🍂Welcome to IGDA Kymenlaakso’s first autumn meetup in Kouvola!🍂

The school has started in Xamk for students both Kotka and Kouvola, and it is time for the first meetup in Kouvola!
While we hope to see many new faces, we are very much looking forward to see all the familiar faces after our long break. ✨

During this meetup we will introduce some collaborating organisations, talk about upcoming events and have some fun introductory activities.
You are welcomed to take a boardgame with you, we will have some of our own with us as well.

Quick event info:

Date: 11.9
Time: 18.00 till closing
Place: Street Boys (Hallituskatu 3, Kouvola) , top floor of the Kouvola train station.

ACCESSIBILITY AND CODE OF CONDUCT:

At IGDA Kymenlaakso we strive for making our events accessible for everyone, so we kindly ask you to not use any strong perfumes or fragrances. Street Boys is a restaurant, so the volume might be loud.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact kymenlaakso@igda.fi or directly on Discord and we will do our best to assist you.

Reminder:

IGDA Meetups use the THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY Code of Conduct! 

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
September Meetup with Yousician
09.09.2025

September is right on our doorstep bringing with it our next IGDA Helsinki Meetup! September’s event will be organized together with Yousician! 🎶 On the stage we’ll have Adam Kapos, Lead Architect at Yousician, with an insightful talk about how Yousician utilizes AI agents in bugfixing. Our regular Chat and Demo Corner will also be open as usual. See you there! 👋 

📣 Note: No pre-registration is required to join our Meetup.

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki September Meetup with Yousician

WHEN:
Tuesday 09.09.
Doors open at 17
Program starts at 17:45

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators can be found on the E-floor, between Jungle Juice Bar and Rax). Note that Maxine is a 18+ venue, hence you must be 18+ years of age to attend.

PROGRAM:
🎙️ "Supercharging Game Development with AI Agents" by Adam Kapos, Lead Architect at Yousician

🕹️ Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/9jrKbmmaHyWw56Ca6
Deadline for signups is September 6th 23:59. Note, you will need to submit a 10 - 30s gameplay video!

💬 At Chat Corner, we're excited to host an AMA session with Jasmin Verollet-Dahncke from 19:00 to 20:00. 

"Supercharging Game Development with AI Agents" by Adam Kapos, Lead Architect at Yousician
Did you ever dream of describing a bug and having it automatically fixed by AI? While that's easy with a simple website, it's much harder to do with a large Unity project. At Yousician we are working on giving the boring tasks to AI so we can spend more time working on the things we enjoy the most.

At Chat Corner, we’re excited to host an AMA session with Jasmin Verollet-Dahncke from 19:00 to 20:00. Driven by a strong passion for User Experience and Accessibility, Jasmin has worked for over a decade in the games industry and is looking to transform the way we work by helping studios and the game development community as a whole to nourish and maintain a user centric design culture that creates experiences accessible to all.

ACCESSIBILITY:
At IGDA Helsinki we strive for making our events accessible for everyone. We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances. The Meetups can be crowded at times, meaning that the sound volume can also become rather loud.

Maxine is wheelchair accessible. There's a few steps at the entrance, for that please ask security at the cloakroom for a ramp. Accessible toilet can be found at the back of the space.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact helsinki@igda.fi and we will do our best to assist you. We also have an accessibility contact present at the Meetup until 19:00. They can be found near the entrance and are ready to assist with any accessibility-related matters!

Reminder that IGDA Meetups use the THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY Code of Conduct! 

Come and listen to game development stories by Lauri Taavila from Utu Studios.

They are working on an upcoming game called: My Card Is Better Than Your Card! The team consists of five industry veterans. Their goal is to create games that positively impact the players and through them the wider world.

The event is organized by IGDA Lahti in Fellmannia-talo. Doors open at 17:30 and the presentation starts at 18:00. After the presentation, there is time for networking and showing off your demos. The event closes around 20:00.

You can also present your game demos or ask for feedback on your game projects after the presentation, no preregistration required.

We have tables available, but we recommend bringing your own extension cord.

WHERE: Fellmanni-talo, Kirkkokatu 27, 15140 Lahti

WHEN: Friday 29th August, 17:30-20:00

ACCESSIBILITY:
Fellmannia is dedicated to serving all clients as equally as possible. The building features wheelchair ramps and lifts to ensure easy access. There are also disabled accessible toilets, and the auditorium is equipped with an induction loop.

🚅 You can easily arrive at our event by train from Helsinki in 1h or from Kouvola in 30 min.
🚶 Around 1km/15min walk from the train station.

For more information, you can contact us at lahti@igda.fi, but we are easiest to contact through our Discord.

Sign up now: https://pretix.eu/igdalahti/august2025/

The event follows the code of conduct of IGDA Finland

Welcome to IGDA Kymenlaakso’s first autumn meetup in Kotka!

The summer vacation is over and new students are arriving to Xamk in both Kotka and Kouvola, which means that we are also getting back to regular meetups.
While we are welcoming both the new game interested and the ones we know and love to the IGDA Kymenlaakso meetups, we will announce the upcoming meetup dates and events happening in both cities.

At the meetup we will play some games and get to know one another. You are welcomed to take a boardgame with you as well!

Boardgames and games will continue to be played at the afterparty at Kuura!
Don’t miss out!

Quick event info:
Date: 28.8
Time: 18.00 onward
Place: Ravintola Kairo (Satamakatu 7, Kotka)
Afterparty: Kuura (Karhulantie 36, Kotka)

ACCESSIBILITY AND CODE OF CONDUCT:
At IGDA Kymenlaakso we strive for making our events accessible for everyone, so we kindly ask you to not use any strong perfumes or fragrances. Ravintola Kairo is foremost a bar, so it can get loud when there are many people present.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact kymenlaakso@igda.fi or directly on Discord and we will do our best to assist you.

Reminder that IGDA Meetups use the THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY Code of Conduct! 

Come and join us for the IGDA Porvoo August Meetup Wednesday 20.8.2025

In the venue there are dozens of board- & card games that are waiting to be played.
Some beverages and snacks are available!

The event itself can easily be visited by bus from either Helsinki or Kotka!

Location: Porvoo Game Club (Aleksanterinkatu 22, 06100 Porvoo)
Time: 18:00 - Late

The event is FREE for all who are interested!

Please tell us if you’re attending by joining our Discord! https://discord.com/invite/aHcv8Ewzq7

Follow IGDA Porvoo hub social medias: https://linktr.ee/igdaporvoo

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
August Meetup
12.08.2025

It's time to celebrate summer and that IGDA Helsinki Meetups are coming back! We're kicking off the season together with the wonderful Rovio Entertainment. ✨ The selected studio for the 2025 IGDA Finland Grant will also be revealed on stage. So summon your summer vibes and come celebrate! See you at Maxine next week~

📣 Note: No pre-registration is required to join our Meetup.

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki August Meetup

WHEN:
Tuesday 12.08.
Doors open at 17:00
Program starts at 17:45

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators can be found on the E-floor, between Jungle Juice Bar and Rax). Note that Maxine is a 18+ venue, hence you must be 18+ years of age to attend.

PROGRAM:
Welcome words by Joeli Niva - Legal Counsel at Rovio Entertainment and member of the Board of Directors for IGDA Finland
IGDA FINLAND GRANT 2025 reveal

Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up using this link! 🕹️
Note, you will need to submit a 10 - 30s gameplay video!

Our Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting!💬

ACCESSIBILITY:
At IGDA Helsinki we strive for making our events accessible for everyone. We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances. The Meetups can be crowded at times, meaning that the sound volume can also become rather loud.

Maxine is wheelchair accessible. There's a few steps at the entrance, for that please ask security at the cloakroom for a ramp. Accessible toilet can be found at the back of the space.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact helsinki@igda.fi and we will do our best to assist you.

Reminder that IGDA Meetups use the THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY Code of Conduct! 

Come and join us at IGDA Porvoo May Meetup Wednesday 28.05.2025 @ 17:00 - 21:00

In the venue there are dozens of board- & card games that are waiting to be played.
Some beverages and snacks are available!

The event itself can easily be visited by bus from either Helsinki or Kotka!

Where?
- Porvoo Game Club ry & IGDA Porvoo clubhouse
- Aleksanterinkatu 22, 06100 Porvoo

What?
- Board Games and socializing!
- Demoing: Showcase your games!

The event is FREE for all who are interested in the games business.

Please tell us if you’re attending by joining our Discord! https://discord.com/invite/aHcv8Ewzq7

Follow IGDA Porvoo hub social medias: https://linktr.ee/igdaporvoo

Join us for the last Kotka meetup before summer!

Welcome to our final regular meetup at Ravintola Kairo, Kotka before we take our leave for the summer! Come hang out with us and meet new people. The afterparty will be held at Kuura.

WHAT: IGDA Kymenlaakso Kotka Meetup

WHEN: Thursday 22.5 18:00

WHERE: Ravintola Kairo, Kotka

IGDA Meetups use the THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY Code of Conduct

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
May Meetup with Metacore
06.05.2025

Get ready for the last IGDA Helsinki Meetup before summer break! 💃

We’ve teamed up with Metacore for a special fireside chat with Audio Lead Sam Hughes and Composer Salla Hakkola, focused on the game music of Merge Mansion. We also have Olli Uikkanen and Christelle Mas presenting “Oceanaia - Bloom of Synthesis” - their project about artistic aquatic ecosystem simulation. Check out below for more details, and see you at Maxine!👋

📣 Note: No pre-registration is required to join our Meetup.

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki May Meetup with Metacore

WHEN:
Tuesday 06.05.
Doors open at 17:00
Program starts at 17:45

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators can be found on the E-floor, between Jungle Juice Bar and Rax). Note that Maxine is a 18+ venue, hence you must be 18+ years of age to attend.

PROGRAM:
Game Audio Spotlight: The Music of Merge Mansion with Sam Hughes, Audio Lead at Metacore, and Salla Hakkola, Composer for Merge Mansion.

Presentation on artistic aquatic ecosystem simulation Oceanaia – Bloom of Synthesis by Olli Uikkanen and Christelle Mas. 

Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up here. 🎮

At Chat Corner, we're excited to host an AMA session with Aki Kanerva from 19:30 to 20:30. 💬

Fireside chat
Game Audio Spotlight: The Music of Merge Mansion - Sound on! Tune in for a fireside chat where game audio takes center stage. Sam Hughes, Audio Lead at Metacore, and Salla Hakkola, Composer for Merge Mansion, will share insights into their collaboration: crafting the game’s original soundtrack, their current workflows and key milestones, as well as a sneak peek at what the future holds for Merge Mansion’s music.

Speakers

Christelle Mas and Olli Uikkanen will talk about their artistic ecosystem simulation, Oceanaia – Bloom of Synthesis, which premieres this summer at interactive space Kuutio in Helsinki Central Library Oodi. The presentation will include practical insights on collaborating with Oodi, such as how to contact the library to secure exhibition space, an overview of the available interactive spaces, and technical details relevant for developing interactive content specifically for these environments.

"Art Game Oceanaia - Bloom of Synthesis" is an Artistic ecosystem simulation set in a futuristic ocean planet setting blending visual art, science, and technology, designed for two formats: Exhibition version featuring interactive touchscreens, videos, and projections and a Personal version that people can run on their computers to interact with the ecosystem at their leisure. The game aims to simulate believable and at the same time futuristic and sustainable marine ecosystems. Through its needs-based behavioral simulation, it offers a glimpse into what well-being could look like for beings living in the far future. The project is multidisciplinary, combining visual arts, digital media, and scientific data. It integrates photography, video game design, and scientific exploration. Check out more information on the Oceanaia website!

Olli Uikkanen is a Finnish game designer, currently based in Finland and a member of M-Cult. He is a passionate and skilled game designer with over seven years of experience in game development, including three years as a full-time professional freelancer. Specializing in combat systems, emergent narratives, and game mechanics, Olli has worked on multiple successful projects, including commercial games on Roblox and contract work for YAHAHA. He has earned multiple game jam awards. With expertise in system design, level design, UI/UX, programming, and animation, Olli continues to push the boundaries of interactive experiences. More on Olli’s website here.

Christelle Mas is a French photographer and mixed media artist based in Finland. Her work explores the human connection to technology and other species, focusing on themes of species co-existence and human interaction with technology in utopian future scenarios and alternative fictions. Her creative process merges scientific and artistic methodologies through numerous interdisciplinary collaborations, using soft materials, installations, videos, interactive video game, and photography. Christelle Mas has a Master of Arts degree and a Bachelor’s degree in the Philosophy of art from the University of Sorbonne in Paris. She has displayed her work in numerous solo and group exhibitions both in Finland and internationally (Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, France, Germany, Estonia, Lithuania, Spain). Mas is a member of the Bioart Society, M-Cult (Agency for media arts and digital culture) and the Association of Photographic Artists in Finland. More on Christelle’s website here.

Christelle and Olli invite you to join a preview event on Thursday May 15th from 16:30 to 19:30 at Oodi, the Central Library of Helsinki, to exclusively test the game before the exhibition opens. The event will take place on the second floor, in the interactive space "Kuutio."

At Chat Corner, we’re excited to host an AMA session with Aki Kanerva from 19:30 to 20:30. Aki (he/they) is a veteran indie developer, expert generalist, wearer of all the hats, and game startup mentor in LGIN and other incubators. He founded Virtual Air Guitar Company in 2006 and is currently CTO at Psyon Games. He speaks and translates people, processes, code, business, and marketing.

ACCESSIBILITY:
At IGDA Helsinki we strive for making our events accessible for everyone. We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances. The Meetups can be crowded at times, meaning that the sound volume can also become rather loud.

Maxine is wheelchair accessible. There's a few steps at the entrance, for that please ask security at the cloakroom for a ramp. Accessible toilet can be found at the back of the space.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact helsinki@igda.fi and we will do our best to assist you.

Reminder that IGDA Meetups use the THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY Code of Conduct! 

Welcome to IGDA Turku April Meetup with Reaktor!

We warmly welcome you to the April meetup with Reaktor, who is sponsoring and hosting the event at their Turku office, where we will be hosting a panel discussion on IT and game industry collaboration practices and opportunities!

When and where?
📅 April 15 from 18.00
📍 Reaktor office in Turku: Läntinen Rantakatu 15, 20100 Turku

Registration is mandatory due to the venue capacity (please cancel your participation if you are not able to attend to free the spot for other attendee on the waiting list):

📝REGISTRATION FORM

Finland’s game development community may feel small at times, so let’s expand our horizons! 🌅

💡 Next Thursday (10.4) at 15:00 in Kohoa Synergiakeskus, Kouvola, we’re doing just that! 💡

We’ve invited three amazing speakers from different countries to share their experiences and offer insights into working in their game industries. As well as a representative from the IGDA Foundation✨

🇸🇪 Ana Nylander - Game Mathematician at Slotmill

🇫🇷 Damien Lappa - Senior Technical Artist at Ubisoft

🇬🇭 Eyram Tawia- Co-founder and CEO at Leti Arts

🇺🇸 Junae Benne - Program Director at IGDA Foundation

While our speakers will be joining online, we invite you to be part of the live audience—engage in discussions, take part in activities, and enjoy some snacks and drinks!

📍 Free entry – don’t miss out!

Hope to see you there! 🎮

WHEN: 10th of April at 15:00 to 20:00
WHERE: Kohoa Synergiakeskus Kouvola
The location is a 10 minute slow walk from the train station.

IGDA Finland is committed to keeping our community safe for everyone and has a zero-tolerance policy on harassment in any and all of its forms - please read our: Code of Conduct

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
April Meetup with Housemarque!
08.04.2025

At the IGDA Helsinki April Meetup, we’re celebrating 30 years of Housemarque! 🎂 In addition to good party vibes, we'll have a super interesting panel discussion on narrative design in AAA game development featuring panelists Eevi Korhonen, Principal Narrative Designer, and Jana Stadeler, Senior Technical Narrative Designer. So bring some celebratory spirit with you and see you next week! 

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki April Meetup with Housemarque

WHEN:
Tuesday 08.04.
Doors open at 17:00
Program starts at 17:45

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators can be found on the E-floor, between Jungle Juice Bar and Rax). Note that Maxine is a 18+ venue, hence you must be 18+ years of age to attend.

PROGRAM:
Panel: Narrative Roles in AAA game development - panelists Eevi Korhonen and Jana Stadeler

Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up here. 🎮

At the Chat Corner, we’re excited to host an AMA session with Senior Technical Narrative Designer Jana Stadeler!

Panel: Narrative Roles in AAA game development - AAA games are not often at the forefront of innovation when it comes to narrative. Yet Returnal went against that trend. In this panel, Eevi and Jana discuss the AAA narrative and what could be done to innovate on it from perspectives of design.

Panelists
Eevi Korhonen - Principal Narrative Designer
After 10+ years of experience in the game industry, ranging from mobile and Facebook to AAA games, Eevi Korhonen is very familiar with the many facets of game design. As principal narrative designer at Housemarque, Eevi Korhonen was an integral part of crafting the haunting world and story of Returnal. Her main areas of interest are worldbuilding and the intersection of mechanics and storytelling.

Jana Stadeler - Senior Technical Narrative Designer
In about a decade of making AAA games, Jana Stadeler has discovered many quirks of narrative design happening far away from the screenplay. She specializes in environmental storytelling and "putting the cozy into action games", with experience honed while working on Horizon: Forbidden West, Fable and most recently as a senior technical narrative designer at Housemarque.

ACCESSIBILITY:
At IGDA Helsinki we strive for making our events accessible for everyone. We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances. The Meetups can be crowded at times, meaning that the sound volume can also become rather loud.

Maxine is wheelchair accessible. There's a few steps at the entrance, for that please ask security at the cloakroom for a ramp. Accessible toilet can be found at the back of the space.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact helsinki@igda.fi and we will do our best to assist you.

Reminder that IGDA Meetups use the THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY Code of Conduct! 

Want to hear about the experience of developing and publishing a game on Steam? Come and listen to the presentation from Ilkka and Michael Halila, Finnish game developers from Korppi Games. They released their game Goblin Camp on Steam in September 2024 and is currently rated Very Positive!

The pitch of the game:
Build a new home for your goblins! Grow your settlement from a little encampment to a bustling city in a beautiful procedurally generated northern forest. Fish, farm, explore the forest and harness the spirits in a unique fantasy citybuilder inspired by Finnish mythology.

Event is organized by IGDA Lahti in Fellmanni-talo. Doors open at 17:00 and presentation starts at 18:00. After presentation there is time to do networking. Event closes about 21:00.

WHERE:
Fellmanni-talo, Kirkkokatu 27, 15140 Lahti
WHEN:
Friday 28th March, 17:00-21:00

🚅 You can easily arrive at our event by train from Helsinki in 1h or from Kouvola in 30 min.
🚶 Around 1km walk from the train station.

Join the meetup by grabbing yourself a ticket!

Please let us know if you need further assistance.

IGDA Finland is committed to keeping our community safe for everyone and has a zero-tolerance policy on harassment in any and all of its forms - please read our Code of Conduct.

You can easily contact the organizers through our Discord: https://discord.com/invite/7JkYpw4ZR6

Welcome to Willow Guard launch party!

IGDA Finland Turku Hub March meetup sponsored by MiTale, a local indie gamedev company launching Willow Guard on April 10th to Steam and Itch.io! Join the event and meet developers who will share their 2-years-deving work on the game.

When and where?

Date & time: March 27 from 18.00

Place: Saaristobaari, Aurakatu 14, 20100 Turku

If you wish to check the game, feel free to play a Demo on Steam: https://bit.ly/47PrJux

Welcome!

Come and join us for the IGDA Porvoo March Meetup Friday 21.3.2025!

The Finnish College Jam was created as an initiative to boost the co-operation of Finnish game development academies, to help students improve their skills and meet new contacts.

The jam will run from 17.3 - 20.3 where students from a dozen different schools come together to jam and after the jam as a tradition on fridays, we have an afterparty streamer who plays through every game made by the students! Come join us for a watchparty and showcase of the Finnish College Jam #8 games!

We will be streaming the jam games LIVE from the clubhouse!

Location: Porvoo Game Club (Aleksanterinkatu 22, 06100 Porvoo
Time: 16:00 - Late

The event itself can easily be visited by bus from either Helsinki or Kotka!

Registration via EventBrite (limited space)

The event is FREE and K18 for all who are interested in the games business!

Follow IGDA Porvoo’s other channels: https://linktr.ee/igdaporvoo

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
March Meetup with Laavu Performance and Small Giant Games
11.03.2025

IGDA Helsinki March Meetup – Next Week!

At our March Meetup, we’ll explore what mental resilience means in our industry. How do we stay strong under creative pressure? How can leaders actively support their team's well-being?

Join us for a panel discussion with Tuire Korvuo (Laavu Performance), Salla Ibrahim (Laavu Performance) and Ari Kuokka (Small Giant Games), where they’ll share real experiences, expert insights, and practical strategies for building resilience that lasts. See you there!

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki March Meetup with Laavu Performance and Small Giant Games

WHEN:
Tuesday 11.03.
Doors open at 17:00
Program starts at 17:30

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators can be found on the E-floor, between Jungle Juice Bar and Rax). Note that Maxine is a 18+ venue, hence you must be 18+ years of age to attend.

PROGRAM:
Panel: Leading Mental Resilience in The Gaming Industry - faciliated by Tuire Korvuo, panelists Salla Ibrahim and Ari Kuokka

Our March Demo Corner is already full. Come check out some cool demos and give feedback! 

At the Chat Corner, we’re excited to host an AMA session with Aki Kanerva from 19:30 to 20:30. 

It's time for the IGDA Finland Grant 2025! We had our first ever Grant last year (with the chosen game coming out this summer) and this year we’re continuing our program to support people starting their career in the industry with their first(ish) game! More details at the Meetup.

Panel: Leading Mental Resilience in The Gaming Industry
The world of gaming presents unique challenges to mental resilience. This panel explores what mental resilience means—both from a psychological perspective and through personal experiences. The panel will be facilitated by Tuire Korvuo, a psychologist at Laavu Performance with extensive experience supporting professionals in the gaming industry. Our panelists, Salla Ibrahim, the co-founder and co-CEO of Laavu Performance and Ari Kuokka, a design lead at Small Giant Games will discuss the biggest resilience challenges in the industry, how to break down stigma, and why mental well-being should be actively led, not just encouraged.

How can leaders foster resilience in their teams? What practical steps can individuals take to take care of their own mental resilience and maintain long-term well-being? Join us for an insightful conversation on balancing creativity, performance, and mental health in gaming.

Panelists
The panel will be facilitated by Tuire Korvuo, a psychologist at Laavu with extensive experience supporting professionals in the gaming industry. Tuire is passionate about helping individuals and teams balance ambition with psychological sustainability—one of the key challenges in the fast-paced world of gaming. 

The Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting. We’re excited to host an AMA session with Aki Kanerva from 19:30 to 20:30. Aki (he/they) is a veteran indie developer, expert generalist, wearer of all the hats, and game startup mentor in LGIN and other incubators. He founded Virtual Air Guitar Company in 2006 and is currently CTO at Psyon Games. He speaks and translates people, processes, code, business, and marketing.

ACCESSIBILITY:
At IGDA Helsinki we strive for making our events accessible for everyone. We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances. The Meetups can be crowded at times, meaning that the sound volume can also become rather loud.

Maxine is wheelchair accessible. There's a few steps at the entrance, for that please ask security at the cloakroom for a ramp. Accessible toilet can be found at the back of the space.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact helsinki@igda.fi and we will do our best to assist you.

Are you interested in developing games? Welcome to hear a presentation from Petri Purho, a game developer from Kloonigames and cofounder of the game studio Nolla Games.

The event is organized by IGDA Lahti in Fellmanni-talo and remotely through Discord. Doors open at 17:00 and the presentation starts at 18:00, the presentation will be held online and after the presentation, there is time to do networking.
The event closes at around 21:00.

WHERE:
Fellmanni-talo, Kirkkokatu 27, 15140 Lahti
IGDA Lahti Discord
WHEN:
Friday 28th February, 17:00-21:00

You can grab a ticket to join the event locally.

How to arrive guide (In Finnish):
https://www.fellmanniatalo.fi/saapuminen

🚅 You can easily arrive at our event by train from Helsinki in 1h or from Kouvola in 30 min.
🚶 Around 1km walk from the train station.

Please let us know if you need further assistance.

IGDA Finland is committed to keeping our community safe for everyone and has a zero-tolerance policy on harassment in any and all of its forms - please read our Code of Conduct.

You can easily join the event or contact the organizers through our Discord:https://discord.com/invite/7JkYpw4ZR6

We are having our first Kouvola meetup of this year! 🙌❤️
On Thursday the 20th of February at 18:00 at Betony we will gather and learn about job opportunities and the IGDA hub of Lahti!
Our neighbor hub in Lahti is visiting us it is a great opportunity for you to get to know what’s happening in the municipality next to us game-development-wise and make some new friends.🤗🫶
See you there!
✨

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
IGDA Helsinki x FGJ25 Post Play Party
11.02.2025

Our February meetup will be the annual Post Play Party together with Finnish Game Jam! This time, we’re gathering to celebrate Finland’s amazing jam culture and showcase the fantastic games created during this year’s #FGJ25.

Huge thanks to Next Games, A Netflix Game Studio whose sponsorship helped us keep this event free and accessible.

All games featured at the Demo Corner will be from this year’s GGJ/FGJ—so get ready to play and have fun!🕹️ #FGJ25 Jammer! If your team created a game during this year's #FGJ25/GGJ and want it to be at the Demo Corner, sign up using this link.

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki x FGJ25 Post Play Party

WHEN:
Tuesday 11.02.
Doors open at 17:00
Program starts at 17:30

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators can be found on the E-floor, between Jungle Juice Bar and Rax). Note that Maxine is a 18+ venue, hence you must be 18+ years of age to attend.

PROGRAM:
On stage, we’ll be joined by three Board members from Finnish Game Jam - FGJ Vice President Jenna Toivonen, GGJ Regional Organizer Emil Ekroth and FGJ PR Manager Irko Kekman. They’ll talk about how Finnish Game Jam supports the game creation community in Finland, give a glimpse into how this year’s #FGJ25 went, and dive into the benefits of game jams and why they are cool!

The Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting, once again with an Ask Me Anything session! 💬 Samuli Jääskeläinen is an avid game jammer of more than 100 jams behind him and an unpredictable traveler, who travels to a different country for each Global Game Jam. When he is not busy jamming games, he is pushing the boundaries of mixed reality at Varjo. You can ask Samuli anything about jamming and game development in general. The AMA will be held during 19:00-20:30.

Finnish Game Jam (FGJ) is a non-profit organization founded to coordinate game jam events and support the game creation community in Finland. Their main event is the Finnish Game Jam (#FGJ), an annual, multi-location game development event in partnership with Global Game Jam (GGJ). In 2025, #FGJ25 gathered 1088 jammers developing over 320 games at 23 locations across Finland. FGJ honors the Finnish jamming community with the Finnish Game Jam Awards held every year and by running / hosting game jams with specific purpose, such as Pride Game Jam, Assembly Game Jam, and the JamJam festival. For more info about future game jams, check out their website.

ACCESSIBILITY:
At IGDA Helsinki we strive for making our events accessible for everyone. We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances. The Meetups can be crowded at times, meaning that the sound volume can also become rather loud.

Maxine is wheelchair accessible. There's a few steps at the entrance, for that please ask security at the cloakroom for a ramp. Accessible toilet can be found at the back of the space.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact helsinki@igda.fi and we will do our best to assist you.

We are back from the break!
Hope you had a wonderful winter holiday break.

We are starting this year with a meetup in Kotka on the 29th of January (observe that it is on a Wednesday!) at 18:00.
We’ll meetup at Ravintola Kairo to hang out and to catch up. However, this is also after the Finnish Game Jam! This means that for the people who participated and want to show off the games they made, this will be the opportunity to do so!

We will have people from the Finnish Game Jam board talking at the event and after the event our friends at Kuura will host an after event hangout.

If you want to showcase your game jam game – bring your own device.

See you soon!

Peliosuuskunta Expa / IGDA Finland Jyväskylä Hub Meetup (28.01.2025)

Time to get back in the saddle!

We're kicking off the year with our first meetup, and we're excited to welcome Miika Anundi from Veikkaus! Join us to hear and learn interesting insights on how the games of Veikkaus are built.

Guest: Miika Anundi, Veikkaus Oy

Topic: How games are built in Veikkaus

Time: 18:00

Interviewer: Wanda O Rly (Valtteri Lahti, chairman of Expa)

Date: Tue 28.01.2025

Where: LIVE @ Digi & Game Center, Matarankatu 2

– STREAM on Expa’s Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/expajkl

SCHEDULE

17:30 Doors open

18:00 Streaming starts, interview with Miika Anundi

18:30 Q&A with Miika

19:00 Free mingling on-site

#DemoCornerJKL is open for all to showcase their things at event. This time we have students from Metropolia University of Applied Sciences showcasing their games. Come and check them out!

The event is FREE and open for all, language of the online Meetup event is English!
🤝 - Invite your friends, questions welcome throughout the event.

Be there - socialize - get Expa!

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
January Meetup with MiTale and Dreamloop
14.01.2025

🎮✨ Kick off 2025 with the IGDA Helsinki January Meetup! 🚀

Join us next week for an inspiring event dedicated to indie game developers, as we dive into the latest trends and opportunities.

Natasha Skult (MiTale) and Joni Lappalainen (Dreamloop) will be on stage with an Indie Fireside Chat, where they’ll share insights, experiences, and a glimpse into the future of indie game development.

Let’s start the year with learning, connection, and conversations. See you there!

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki January Meetup with MiTale and Dreamloop

WHEN:
Tuesday 14.01.
Doors open at 17:00
Program starts at 17:30

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators can be found on the E-floor, between Jungle Juice Bar and Rax). Note that Maxine is a 18+ venue, hence you must be 18+ years of age to attend.

PROGRAM:
This month, we’re hosting an Indie Fireside Chat with Natasha Skult (MiTale) and Joni Lappalainen (Dreamloop), diving into the latest trends and opportunities for indie game developers in 2025 and beyond. Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and share!

Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/pcWQR5uombr1Zi4p9

The Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting. 💬 Remedy Entertainment's Senior Development Manager Jani Pääjärvi has an Ask Me Anything session in the Chat Corner between 19-21. If you have any questions regarding getting to work, or working on world-class console games, now is your chance to ask! Jani's go-to crafts are game design, programming, lighting, VFX and UI/UX - and obviously production.

See you at Maxine on Tuesday January 14th from 17 onwards! 👋 

ACCESSIBILITY:
At IGDA Helsinki we strive for making our events accessible for everyone. We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances. The Meetups can be crowded at times, meaning that the sound volume can also become rather loud.

Maxine is wheelchair accessible. There's a few steps at the entrance, for that please ask security at the cloakroom for a ramp. Accessible toilet can be found at the back of the space.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact helsinki@igda.fi and we will do our best to assist you.

🎄 Join us for IGDA Lahti’s Christmas party and 5th anniversary of IGDA Lahti on December 17th at Gastropub Mylly!

Food will be provided during the evening as we explore the world of game development and entrepreneurship during a panel discussion.
Also, make sure to bring your own games for display at our demo corner, no pre-registration is required.

Program:

🕠 17:30 - Doors open

🍽️ 18:00 - Food and panel “Game development and game entrepreneurship”

🚪 22:00 - Doors closing

For any questions, contact: lahti@igda.fi

Please note: Attendees must be 18 years or older to join in on the fun.

🚂 At our IGDA Lahti meetup, you can easily arrive by train from Helsinki in 1h or from Kouvola in 30 min.
♿ Gastropub Mylly is wheelchair accessible!

Please let us know if you need further assistance.

IGDA Finland is committed to keeping our community safe for everyone and has a zero-tolerance policy on harassment in any and all of its forms - please read our Code of Conduct.

You can easily contact the organizers through our Discord: https://discord.com/invite/7JkYpw4ZR6

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
Xmas Party with Superccell
10.12.2024

🎄The IGDA Helsinki Xmas Party with Supercell is happening! 🎉

It’s time to dig out your favorite holiday clothes — ugly Christmas sweaters, glittery party outfits, or whatever makes you feel festive. This month’s program features a talk by Stephen Routledge, Game Lead at Supercell, who will share insights and stories to inspire your game development journey. 🎮✨ But that’s not all—we’ve got a little extra holiday magic planned:

🎅 Porridge and glögg for our early attendees (because nothing says Finnish Christmas like these cozy treats!)
🎁 Holiday Party Bingo! Get ready for some friendly competition.

Let’s wrap up the year in true IGDA Helsinki style! We’ll meet you there! 🎅🎉

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki Xmas Party with Supercell

WHEN:
Tuesday 10.12.
Doors open at 16:30
Program starts at 17:30

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators can be found on the E-floor, between Jungle Juice Bar and Rax).

PROGRAM:
Our Journey With Community Focused Development
Stephen Routledge is the Game Lead for mo.co, a new Supercell game in development. Starting with a brief introduction to the game, Steve will walk through the idea of community focused development, the inspiration behind it and what it means for the mo.co team. We’ll hear about the team’s journey so far and the learnings they picked up on the way.

No Demo Corner this time, but please look forward to the January Meetup!
The Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting. 💬

ACCESSIBILITY:
At IGDA Helsinki we strive for making our events accessible for everyone. We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances. The Meetups can be crowded at times, meaning that the sound volume can also become rather loud.

Maxine is wheelchair accessible. There's a few steps at the entrance, for that please ask security at the cloakroom for a ramp. Accessible toilet can be found at the back of the space.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of accessibility of our Meetups, then please contact helsinki@igda.fi and we will do our best to assist you.

TL;DR:
- Xmas Party with Supercell.
- Tuesday 10.12.
- Doors open at 16:30, program starts at 17:30
- Chat Corner is open!
- Glögg, porridge and bingo!