PGC Helsinki Returns in Oct 2019

A much-loved part of the games industry calendar is set to return bigger than ever in 2019! That's right, Pocket Gamer Connects is back in Finland, the spiritual home of the mobile games industry, for the 6th time on October 1-2 – and it’s already shaping up to be the best yet.

Taking place in the days following the IGDA Leadership Day, Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2019 represents an unparalleled opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world’s most creative and successful games developers on their home turf. It’ll be the country’s biggest B2B games conference, not to mention one of the biggest in the entire Nordic region with over 1,300 international delegates and over 600 companies from 50 different countries expected to attend. And since the show is even bigger and better this year, we’re moving to an awesome new venue with more space on offer at The Cable Factory.

Over 200 expert speakers will share their insight across multiple tracks on the very topics and trends that are pressing to all participants in the modern games industry, from raising funds and growing player bases to fine-tuning live ops, exploring new platforms and genres (such as esports, hyper-casual, live games and streaming services) working with influencers and maintaining a strong, fair company culture. The full range of speakers and the schedule will be revealed on the conference website over the summer months.

Ultimately though it’s all about making connections and getting business done and with that in mind we have a free dedicated meeting system for ALL delegates plus a plethora of focused side events to stimulate networking. There'll be the Big Indie Pitch, the curated Investor Connector session, and the famous Global Connects Party.

On top of that, there’s a packed expo to explore, a dedicated recruitment space if you’re looking to hire (or find your next job), plus a live game jam going on during the event.

This year we're also working in tandem with the IGDA which is running its Leadership Day on the Monday before Pocket Gamer Connects kicks off on Tuesday, Wednesday – adding even more value for visitors to Finland’s beautiful capital city. And of course that’s just for starters – we’ll be announcing more activities closer to the date!

Book your tickets now during the Early Bird period to secure your slot AND save money!

IGDA members are entitled to 20% off any ticket, by using code IGDAPARTNER20 when signing up or by following this direct sign-up link.

Get 10% off Games Gathering Odessa

The team at Games Gathering invite you to socialize, relax and network at sea beach at Games Gathering Conference Odessa 2019.

The event will attract more than 800 specialists from the game industry, 30 useful lectures by successful professionals and 25 interesting indie games on Indie Blast exposition.

Registration: http://ggconference.com/en/#registration

IGDA Members get 10% off when signing up using promo code: IGDApartner10

The GameDevBus shuttle service is a unique opportunity for all our visitors a round trip ride between Kiev and Odessa! Ride with speakers and other attendees of the conference

Bus registration: http://ggconference.com/en/bus-registration/

For more information visit the conference website: http://ggconference.com/en/

Helsinki Hub: May Gathering with PlayStack

Text by Giorgos Riskas and Roope Sorvo, photos by Casimir Kuusela

The May IGDA Finland gathering at the Helsinki Hub was sponsored by PlayStack, a London-based publisher with a Finnish office since 2018.

Knowing how or why one should approach publishers is an issue that many new game developers have to tackle. The speakers answered those questions and many more as a parting gift to the attending developers before the Summer break.

The seminar was opened by PlayStack CEO Harvey Elliott, who in his presentation shared some insights on how to make games stand out from the masses and how to make it in the current market. A large portion of this is emphasizing the player experience through enabling self-expression and interaction. Allowing players to create their own stories and amplifying those player moments goes a long way. Go for the carrot, not the stick.

Speakers from left to right: Harvey Elliott, Ritesh Thadani and Juha Huhtakallio

After Elliott, PlayStack Helsinki GM Juha Huhtakallio took the stage and explained how to get games signed by a publisher, and how to get the most out of that relationship. He also set straight some of the more common misconceptions regarding the developer-publisher relationship.

Finally, Ritesh Thadani, PlayStack COO and manager of PlayIgnite, a subsidiary company that provides financial solutions for game developers took the stage. His presentation delved into how to scale your game in terms of funding and marketing, how to avoid the most common pitfalls, and how to finance the scale you set.

After the presentations the speakers answered some questions from the audience. Some questions inquired about the submission pipeline that potential games need to go through in order to be published; a specific point brought up was that games too similar to existing popular titles are likely to be filtered out by the process. When asked how original a game would be original enough, Elliott gave a concise formula: “ about 30% familiar,  30% improvement from the familiar, and 30% new and weird.”

This time the demo corner was very diverse, featuring games of different genres and platforms.

RoboVirus - Stolen Shoes Entertainment

A top-down shooter played with up to four players. Players can choose between different characters, weapons and levels, while more features are to be implemented in the future. The game has been in development since January 2019 by a team of 4 and they are planning to release the game on Steam by next fall.

Mythic Madness - Stage Zero Technologies

A real time virtual collectible card game featuring figures and themes from various mythologies.  Both A.I. and online play are available while the players’s purpose is to gain maximum points instead of eliminating their opponents. The game has been in development for 3,5 years by a team of 5 and are planning to soft launch this quarter of the year.

Playtesting Mythic Madness

Rehaboo! Squat - Rehaboo

A kinect based game in which the players have to squat in order to keep their minecart moving and they can use their arms to collect gems. Rehaboo’s purpose is to make rehabilitation fun, rewarding and measurable. The company is currently focusing on activation games in three segments; Hospitals, Care homes for the elderly and working adults at the offices.

A Giant Problem - Critical Charm

A VR tower defense game in which the player assumes the role of a giant, set to defend a castle under siege against trolls and other monsters. The game is slated to come out for the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and the Windows Mixed Reality Headset. The final features are still being determined as the game is in early alpha.

Don't Die

A (up to) 4 players colorful cooperative game in which each player is trying to die but their opponents are trying to prevent their death by protecting them. The game was developed as a collaborative effort between 7 students from Amiedu, Metropolia, Stadin and Sibelius-Akatemia in the time frame of 6 weeks.

Forbidden Factory - Twisted Ark

A beautiful 2.5D puzzle platformer in which the player assumes the role of a cogwheel and interacts with the environment, trying to solve the mystery of the factory. The game’s development started last summer by a team of 3 and is set to be ready on early 2020 for PC and consoles.

Children of the Eclipse - Nutfarm

A visually engaging top down story-driven shooter in which the player shoots their way through a dystopian yet teeming-with-life environment. The early demo was developed in 4 months by a team of 5 and will be released early next year for PC and consoles.

Bobsu! - DieNo Games

A casual arcade game in which the player can choose between 4 differently skilled teams of fluffy ball shaped characters that move vertically (from top to bottom) while busting blocks of 4 different colors. The development started last summer and the game is currently set to be released soon for mobile devices.

The Maiden - Blind Fox Studio

A story driven 2D platformer that revolves around Finnish and Estonian mythology. The player assumes the role of a Maiden who can use spells in order to overcome different obstacles and face different opponents. The development started at the beginning of 2019 and the current plans are to release it early in 2020.

The next IGDA gathering at Helsinki Hub will be in August.

Until then, have a great Summer!

CALL FOR FINNISH STUDIOS

IGDA Finland made partnership with F2P Campus in Spain, offering ALL INCLUSIVE (sponsored trip, participation and stay in Spain) for 3 months of development and coaching experience for Finnish gamedev teams. Boost your current project-development and business strategies while enjoying sunny Spain!

Deadline for application is 31st of May - so be fast!

More information can be found HERE.

Get 15% off White Nights in St. Petersburg

White Nights will take place in St. Petersburg on June 19-20 with over 1,800 game industry professionals expected to attend. The program is available on the conference website.

Act fast to get a free booth at Developer Exhibition. It’s an opportunity for developers to meet the right people all in one place. The application deadline is May 29.

The deconstruction workshop, lectures and panel discussions, networking parties and much more are waiting for you in St. Petersburg this summer.

IGDA Finland members get 15% off registering on the website using the promo code IGDAFinland15.

Anyone needing a visa to Russia should review this information: https://wnconf.com/#visa.