Join IGDA Lahti grill party on the 12th of June. IGDA Lahti will provide grilled sausages to the event.

You are also welcome to bring your own foods to grill.

The event will take place at Pikku Vesijärvi grilling spot next to Kioski Pikkuvesku (event address: Kariniemenpuistotie 12).

There's a parking area near the kiosk and the grill place.
If you have allergies, please inform them when you sign up.

NOTICE!
As this is an outdoor event and we can't control the weather, the venue place might change to indoors. We will be notifying all attendees with changes as soon as possible, if the need comes!

Reminder: IGDA Finland uses the Finnish Game Industry Code of Conduct:
Link

Where: Pikku Vesijärvi Grilling Spot (next to Kioski Pikkuvesku) Kariniemenpuistotie 12, 15110
When: On Friday, June 12th, 2026 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Sign up now:

Summer is here and we will bring it in with a classic!

It’s been awhile since we have had a regular hangout at Betony in Kouvola. So we are bringing it back with a nice summer outdoor seating - as long as the weather allows.

DATE: 11.6
TIME: 17-20
PLACE: Restaurant Betony in Kouvola
WHAT: Chill outdoor hangout for the good old times

If the weather is sad then we will sit inside.

NOTE that all IGDA Kymenlaakso events follow the Finnish Game Industry’s Code of Conduct. By attending the event, you agree to follow the Code of Conduct.

Join us for The Finnish Game Awards 2026 Watch Party on 21.5 18:00-21:00 at StartHub! Stream starts at 19:00.

Finnish Game Awards 2026: https://neogames.fi/the-best-finnish-games-in-the-world-will-be-awarded-at-the-finnish-game-awards-2026-gala-in-may/

Details where StartHub is: https://www.starthub.fi/en/contact/

The Finnish Game Awards 2026 gala will honor the best Finnish games of the last year and celebrate the Finnish games industry. The nominees for Finnish Game of the Year 2025 are Amistech Games (My Winter Car), Channel37 (The Last Caretaker), Cornfox & Brothers (Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon), Hanki Games (Sledders), Kimmo Factor (Sektori), MiTale (Willow Guard), Next Games (Puzzled), Notovia & Dreamloop Games (I’m on Observation Duty 8), and Zaibatsu (Squishmallows Match). Short game descriptions and links can be found at the end of the release.

WHAT:
The Finnish Game Awards 2025 Watch Party

WHEN:
Thursday 21th May, 18:00-21:00

WHERE:
StartHub, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti

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.
If you have questions contact: wawethewaras (Mika Savolainen) in IGDA Lahti Discord (https://discord.gg/328zTZfy9z) or email lahti@igda.fi.

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
May Meetup with Housemarque
12.05.2026

🎉 Spring is here and so is the last IGDA Helsinki Meetup before summer!!

We are super excited for our May Meetup with Housemarque! It’s a super special event with not one but two amazing talks! Come learn about being a Technical Narrative Designer and changes in one job title, and come find out more about the Production of SAROS. Save Tuesday May 12th in your calendars and bring your best summer vibes while we celebrate together one last time before the Summer! ☀️

After May we’ll take a break for June & July and will be back again in August.

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

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki May Meetup with Housemarque

WHEN:
Tuesday 12.05.
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:
What's in a Name? - Musings on becoming a 'Technical' Narrative Designer by Jana Stadeler
The first thing most people in this industry learn of each other is our job title - and changes to that title mark the major milestones of our career as much as game releases do. In this talk, Jana explores the shifts in identity that come with moving departments in the workplace, and the assumptions we often need to navigate in an industry that evolves to quickly to settle on definitions.

The Production of SAROS: A Journey through the Pipeline by Petteri Siponen
Taking a step back to look at the project’s development through a production and technical lens. A short summary of our recent wins, the hurdles we cleared, and the practical lessons learned during the build-up to our latest release.

🕹️ Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/hvXfPjcugaG4i1vG8
Deadline for signups is May 8th at 23:59. Note, you will need to submit a 10 - 30s gameplay video!

💬 Our Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting! We’ll also have an AMA Session (19:00 - 20:00) with Tanja Saarentaus who works as a Publishing Producer at Remedy Entertainment. See more details of Tanja’s background further below!

What's in a Name? - Musings on becoming a 'Technical' Narrative Designer" by Jana Stadeler
The first thing most people in this industry learn of each other is our job title - and changes to that title mark the major milestones of our career as much as game releases do. In this talk, Jana explores the shifts in identity that come with moving departments in the workplace, and the assumptions we often need to navigate in an industry that evolves to quickly to settle on definitions.

The Production of SAROS: A Journey through the Pipeline by Petteri Siponen
Taking a step back to look at the project’s development through a production and technical lens. A short summary of our recent wins, the hurdles we cleared, and the practical lessons learned during the build-up to our latest release.

Chat Corner AMA at 19 - 20 with Tanja Saarentaus!
Tanja Saarentaus works as a Publishing Producer at Remedy Entertainment. After nearly 10 years in marketing, she decided to follow her passion and transition into the game industry and production. Tanja graduated with a degree in Game Design last year and before moving into a full-time role in the industry, she gained experience as a Production Trainee at both Metacore and Remedy Entertainment.

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! 

Welcome to the IGDA Satakunta monthly meetup!

The meetup will be at Caffe Locale at Yrjönkatu 12, Pori, in the basement meeting space.

This time we have a guest speaker, Aku Koskinen, who will be telling us about interactive ways to learn Blender!

Programme:
14.00: Doors open
14.30-15.00: “Interactive learning in Blender” - Aku Koskinen
15.00-17.00: Small talk and networking

Welcome to all interested in game development!

Time: 17:15-20:30
Date: 29.5
Place: Xamk Kouvola Campus, Building Paja, Room Fuel (lowest floor)

IGDA Kymenlaakso and Xamk are buddying together to help students and beginners find out how to stand out when pitching, showcasing and demoing a game, as well as how to refocus and motivate your team after an event like Demo Day, with the feedback received.

Xamk and IGDA Kymenlaakso have gathered a panel of game industry experts in pitching and demoing games. We have also pre-collected questions from students and game developers, to make sure that the relevant questions are being asked.

This event is not only for Xamk students, but it is aimed towards them - however if you are interested in the panelists and the topic, you are welcomed to join!

Reminder that IGDA Meetups use the THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY Code of Conduct and by attending the event you agree to follow them.

Join us for our IGDA Kymenlaakso April meetup in Kotka! Meet us at Street Food Factory at 18:00 on the 16th of April.
Come and hangout with the Kymenlaakso gaming community! Learn from each other and share your current projects. Did you attend Xamk Game Jam and wanted to hang out more with others who attended? This is just the hang out for you.

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
April Meetup with Nextcon and Game Makers of Finland
14.04.2026

Join us for a packed IGDA Helsinki Meetup this April sponsored by Nextcon and Game Makers of Finland! On stage we'll have an informative Finnish Game Industry QA panel. We'll also have an update on the IGDA Finland Grant 2026. At Chat Corner, we'll have an AMA session with Ari Arnbjörnsson, Senior Software Engineer for Developer Relations at Epic Games. Finally, the Finnish/Swedish language learning cafe, Café Lingua, is also making a return! 

Please see further below for more details on our sponsors, panel and panelists, language cafe and Chat Corner AMA! ⬇️

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

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki April Meetup with Nextcon and Game Makers of Finland

WHEN:
Tuesday 14.04.
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:
🎤 Finnish Game Industry QA panel with panelists Senior QA Lead Karol Truchan, QA Lead Henry Lunabba and Senior QA Specialist Riku Salpakari.

📢 IGDA Finland Grant 2026 info session! The IGDA Finland Grant team will share more about this year's Grant and how you can apply.  

🕹️ Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/ZCDmR8TjVktrU9W97
Deadline for signups is April 11th at 23:59. Note, you will need to submit a 10 - 30s gameplay video!

💬 Our Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting! Our AMA session at 19 - 20 is hosted by Ari Arnbjörnsson, Senior Software Engineer for Developer Relations at Epic Games.
Topics: Game Industry, Game Engines, Studio Workflows, Games' Performance (profiling & optimizing), Programming, Knowledge Sharing.

🗣️ We are also trialing Let’s speak in Finnish/Swedish - Café Lingua 
Interested in practicing and improving your Finnish or Swedish language skills by chatting with native-speaking game industry professionals? Join Café Lingua at the April Meetup in Maxine between 17-17.45.

✨ Meetup Partner highlight ✨

Nextcon Finland is a Helsinki-based, technology-agnostic consulting company specializing in quality assurance and project management. They are aiming to become a reliable partner for the Finnish game industry, especially for indie and AA studios.
This work is driven by their consultants with game industry experience who want to raise awareness of the importance of quality assurance in game development. As part of this effort, Nextcon has helped establish the Finnish Game Industry QA Meetup Group and supported students through mentoring and lectures. 
More information about Nextcon can be found from the company website or by contacting them directly: https://www.nextcon.fi/en/contact/

Game Makers of Finland (Peliala ry) is a game industry specialized Finnish trade union. They are part of a larger ensemble with The Union of Professional Engineers in Finland (Insinööriliitto) & Association of IT Sector Employees (Tietoala ry).
Their mission and vision is to be a positive force within the industry through advocacy and supporting their members as well as everyone else in the industry. They help and advice their members throughout their careers in matters related to job search, salaries and employment.
The unifying factor of GMoF members, regardless of educational background, is the gaming industry. The union provides all it's members with comprehensive services and benefits.

🎤 Panel Topic: QA in the Finnish Games Industry 
This panel brings together QA professionals from across the Finnish games industry to unpack the evolving role of quality assurance in modern game development. The discussion will explore what QA really means beyond testing, who truly owns quality across a team, and how YOU can build strong quality practices.

Panelists

💬 Chat Corner Ask Me Anything - session with Ari Arnbjörnsson, 19:00 - 20:00
Ari Arnbjörnsson is a Senior Software Engineer for Developer Relations at Epic Games. He has over 18 years of games industry experience working on titles such as Angry Birds and Housemarque’s BAFTA-winning Returnal for PlayStation 5 as a lead programmer.

🗣️ Let's speak Finnish/Swedish! Cafe Lingua in the next Helsinki Hub meeting for the game industry professionals.

In some near or not-so-near future, are you aiming to participate in language tests to gain Finnish citizenship? Would you like to improve your skills in the language by chatting in Finnish or Swedish with someone who is native in those languages? IGDA Finland and Neogames are piloting Cafe Lingua to support this. In Cafe Lingua, you can speak Finnish or Swedish with the volunteers, with the everyday life topics that can be part of the YKI tests.

Cafe Lingua takes place between 17-17.45 in Maxine. There's a sofa area reserved for this, with Finnish and Swedish flags on the table.

What you need with you? Just you, and your willingness to speak Finnish or Swedish. Ideas for topics etc. are available at the table.

Are you a Finnish or Swedish speaker, and interested to join? You can join Cafe Lingua to chat in your native language! We have recruited volunteers to join, but it never hurts to have more hands on deck. All you need with you is your willingness to speak Finnish and Swedish with someone, who is learning the language.

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! 

Welcome to International Day 2026!

On the 26th of March we will gather in Kohoa Synergiakeskus, or online via Teams, between 17 to 20:30, to learn more about the Game Industry.

This time we are getting to know how to start your own game studio!

The schedule for the event:

17:00 Doors Open

17:30 Marko Kaltiokumpu
Expert in regional development and vitality from the City of Kouvola

18:45 Lauri Taavila
Game Programmer from the indie game company Utu Studios from Lahti

19:45 Networking and Games until closing

• Marko will talk about how to pitch to investors, most common mistakes companies make in the beginning and what investors are looking for.

• Lauri will talk about how Utu Studios managed to kick-start their studio and their best tips and tricks to survive and succeed in the competitive games industry.

The event is organised together with our friends Patteri ES, who are bringing the business to the room, giving you the opportunity to network and talk to business minded people who love games. Maybe this is where you'll find the right partner to start your company with!

If you are coming from Kotka, Mikkeli or Savonlinna, Patteri ES have generously offered to help with train tickets for the ones who want to be present on-site. Please see the event information on Luma for more information.
If you want to get a place on-site at this event, sign-up quickly! As there is limited space in Kohoa.
If you join online - don't worry, there's plenty of space and the link to the Teams call will be posted in our Discord channel.

ACCESSIBILITY:
We kindly ask all attendees to stay away from using strong perfumes or similar fragrances.
Kohoa Synergiakeskus is wheelchair accessible and the accessible toilet is located next to the cafeteria.

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

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
March Meetup with MiTale and Dreamloop Games
17.03.2026

Note: This month IGDA Helsinki’s March Meetup is one week later than usual!

Escape the grey and slush with MiTale and Dreamloop Games. Join the seminar and explore the Indie Game Business in 2026!

We’ll also: 
💡 Have an update on our IGDA Finland Grant.
💬 Trial a pilot session for Café Lingua, a Finnish and Swedish speaking Cafe (17-17:45).
🪐 Introduce Ellarion Tales at the AMA session. Come talk Sci-fi, live-action role-playing games (LARP) and immersive events.

Please see further below for more details on our program, language cafe and Chat Corner AMA!

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

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki March Meetup with MiTale and Dreamloop Games

WHEN:
Tuesday 17.03.
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:
We’re joined by MiTale and Dreamloop Games as they give an action-packed seminar on Indie Game Business in 2026! In this talk Natasha Skult (CEO at MiTale) and Joni Lappalainen (CEO of Dreamloop Games) will present their strategies in publishing, co-development partnerships and transmedia strategies that can elevate your indie success.

🕹️ Wanna showcase your indie game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/Fx6pnSC5mJ4SP9U66
Deadline for signups is EOD March 14th.
Note, you will need to submit a 10 - 30s gameplay video!

💬 Our Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting! We also have the exciting Ellarion Tales joining us for the AMA session! They are a storytelling studio that creates live-action role-playing games (larps) and other immersive experiences. 

🗣️This month we are trialing Let’s speak in Finnish/Swedish - Café Lingua
Interested in practicing and improving your Finnish or Swedish language skills by chatting with native-speaking game industry professionals? Join Café Lingua at the March Meetup in Maxine between 17-17.45.

TL;DR:
- IGDA Helsinki March Meetup with MiTale and Dreamloop Games
- Tuesday 17.03.
- Doors open at 17, program starts at 17:45
- MiTale and Dreamloop Games: Indie Game Business in 2026
- Café Lingua from 17-17:45
- Demo Corner and Chat Corner are Open! Ellarion Tales at Chat Corner AMA.

🎤 Topic: Indie Game Business in 2026
Indies will save the industry! In this talk Natasha Skult (CEO at MiTale) and Joni Lappalainen (CEO of Dreamloop Games) will present their strategies in publishing, co-development partnerships and transmedia strategies that can elevate your indie success.

Natasha Skult is the CEO & Creative Director of MiTale, an independent game and software development company from Finland, focusing on narrative-driven games. She is an active member of the Finnish and international games industry as Chair-Emeritus of IGDA and Lead Organizer of W Love Games and Finnish Games Week. She is also active in academic research and finishing her doctoral degree teaching courses in game design and game (digital) art production at University of Turku in Finland and Ashesi University in Ghana. 

Joni Lappalainen is the CEO of Dreamloop Games and an instrumental contributor to Finland’s gaming scene. Joni serves as the President of both the Tampere Game Hub and Finnish Game Developers' Association, the Chairperson of the Board at Platform6, the co-founder of Tampere Startup Hub, and Finnish Game Incubator.

💬 Chat Corner Ask Me Anything - session

Ellarion Tales is a storytelling studio that creates live-action role-playing games (larps) and other immersive experiences. Their team brings together expertise from theatre, TV production, game design, and event production to craft large-scale narrative events. Their flagship project, Odysseus – First Light, is a Finnish-style sci-fi larp for 104 players about a band of survivors battling against an overwhelming enemy in the aftermath of a devastating attack on a human colony in a distant star system. The game blends social drama and space adventure, with hectic clockwork design, prewritten characters intertwining with overarching main story, and a fully immersive 360° setting.

AMA topics:

• What is Larp?

• Gamedesign for Larps

• Clockwork design

• Production of immersive live game events

• Crowdfunding

🗣️ Let's speak Finnish/Swedish! Cafe Lingua in the next Helsinki Hub meeting for the game industry professionals.

In some near or not-so-near future, are you aiming to participate in language tests to gain Finnish citizenship? Would you like to improve your skills in the language by chatting in Finnish or Swedish with someone who is native in those languages? IGDA Finland and Neogames are piloting Cafe Lingua to support this. In Cafe Lingua, you can speak Finnish or Swedish with the volunteers, with the everyday life topics that can be part of the YKI tests.

Cafe Lingua takes place between 17-17.45 in Maxine. There's a sofa area reserved for this, with Finnish and Swedish flags on the table.

What you need with you? Just you, and your willingness to speak Finnish or Swedish. Ideas for topics etc. are available at the table.

Are you a Finnish or Swedish speaker, and interested to join? You can join Cafe Lingua to chat in your native language! We have recruited volunteers to join, but it never hurts to have more hands on deck. All you need with you is your willingness to speak Finnish and Swedish with someone, who is learning the language.

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! 

IGDA Lahti is not only about video games! Join us for evening of new card and board games!

Games to try out:

- "Kalewala, The Tale of Sampo" -board game by Annukka Repo (Art) + Sami Styrman (Publisher) SamsaGames

- "Defenders of Kaiju Island" - board game by Jussi Kenkkilä

- "Pirate Fight" -card game by Otto Schmitz

Event is organized by IGDA Lahti in Fellmanni-talo. Doors open at 17:00. Event closes about 21:00.

Sign up to let us know you’re coming: REGISTER LINK

WHERE:
Fellmanni-talo, Kirkkokatu 27, 15140 Lahti
WHEN:
Saturday 7th 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/15min walk from the train station.

Event follows code of conduct of IGDA Finland!

Fellmanni-talo is wheelchair accessible! 
The event will be happening on the second floor, but the building has an elevator, and accessible toilets can be found on the same floor. Our volunteers will be opening the doors to get in, and on the inside, there is a button to open the door. 

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

Hublead: wawethewaras (Mika Savolainen)

Sign up to let us know you’re coming: REGISTER LINK

Sign up here to speak at IGDA Lahti! We’ll let you know when a slot opens.

Please note that, unfortunately, as a community-supported, non-profit event, IGDA Finland Lahti Hub cannot guarantee covering speakers’ expenses.

Join us for our IGDA February meetup in Kotka! It will take place on 19.2 at 18:00.
Hangout with friends old and new, and play some board games. A time to relax and enjoy the game industry community.

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
#FGJ26 Post Play Party with Finnish Game Jam ry
10.02.2026

That’s right, it’s time for our annual FGJ26 Post Play Party with Finnish Game Jam! Come discover, play and connect with Finland’s awesome jam scene and celebrate with a showcase featuring fantastic games from this year’s #FGJ26. ✨

All games at the Demo Corner come fresh from the jam so come ready to dive in and have fun! 🕹️🖥️

Save the date and see you there!

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

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki February Meetup x FGJ26 Post Play Party

WHEN:
Tuesday 10.02
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.

🕹️ This month the Demo Corner is reserved exclusively for games made during the FGJ26. If your team created a game during this year's #FGJ26/GGJ and want it to be at the Demo Corner, sign up using this link.

💬 Our Chat Corner will be open and ready for chatting, and we will have representatives from FGJ there to share more about hosting game jams!

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). 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: https://lnkd.in/dzrJxJ2

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 if the ramp is already not in place. 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!

TL;DR:

• IGDA Helsinki February Meetup x FGJ26 Post Play Party

• Tuesday 10.02

• Doors open at 17, program starts at 17:45

• Demo Corner exclusively for hashtag#FGJ26 Games

• Chat Corner is Open!

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

Get ready for Global Game Jam with us and FGJ!

Join us for the first Kotka meetup of the year at Street Food Factory on 29.1. at 17:00! Kuutti Partola from the Finnish Game Jam will be there to speak about jam preparations and how to get the most out of jams. This is great because FGJ Kymenlaakso starts the following day! We hope to see you there!

• Date: January 29

• Time: 17:00

• Place: Street Food Factory (Runeberginkatu 1, 48200 Kotka)

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
January Meetup with Fingersoft
13.01.2026

We are kicking off 2026 with an exciting panel from Fingersoft exploring Hill Climb Racing 2: Growth Through LiveOps 🗻🏁 Gear up for a stimulating talk and a fresh creative year ahead. It's time to connect, collaborate and level up in 2026 - mark your calendar and don't miss out! 📅🎉

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

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki January Meetup

WHEN:
Tuesday 13.01.
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:
We have teamed up with Fingersoft to start 2026 with an insightful panel: Hill Climb Racing 2: Growth Through LiveOps! With moderator David Branco (Community Manager at Fingersoft) and panelists Pertti Lepistö (HCR2 Producer) and Antti Kallunki (HCR2 Senior LiveOps Manager).

In this panel, the Fingersoft team dives into what LiveOps really means in practice and how it has driven the long-term growth of Hill Climb Racing 2. The discussion covers how player data, key metrics, intuition, and community feedback shape LiveOps decisions, along with lessons learned from both successes and mistakes over the years.

🕹️ Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up using this link. 
Deadline for signups is January 10th 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 Niina Luostarinen from 19:00 - 20:00. Niina has worked in games since 2014, moving from Concept art to being a Content design lead and in recent years diving into Game UX. For more information, see below!

Chat Corner AMA
At Chat Corner, we're excited to host an AMA session with Niina Luostarinen from 19:00 - 20:00. Niina has worked in games since 2014, moving from Concept art to being a Content design lead and in recent years diving into Game UX. She has a master's in service innovation and design, has studied employee experience development (HR), leadership and management, and likes to self-educate herself in a variety of matters from game design to history. Niina is now releasing her own course Fundamentals of Games UX with Emma Varjo in early 2026.

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 join us for the IGDA Porvoo December Meetup Friday 19.12.2025

In collaborations with Finnish Game Jam Ry, IGDA Porvoo will be hosting the afterparty of International College Jam #6! We will be streaming LIVE from Porvoo Game Club!

The International College Jam was created as an initiative to boost the co-operation of Finnish & International game development academies, to help students improve their skills and meet new contacts. The jam will run from 15.12.2025 - 18.12.2025 where students from a dozen different schools come together to jam! Join in on the stream & watch party at Porvoo Game club 19th of December! :)

You can also demo your game / board game at the club during the stream & watch party!

Location: Porvoo Game Club (Aleksanterinkatu 22, 06100 Porvoo
Time: 17:00 - Late

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

Registrations required (Discord & via Forms that is linked to the Discord Event): https://discord.gg/SJmpjGPUte?event=1446547097800278067

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 Lahti December Meetup - Demofest & Christmas Party

Do you have a demo of a game that you want to share with people and get some feedback? Join us in IGDA Lahti's December meetup where you can share your demo or try out other people's demos. Getting feedback early on your game is one of the best way to improve your game and see if you have a fun game or still needs some polishing.

After the demofest we will also have after party with sauna, food, soft drinks and opportunity for networking. You can bring your own drinks as well. Alcohol is not forbidden, but disruptive drinking is not allowed.

Event is organized by IGDA Lahti in Fellmannia-talo. Doors open at 16:00. Sauna is open from 20:00. Event closes at 23:00.

Event follows code of conduct of IGDA.

Sign up now: https://pretix.eu/igdalahti/december2025/

WHERE:

Fellmannia-talo, Kirkkokatu 27, 15140 Lahti

WHEN:

Friday 12th December, 16:00-23:00

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
Xmas Party with Supercell!
09.12.2025

With dark nights and twinkling lights it’s the perfect time to enjoy a pre-holiday pause. Come connect, unwind and soak up the festive magic with us! 🧑‍🎄✨

We’ll warm up the winter evening with a quick icebreaker, followed by the Helsinki Meetup program and of course our cozy Demo Corner.

So join us for a fun, festive night full of seasonal cheer - a relaxed breather before the holidays! Don’t forget to save the date, more details coming soon~ ❄️

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

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki Xmas Party with Supercell

WHEN:
Tuesday 09.12.
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:
Interactive opening segment followed by the Helsinki Meetup program.
Demo corner will be open.

🕹️ Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/F3pJs2wjshvxfwyM7
Deadline for signups is December 6th at 23:59. Only three Demo places available.
Note, you will need to submit a 10 - 30s gameplay video!

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

Supercell is a games company from Helsinki, Finland, with offices also in San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, and London. Their mission is to create great games that as many people as possible play for years and that are remembered forever. ✨

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! 

IGDA Lahti November Meetup - Lauri from Utu Studios

Say hello to Lauri Taavila from Utu Studios again. Utu Studios recently released their game My Card Is Better Than Your Card! to early access and it has been received amazingly well with over 500 reviews at Very Positive! Lauri will tell how the launch has gone and experiences of releasing game on Steam.

Utu Studios homepage: https://utustudios.com/press/
My Card Is Better Than Your Card! Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3617620/My_Card_Is_Better_Than_Your_Card/

Event is organized by IGDA Lahti in Fellmanni-talo. Doors open at 17:30 and presentation starts at 18:00. After presentation there is time to do networking. Event closes about 20:00.

You can also present your demos or ask for feedback on your game projects after presentation. If you want to ask for more details contact: wawethewaras (Mika Savolainen) in IGDA Lahti Discord (https://discord.gg/328zTZfy9z)

Sign up now: https://pretix.eu/igdalahti/november2025/

WHERE:
Fellmanni-talo, Kirkkokatu 27, 15140 Lahti
WHEN:
Friday 28th November, 17:30-20:00

Come and join us for the IGDA Porvoo November Meetup Thursday 20.11.2025

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!

Program: Boardgames, Networking, Game Demos & Finnish Game Jam discussion!
Location: Porvoo Game Club (Aleksanterinkatu 22, 06100 Porvoo) -> Accurate location with images can be found here: https://porvoogameclub.fi/#location
Time: 17:00 - Late

The event is FREE for all who are interested!

Please tell us if you’re attending by registering via Discord Event! https://discord.com/invite/aHcv8Ewzq7

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

IGDA Helsinki Presents:
November Meetup with
Next Games, A Neftlix Game Studio
11.11.2025

Come join us for the IGDA Helsinki November Meetup and listen in to an exciting fireside chat about “Landing Your Dream Games Job In Today's Market” with John Nylund and Licia Prehn from Next Games, A Netflix Game Studio. More info on the program further below. See you at Maxine! 👋

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

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki November Meetup

WHEN:
Tuesday 11.11.
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:
Fireside chat - Landing Your Dream Games Job In Today's Market 

In this fireside chat, Recruiter John Nylund and Diversity, Inclusion and HR Specialist Licia Prehn from Next Games, A Netflix Games Studio will share tips for both those new to the game industry, and those who've recently found themselves without work, on how to land their dream job in the current Finnish market.

🕹️ Wanna showcase your game at our Demo Corner and get some valuable feedback? Sign up using this link. 
Deadline for signups is November 8th at 23:59. 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! 

Are you using or considering using AI tools in your game development process? Are you aware of the legal side of those tools? If not, this is a great talk for you!

Joeli will dive into the licensing challenges that arise when integrating AI into game development. This session will explore the various licenses associated with AI tools and their outputs, from proprietary to open source, and discuss the crucial legal considerations developers need to be aware of.

The event is organized by IGDA Lahti in Fellmanni-talo. Doors open at 17:30 and the presentation starts at 18:00. After the presentation, there is time to do networking. The event closes around 20:00.

You can also present your demos or ask for feedback on your game projects after the presentation.

Sign up to let us know you’re coming: REGISTER LINK

WHERE:
Fellmanni-talo, Kirkkokatu 27, 15140 Lahti
WHEN:
Friday 7th of November, 17:30-20:00

🚅 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.

Event follows code of conduct of IGDA Finland!

Fellmanni-talo is wheelchair accessible! 
The event will be happening on the second floor, but the building has an elevator, and accessible toilets can be found on the same floor. Our volunteers will be opening the doors to get in, and on the inside, there is a button to open the door. 

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

Hublead: wawethewaras (Mika Savolainen)

Sign up to let us know you’re coming: REGISTER LINK

Sign up here to speak at IGDA Lahti! We’ll let you know when a slot opens.

Please note that, unfortunately, as a community-supported, non-profit event, IGDA Finland Lahti Hub cannot guarantee covering speakers’ expenses.