Pocket Gamer Connects Returns to Helsinki

Pocket Gamer Connects returns to Helsinki on October 7–8, 2025, at Wanha Satama. This two-day event is a cornerstone of Finnish Games Week, and one of the most important international gatherings in our industry calendar.

Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki will bring together 1,500+ games industry professionals for unmatched networking, expert insights, and meaningful collaboration. The event boasts a high-quality crowd, with 70% of attendees being game developers and half of them founders or C-level leaders. The powerful MeetToMatch platform ensures you can schedule meetings with key decision-makers in advance.

The conference features 150+ speakers covering a wide range of topics, from mobile and PC/console development to XR, web3, and AI. True to the spirit of our global games community, the event blends professional depth with a friendly, informal atmosphere.

Attendees can also take part in curated side events like Investor Connector, Publisher SpeedMatch, The Very Big Indie Pitch, and the legendary Global Connects Party—all designed to support new connections and business opportunities.

Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki is part of Finnish Games Week 2025, a week-long series of industry events in Helsinki, with the Leadership Day by IGDA Finland and W Love Games, alongside our Big Screen Gaming Summit, forming its core.

Learn more about Finnish Games Week here:
https://www.pgconnects.com/helsinki/finnish-games-week/

Register for Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki:
https://www.pgconnects.com/helsinki/registration/

IGDA Finland members get 20% when using promo code: IGDAFinland20 (automatically applied in this link)

GG Summer Conference in Odesa

Games Gathering has announced that their annual summer conference will take place on June 28, 2025 in Odesa.

This one-day conference aims to offer a cozy networking. This event will be entirely offline. So all the presentations will be given locally.

🎮 lectures from top gamedev experts 
🤝 networking 
🎯 activities, job offers, and competitions 
💛 charity initiatives 
🎉 a closing party to wrap it all up

Speaker applications are open until June 15.

Visit the conference website for more information and register to attend.

Indie ambitions & IGDA Finland Grant

Mix an ambitious team of artists with a surreal vintage comic book fever-dream of an RPG and you get Paradigm Island. And the very first project to be backed by the IGDA Finland Grant.

End-all Entertainment and their first debut title, the aforementioned Paradigm Island, is a narrative RPG set in a gorgeous, peculiar world with an eclectic set of characters. It has it all: dark humor, dicey decisions and dividing paths that spiral into delightfully weird places. Play as Mike, an orphan, raised by mercenaries, now on the cusp of adulthood, going on a mission that morally gets real murky, real quick.

That’s the heart of the IGDA Finland Grant. A way to help fresh indie developers in Finland who are entering the industry and getting their first publicly released game out, just like End-all Entertainment was. We’re talking money, mentorship and marketing, the whole package. 

Honestly, it’s the kind of game that probably started as a cafeteria brainwave and is now aiming for a summer 2025 release. And we’re absolutely here for it.

“Being chosen as the recipients of the first IGDA grant, we've received support and mentoring that have helped us push Paradigm Island even further and refine our vision,” them End-all people said.
“Huge thanks to IGDA for believing in our project—the Grant has definitely made an impact!”

Hey, their words, not ours. 🙏

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That’s exactly what the Grant is for. Helping weird, wonderful and interesting games and their devs find their way into the world and the industry.

And if you're a dev taking your first steps into the industry and working on your first released game, you might just be this year’s chosen team!
Polish that pitch deck, whip up a killer demo, head to igda.fi/grant to check the requirements and fill out the application and maybe, just maybe, IGDA Finland will help you get a foothold in the industry and make your first game a reality.

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Any last words from End-all Entertainment?

Fair play, End-all, fair play.

Pocket Gamer goes to Barcelona

Pocket Gamer Connects is launching its first-ever B2B games industry conference in Barcelona, June 3-4.

Barcelona, with its vibrant tech scene and rich cultural backdrop, sets the perfect stage for two packed days of talks, panels, and networking. Attendees will gain full access to the powerful MeetToMatch platform, explore innovations on the expo floor and in the Big Indie Zone, and take part in premium networking events—including the official after-party and exclusive fringe sessions like the Very Big Indie Pitch, Investor Connector, and Publisher SpeedMatch.

This event will feature 19 dedicated content tracks covering mobile, PC, console, AI, web3, HTML5, and more—offering deep dives into the industry’s growth engines for 2025 and beyond. It’s a fantastic opportunity for anyone in the games space to learn, share ideas, and make meaningful connections.

IGDA Finland members get 20% off when using promocode: IGDAFinland20

Register with this link to have it automatically applied.

For additional information visit the conference website.

Join devcom Developer Conference 2025

The devcom Developer Conference 2025 is gearing up for another exciting year. Whether you're an industry expert, an indie developer, or an organization looking to support emerging talent, now is the time to get involved! The call for speakers, indie showcase & scholarship partner applications are now open!

🔹 Key Deadlines & Opportunities:

🎤 Call for Speakers – Apply by April 27
We’re looking for passionate speakers to share their insights with the international game development community. Submit your talk, panel, or workshop now: https://bit.ly/25devcom_speakers

🎓 Scholarship Programs – Partner Applications Open Until May 5
Support diverse and underrepresented game developers by becoming a scholarship partner. Help bring new talent to devcom & gamescom: https://bit.ly/25devcom_sp_partner

🎮 Call for Indies – Showcase Your Game for Free! Apply by May 31
Indie developers from around the world can apply for a free showcase space at #ddc2025. Gain exposure, network with publishers, and get industry recognition: https://bit.ly/indie_showcase_25

🎟️ Early Bird Tickets – Save up to 500€! Available until May 31
Secure your spot at Europe’s biggest game developer event: https://www.devcom.global/ddc-2025/