humble
4:00pm
Elena Höge Yaldi Games4:00pm - 4:45pmRoom 3Key Insights and Takeaways from My Kickstarter Journey
Wednesday 12th July4:00pm - 4:45pmRoom 3Last year, I embarked on a Kickstarter campaign and encountered a steep learning curve that encompassed everything from the critical importance of pre-campaign initiatives to the intricacies of setting up a compelling preview page, designing the page and rewards, and strategically planning stretch goals. I’m giving this talk to highlight several dos and don'ts and share these lessons and insights with anyone considering launching their own Kickstarter, aiming to equip you with the knowledge and strategies to navigate your campaign more effectively.
Session Takeaway
- Strategies to effectively build and engage a community before launching a Kickstarter campaign, including targeted advertising and email list growth techniques.
- Best practices for designing a captivating Kickstarter page, setting attractive rewards, and planning stretch goals to motivate backers.
- Insights into managing the live campaign through social media, cross-promotions, and navigating post-campaign logistics for continued success.
5:00pm
Nick Poole Ukie5:00pm - 5:45pmRoom 6Business FREEShaping Your Future: Ukie is Here to Help
Wednesday 12th July5:00pm - 5:45pmRoom 6After the exponential growth during a pandemic, the games industry has faced significant headwinds this year. From industry layoffs to a tight finance market, 2024 is proving to be a challenging year for UK games businesses. Ukie’s new CEO, Nick Poole, provides an assessment of the key challenges that industry is facing now, how Ukie plans to support developers over the next twelve months and why collective action is the key to unlocking government support for the next five years.
Session Takeaway
- The key trends shaping our industry in the next 12 months
- How can Ukie support developers in overcoming these challenges
- What can we collectively call for from Government to help the sector grow
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11:15am
Nigel Twumasi mayamada11:15am - 12:00pmRoom 3Onboarding the Next Generation of Games Talent
Thursday 13th July11:15am - 12:00pmRoom 3The first members of Generation Z are approaching working age, and Generation Alpha are not far behind. The video game industry must adapt to attract, develop, and retain these future generations who have different motivations, values, and expectations around work. Studios that don't evolve their talent strategies risk missing out on an incredible pool of diverse, creative thinkers.
We will explore how the industry currently engages with young talent and provide practical takeaways for teams looking to work with the next generation of video game professionals, including those who may be unsure about taking any early steps into a career in games.
The talk will be delivered by mayamada co-founder Nigel Twumasi, who will explore the strategies needed to understand these generations' values and provide meaningful development opportunities. He will provide insight from his experiences working with young people through mayamada’s youth workshop delivery and Showrunners Work Experience programme.
For over 7 years, they have worked with young people across creative industries and bring a deep understanding of what motivates young talent that video game leaders can apply to their team-building process. By better understanding what drives the next generation and effectively partnering with grassroots organisations, the games industry can build an ecosystem to nurture young diverse talent. This will help fuel innovation, improve games, and create more inclusive workplaces.
Ultimately, our industry benefits from the continued injection of fresh ideas and perspectives, and there is much we can learn from younger generations if we can better understand how to effectively engage with the workforce of the foreseeable future.
Session Takeaway
- Identifying the hurdles to attracting and retaining Gen Z and Alpha talent to video game roles.
- What young talent can bring to improve game development, and where they fall short.
- Building the ecosystem: How to effectively partner with youth and grassroots organisations for a robust talent pipeline.
- Practical steps both game studios and young developers can take today to cultivate an inclusive, diverse and creative work environment.
12:15pm
David Solari Soul Assembly12:15pm - 1:00pmRoom 3How to Make Money in XR - 10 Tips for Success
Thursday 13th July12:15pm - 1:00pmRoom 3What to expect:
- Learn from the best: Gain insights from David's extensive experience in traditional and XR game development.
- Master the XR: Understand the unique challenges and opportunities presented by AR and VR compared to "pancake" games.
- Become market savvy: Analyze successful VR/AR titles to identify winning genres, price points, and features.
- Embrace interactivity: Explore innovative interaction mechanics used in games like Walking Dead and Gorilla Tag.
- Craft remarkable experiences: Leverage VR/AR tech to create unique and unforgettable gameplay moments.
- Fuel your marketing engine: Discover social media strategies, targeted advertising, and impactful campaigns to reach your audience.
- Build for stability: Ensure a smooth and seamless experience with rock-solid performance and intuitive controls.
- Passion is key: Find a project that fuels your creative fire and leverages your expertise.
- Forge powerful partnerships: Learn how to build strong relationships with key players in the XR ecosystem.
- Market like a pro: Optimize your marketing spend for maximum impact and trackable results.
Session Takeaway
- Make something that's better in XR
- Make something there is an audience for
- Market it in the right way
2:00pm
Andrew Webb vTimeJason Chown vTime2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 2Maximising Impact with AI: Ethical Strategies for Developing a Top-Rated Game on a Modest Budget
Thursday 13th July2:00pm - 2:45pmRoom 2The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has been unstoppable, promising game developers a slew of transformative and time-saving benefits, yet for many, quality, ethical, and legal concerns stop them from integrating AI into their workflows. This session will explore how vTime Games used its proprietary AI tech stack ethically to create a 4.9/5 VR game on a modest budget, giving the team more time for the polish and feature additions that have seen it capture the hearts of its players.
Discover how we used innovative AI tech, including sentiment analysis and text-to-speech tools, to streamline the development process for Border Bots VR, resulting in significant time and cost savings. Learn how AI enabled our characters to express a wide range of emotions on a budget, making them feel alive and fostering a unique connection with players. Explore how we combined AI capabilities with real voice actors, striking a balance between technological efficiency and the irreplaceable human touch. In this talk, we’ll share insights into how these innovations not only elevate game design and development but can also offer players engaging, interactive, and personalised gaming experiences beyond the average development budget.Session Takeaway
- Discover strategies for utilising AI to achieve top-tier game quality without overspending.
- Learn how AI tools like sentiment analysis and text-to-speech can optimise development workflows without replacing roles by augmenting your capabilities, elevating your game from good to exceptional.
- Explore how AI, combined with voice acting, can accelerate the creation of characters that resonate deeply with players, enhancing emotional connection.
4:00pm
Cindy Archer Lab42 GamesTerry Goodwin Lab42 Games4:00pm - 4:45pmRoom 2Dropping the Mask: Neuro-Inclusion for Wellbeing, Productivity and Staff Retention
Thursday 13th July4:00pm - 4:45pmRoom 2Game development has long been recognized as a neurodiverse industry, but when neurodivergent people don’t feel supported or are afraid to be authentic to themselves in the workplace this can lead to ‘masking’ (hiding of neurodivergent traits that may be stigmatized) and burnout. In turn this has a detrimental effect on productivity and staff retention. Lab42 Games Studio Director Terry Goodwin, and Studio Neurodiversity Champion Cindy Archer explain what steps Lab42 has taken to create a safe and supportive workplace for its neurodivergent community to ‘unmask’ and reach their true potential.
Session Takeaway
- Our industry is far above the average for neurodiverse workers, and that’s okay
- An understanding of how common causes of neurodiversity related inefficiencies in a development environment are affecting your margins, and your staff retention
- Practical suggestions of small, medium and large changes you can make to your studio to support neurodivergent people and unlock their potential
