Games people still really like other games people

The event was everything you’d expect from a Swedish conference: impeccably organised, relaxed but purposeful, and somehow running a jam-packed schedule without anyone visibly stressed about it.

And it’s far from the only event feeling that energy right now with record attendance at BitSummit in Kyoto, which drew more than 68,000 visitors this year.

Last week just in the UK, GaMaYo brought developers together in Leeds while Indie Impact gathered studios and creatives in Bristol. On the consumer side, MCM London Comic Con was packed with games industry executives alongside fans, creators and communities.

Then there’s the ever-growing ecosystem of events that continue to expand year after year: Pocket Gamer Connects, Gamescom, Reboot Develop Brighton, Digital Dragons and many more besides.

For an industry still trying to fully recover its mojo, there’s something reassuring happening here. The appetite for connection clearly hasn’t disappeared. If anything, it’s diversified and has become more genuinely human.

Not every meaningful industry conversation now needs to happen inside one giant convention centre. Some happen at focused regional shows, some at indie-first gatherings, some at conferences, some at events like Summer Game Fest where execs are increasingly paying attention to creators, communities and culture up close.

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It makes sense when you consider how much the industry itself is changing. Business models are shifting, platforms are broadening and community touchpoints are multiplying. Marketing has become both more measurable and less predictable at the same time and every studio, publisher and service company is trying to navigate those changes while still making great games commercially sustainable and discoverable.

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At moments like this, people want proximity to compare notes, sanity check ideas, collaborate and hear what’s working elsewhere. Most importantly to discover they’re not the only ones trying to solve the same problems.

Gaming has always been a creative industry built on connection, and connection works better in person.

Which is why I’m already looking ahead to Develop in July as my favourite event of the year. As it celebrates its 20th anniversary, its pitch remains one of the best in the business: bringing together everyone from micro indies to global studios and publishers to learn from each other, share ideas, network and do business in a genuinely friendly and inclusive environment.

At a time when the industry still feels like it’s finding its footing again, the continued growth and diversification of games events tells a very positive story.