IGDA Satakunta meetup: 

Creative Crossroads - Artistic thinking and game development as a form of artistic practice

Thursday 26 February 2026

doors open: 17:30, program: 18:00–20:00, doors closed: 21.00

Kaupunkiolohuone, IsoKarhu Shopping Centre, 2nd floor
Yrjönkatu 14, Pori, Finland

Free entry.

Live & streamed – remote participation available

The core focus of this Creative Crossroads event is the importance of artistic thinking in the game industry, particularly in the age of generative artificial intelligence. As production becomes increasingly automated and scalable, artistic thinking is needed more than ever.

Artistic thinking is the ability to think beyond conventional solutions: to challenge assumptions, connect perspectives, and design meaningful, human-centered, and culturally grounded game experiences. In this event, game development is approached as a form of artistic practice, where creative reasoning, play, and experimentation are essential.

Event language: English
Accessibility: the venue is not fully accessible

Remote participation: available via live stream

Speakers include:

Ville Kirjanen – Artistic Thinking as a Creative Practice

Esa Pavloff-Pelkonen – The Art of Play: Gaming as Innovative Situational Design

Katriina Heljakka – The Art of Making Games: 2007–2027 and Beyond

(additional speakers to be announced)

Who is this for?
Game industry professionals, students, and anyone interested in games, art, and creative thinking.

Organised by: IGDA Satakunta, Ars Pori, Pori Entrepreneurship Society (PoriES), and Psyche’s Royale Gaming ry