Gaming Istanbul (GIST) Returns 18–20 September

Gaming Istanbul (GIST) will bring game industry professionals, developers, publishers, creators and players together at the Istanbul Congress Center on 18–20 September 2026 for the event’s ninth edition.

The three-day event includes both a public gaming festival and a B2B program for game industry professionals. Organizers expect approximately 60,000 festival visitors and 2,500 industry attendees this year.

The GIST Festival will feature playable games and demos, studios and publishers, indie developers, artists and creators, cosplay, gaming products and community activities.

Alongside the festival, the GIST B2B program will include talks, meetings and networking for industry professionals. The conference is divided into two tracks:

📱 Mobile: Publishing, monetization, user acquisition, live operations, AI, growth and market trends.

🕹️ PC & Console: Development, publishing, production, storytelling, technology, community building and related topics.

🎤 Call for Speakers

GIST is currently accepting proposals for its B2B conference program. Developers and other game industry professionals are invited to propose talks for either the Mobile or PC & Console track.

Suggested topics include game development, publishing, monetization, user acquisition, AI, live operations, community building, marketing, business development and emerging technologies.

🎟️ Festival tickets:
https://biletino.com/en/e-1axa/gaming-istanbul-2026-uluslararasi-oyun-ve-dijital-eglence-gist-2026/?t=_MAILING_BULTEN_FN_COLLAB_1708

🤝 B2B passes:
https://biletino.com/en/e-1c1l/gaming-istanbul-2026-b2b-profesyonel/?t=_MAILING_BULTEN_FN_COLLAB_1708

IGDA Finland members can apply promocode igdafinland to get 15% off their tickets.

Gaming Istanbul 2026
📅 18–20 September 2026
📍 Istanbul Congress Center, Istanbul

Join the TIGG Summit in Helsinki Sept 16-18

The Thriving in Games Group Summit is a first-of-its-kind gathering for people working to build safer, more thoughtful games. Bringing together practitioners from game design, research, player safety, and related fields, the summit is designed for the people shaping player experiences and communities for millions of players around the world.

Held at Supercell HQ in Helsinki from September 16–18, 2026, the summit begins with an informal welcome gathering, followed by two days of talks, discussions, and hands-on workshops. The program is intentionally small, with plenty of time built in for meaningful conversations, networking, and collaboration.

Attendance is limited and requires registration and approval. Once your registration has been approved, you will receive an invoice for the ticket fee. Your place at the summit is confirmed once the invoice has been paid. IGDA Members are eligible to get 10% off their ticket, please email us at members [at] igda [dot] fi for a code to enter in the application form. Applicants from indie studios (50 employees or less) may be eligible for financial support.

Registration Link
https://luma.com/qlunvqu6

NOTE: Sign ups close on Tuesday, August 25th or when capacity has been reached.

Pocket Gamer NORDICS 14% OFF!

During Finnish Games Week 2026, as it is tradition PGC Nordics will take place at Wanha Satama, Helsinki on 20-21 October! Previously known as PGC Helsinki, the event returns with a new name and a broader regional focus, connecting games professionals from Finland, Scandinavia, the wider Nordic market, Northern Europe and beyond.

Whether you’re looking to close deals, meet your next investor or publisher, or simply get a clearer view of where the games industry is heading next, PGC Nordics is designed to make every conversation count. Across two packed days of networking, talks, panels and pitching, attendees can build valuable connections, gain practical insight from industry leaders, and discover emerging talent and technologies.

More than 1,500 delegates from 50+ countries are expected, with over 150 expert speakers across multiple conference tracks. The event also includes an expo area with a busy indie showcase, a Careers Zone, the traditional after-hours party, plus two bonus summits: AI Gamechangers and Beyond Games: Transmedia.

With the code MIDSOMMAR26 you will get 14% off the total price at checkout, find out more and reserve your spot at: https://www.pgconnects.com/nordics/

Get 20% off your PGC Barcelona Tickets

Pocket Gamer Connects returns to Barcelona on June 15–16, 2026, with a conference that is bigger, sharper, and more focused on where the games industry is heading next. Alongside 1,000+ professionals, 100+ speakers, and 14 content tracks, this year introduces two major new pillars shaping the future of games:

• The AI Gamechangers Summit — a dedicated deep dive into how AI is transforming development, monetisation, and growth across the industry.

• The App Summit by FastSpring — exploring how games and apps are converging, sharing strategies for user acquisition and revenue.

The event also scales up what matters:

• The largest Big Indie Zone yet, showcasing emerging talent and new IP

• An expanded Careers Zone, connecting studios with the next generation of talent

• Aurora, spotlighting women leading change across the European games ecosystem

From structured matchmaking and investor meetups to expo networking and evening events, PGC Barcelona is designed for one thing: real business outcomes.

Join the global games industry where ideas turn into partnerships and partnerships turn into growth.

IGDA Finland members get 20% off using promocode: IGDAFIN-BCN

Secure your pass: https://www.pgconnects.com/barcelona/registration/

Leadership Day 2026: Call for Speakers

Save the date: Leadership Day by IGDA Finland is kicking off Finnish Games Week on October 19, 2026. Join us in Helsinki as we discuss the future of game development. 

Like previous years, we’re looking for amazing speakers from across the industry to talk about leadership as the games industry navigates challenges and disruptions caused by layoffs, AI and other factors. 

This is your chance to:

Inspire and educate: Offer often overlooked insights into building better companies, teams, and working cultures.
Connect with leaders: Engage with industry professionals and build lasting relationships.
Shape the conversation: Share your unique perspective on key leadership challenges and opportunities.

Leadership Day by IGDA Finland is an international event about how we build companies, teams and working cultures to build better games. 

Some of the topics we’d love to cover this year include:
🌐 Community building and management
🚨 Conflict resolution
💼 Optimizing investor/publisher relations 
📋 Optimizing work with externals/outsourcing 
👥 Techniques on running teams and companies
And any topic related to leading companies/teams that you are passionate about. 

⏱️Submissions are due Friday, June 5th.

Apply now to become a speaker:
https://www.igda.fi/leadership-day#call-for-speakers

You can also watch last year’s talks here:
https://www.igda.fi/leadership-day-2025