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Overcome Film Festival 2021 Announces Game Winners

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The OverPresented by MODIFIER GROUP ™, the Overcome Game Awards ™ is a part of the Overcome Film Festival® a premiere international and industry recognized event, including awards for video game titles in all platforms including but not limited to console, desktop, e-sports titles, vr, streaming, mobile, as well as game music, and hardware devices. The Overcome Game Awards ™ especially encourage and welcome the entries of video game and interactive title developers from all over the world.

Storytellers, filmmakers, developers, and artists from all over the world joined Overcome Film Festival and shared their stories of survival and triumph over adversity. As the festival statement says, “Overcoming is not a destination, it is a journey. It is about finding the will to continue regardless of adversity. That is what makes us human, our will to overcome.”

In the game category, the winner and Game of the Year was “Darq,” Directed by Wlad Marhulets Unfold Games. DARQ tells the story of Lloyd, a boy who finds himself in the middle of a lucid nightmare. Unable to wake up, Lloyd has to face his fears and decipher the meaning of the dream.

For the game category, the Official Selection of the Season was “Nuts,” Directed by Joon, Pol, Muuutsch, Char, & Torfi. This is an award winning single-player surveillance mystery set in a remote forest. Record the squirrels, report your findings… and uncover the secret that the curious creatures are hiding.

Other category winners included Oscar Isaac, Best Actor in the “Letter Room,” Franco Nero, Best Supporting Actor in the “Duel,” and Yorgos Lanthimos, Best Director of “Nimic.”

All of the 2021 season winners can be viewed in the festival’s official platform: https://www.overcomefilmfestival.modifiergroup.com

CES 2022 Updates

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The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organizers behind the annual CES convention and other tech-centric events, have made a couple announcements of note for attendees (or potential attendees), whether they might attend CES 2022 online or in person in Las Vegas from Jan. 5-8. Let’s take a quick look at what’s new:

In Person:

The CTA sent out an update that, as of the last week of October, attendees from 134 countries have signed up and 1,300 exhibitors are slated to show off their latest latest goods and services. By comparison, for the last in-person CES in 2020, CTA stated that 4,500 exhibitors participated and attendees from 164 countries showed up. Still, the early numbers appear to be a good start after a one-year break with a digital-only CES.

For attendees from abroad planning to fly in to Las Vegas, the CTA email notes, you may want to bookmark a couple webpages, as there will be plenty of health and safety considerations to factor in besides the usual travel visa protocols. The U.S. government has issued guidance that kicks in on Nov. 8 around opening doors to more international travel, provided the fliers provide proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flight. The only vaccinations that will be recognized are those that are approved by the FDA or from the WHO Emergency Use Listing.

Keep tabs on the details and any further updates on the international travel guidance at this CDC webpage or the CES health protocols webpage. It also bears noting that previously CTA had announced that all attendees to CES 2022 will require COVID-19 vaccination to participate in person.

Online:

For folks who prefer to participate digitally, the CES organizers recently announced their selection of the online event platform for CES 2022. The Web Summit‘s proprietary Summit Engine, is a cloud-based platform in which live attendees can use as a scheduler for their attendance and connect with other attendees, while online event attendees can expect to view live keynotes, select conference sessions, and interact with exhibitors and attendees. Last year, the CTA presented the all-digital CES 2021 via a customized Microsoft cloud-based solution.

The all-digital CES 2021 was met with a mix of appreciation for the on-demand accessibility in a time of pandemic and disappointment because of what was lost in translation from the look and feel of a live event to the digital experience. It’ll be interesting to see if CES 2022’s digital offering, as part of a hybrid event, will be perceived more widely by exhibitors and attendees as a value-added addition to the traditional in-person format.

For all attendees, the online platform will be accessible for networking and on-demand content through the end of January. Registration to attend CES 2022 digitally will open in December.

PAX South Convention Indefinitely Suspended

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Planners of conventions and many other events of all kinds have had a very challenging year and a half — thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic — with some events only now returning (or seeing plans for a return) to the traditional in-person format. But one major convention will not be returning for a long while, if ever. The organizers of the big-name Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) series of events, ReedPop, have decided to suspend PAX South in 2022 and going forward.

The PAX team released a statement Friday, Oct. 29, explaining the backstory behind PAX, the start of PAX South in 2015, and the reasons behind the “difficult decision to bring PAX South to an end for the foreseeable future.”

PAX South was kicked off in 2015 and launched with promise, attracting the largest first-year PAX event attendance ever. As noted in the official statement, subsequent growth in following years was apparently insufficient or unsustainable. And then the pandemic hit, leading to the cancellation of PAX South 2021. According to ReedPop’s PAX South page, PAX South was focused on indie and tabletop games and attracted over 30,000 attendees, 125+ media folks, and about 400 exhibitors — with some of these stats appearing to be event “lifetime” stats aggregated since 2015. It’s possible, since the wording in the statement leaves a bit of wiggle room, for a return of a PAX-branded event in some shape or form down the road.

The PAX team hosted PAX West in early September and PAX Aus in early October, with PAX Unplugged still on deck before the end of the year.


Events for Gamers (in Texas)

If you are in Texas, the Midwest or southern U.S., as sad as it may be to know PAX South isn’t going to be on anyone’s calendar for at least a while, Events for Gamers (E4G) will be on the lookout for other events in these areas that may interest attendees.

For starters, check out these events in Texas scheduled over the next several months (which we’ll also add to the E4G calendar, so keep an eye out for that):

PokeFest SA 2021 (San Antonio, TX), Nov. 5-6): https://www.pokefestsa.com/
Houston Arcade Expo (Houston, TX), Nov. 12-14: https://www.arcadecenter.com/
Anime Fest 2021 (Dallas, TX), Dec. 17-19: https://animefest.org/
ATG Expo (Waco, TX), Feb. 12-13, 2022: https://atgexpo.com/
SXSW 2022 (Austin, TX), March 11-20 (https://www.sxsw.com)
RTX Austin (Austin, TX), July 1-3, 2022: https://www.rtxevent.com/
DreamCon (Arlington, TX), July 15-17, 2022: https://www.dreamconvention.com/

Browse the E4G calendar for many other events, or use the map if you want to look for events by location.

Augmented World Expo Announces awe.live Virtual 365 Day Community for Attendees Who Cannot Travel

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October 19, 2021 – New York City – Augmented World Expo (AWE), the leading series of worldwide events focused exclusively on the business of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Extended Reality (XR), today announced immediate availability of awe.live, a new always-on agora and marketplace for the XR community to learn, connect and grow XR businesses – 365 days a year.

Created to provide a true 24/7/365 experience, awe.live is also a portal for those who can’t attend AWE in person due to COVID-19 travel restrictions through a virtual pass. The pass is available immediately at an introductory price of $99 (regular $149 after Oct 18) and may be purchased at www.awexr.com.

With awe.live, virtual attendees may experience an immersive version of the live event, replete with AR, VR and XR content that brings the AWE experience home to your laptop, desktop or mobile device with perfect safety and enhanced A/V capabilities. Through awe.live, virtual attendees can:

  • Watch Main Stage livestreams + live Q&A
  • On Demand access to all sessions starting the week of Nov 15
  • Connect with thousands of XR professionals, 200 exhibitors and 300 speakers in real time, including private chats and video calls
  • Experience virtual booths featuring 1:1 video calls & demos with sponsors and exhibitors
  • Join AWE Expo live walkthrough hosted by Ori Inbar, CEO, AWE

All in-person ticket holders have full access to awe.live today – simply log in using the email address used to register for AWE and set up your profile, select session(s) for your private agenda, connect with other attendees (both in-person and virtual), pre-schedule meetings, and get ready for the AWE USA 2021 event experience! For the best experience, AWE strongly recommends using the Google® Chrome® Web browser.

“We are beyond excited to share today’s news with the world, as our work on a virtualized AWE event has been in process for some time now,” said Ori Inbar, co-founder of AWE. “While all of us would prefer to have a fully-live event as it has always been before COVID, the sad reality is that the pandemic is still amongst us and even those who are long-vaccinated may have children who are still vulnerable. For those individuals and others who for their own reasons may have to remain in their home countries, we are proud to offer awe.live.”

EVENT DETAILS:

AWE is a true XR ecosystem, event and marketplace where end-users meet solution providers in a curated setting.  As such, AWE offers:

  • An endless stream of online webinars and local meetups in 20+ cities around the world
  • High-quality educational classes and workshops with the best instructors from the XR community – for the XR community;
  • Free access the largest collection of free videos of talks and webinars in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality;
  • November 2021 Game Industry Events Calendar

    To help you discover upcoming game industry events calendar that includes conferences, conventions, festivals and many other types of events, we post a consolidated list here on Events for Gamers each month.

    November is officially past the summer rush of events, but even so, this November has seen quite a few events right up to the Thanksgiving holiday (for the USA). We also continue to see more hybrid events with an increase in on-site events.

    View this month’s event list below. You can also click here for the main calendar view that includes events into 2022 and beyond.

    NOV 4-6: MAGWest (Online)
    5-6: SIEGE (Online)
    6: INDIE Live Expo Winter (Online)
    6-7: RetroWorldExpo
    8-10: GameSound Con (Online)
    8-11: GTC (Online)
    9-10: GamesBeat Summit Next (Online)
    9-11: AWE USA
    9-14: MEGAMIGS (Online)
    10-12: Pathfindin.gs (Online)
    12: CiGADC
    12-14: Milan Games Week
    12-14: CiGA Connects
    13-14: WePlay Expo
    13-14: MCM Comic Con Birmingham
    13-14: GeekGirlCon (Online)
    13-17: VRDays Europe
    15-17: PG Connects Digital Next
    16-17: WN Conference Seattle
    16-17: Game Services Forum (Online)
    16-17: Konsoll
    17-19: DevGAMM Fall (Online)
    17-21: G-Star
    18-19: Beyond Games (Online)
    19-20: Game Developers Session (Online)
    20-21: Latinx Games Festival (Online)
    23-25: gamesweekberlin (Online)
    25-27: Game Days Slovakia (Online)
    25-28: FEJA 5 (Online)
    25-28: Lisboa Games Week
    26-28: Indie Game Fest
    27: Arabic Games Conference (Online)
    27: FROG (Future and Reality of Gaming) (Online)
    29-DEC 3: Game Connection Winter (Online)
    30-DEC 5: Games Gathering Kiev

    This game industry events calendar list is obtained from the main calendar. Did we miss an event? Let us know! Also check out the Google version of the calendar.

    Video of the Month – Walking the PAX West 2021 Expo Floor

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    The recent (September 3-6) Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) 2021 convention brought thousands of gamers to downtown Seattle, Washington. But it wasn’t like any other year for the convention either. It’s the first live event for the PAX team in the United States since the late winter PAX East 2020 in Boston last year. How did it end up working out while in the midst of pandemic era restrictions?

    The Good Vibes Gaming (GVG) team gave their live impressions about what they observed when checking out the PAX West 2021 expo floors, focusing on the dedicated media walkthrough time when attending this year. As an asterisk of a sort, the media time usually only permits media and content creators to have an early look, so the turnout is limited as a rule and doesn’t reflect the peak numbers of attendees.

    In this 17 minute-long video, a few of their observations included that being there this year was a weird feeling, much different from previous years, with hardly anyone there, much more room between booths and tables, and more like a tradeshow and less like a convention.

    On the upside, from their perspective, indie games got a much bigger spotlight than the bigger name developers and publishers, many of which were not in attendance. The lack of foot traffic was a plus in not having to make an effort to get from one place to another, while at the same time, lacking “people energy” meant less liveliness. The fourth floor expo floor walkthrough, which is considered the main exhibit floor, was a 10-15 minute expo floor walk-and-talk, featuring a lot of indie games. Interestingly, they observed the mix of booths was about 60% merch and about 40% games, maybe as low as 30%.

    Take a look at this insightful Good Vibes Gaming team’s video from the PAX West 2021 expo floors!

    For another fascinating view of the PAX West 2021 experience, which shows a livelier version of the show, you many want to check out Yoshiller’s vlog-style video. This 46 minute-long video walks the viewer through his full three-day experience in Seattle, including a Zelda Universe Panel, competitive gaming tournaments, and more.

    Whether you are an event coordinator, press, or general attendee, if you have an event video to share with us, please let us know and we’ll be happy to feature it!

    Tabletop Industry Reunites at PAX Unplugged 2021 in December, Badges On-Sale Soon

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    PHILADELPHIA — Oct. 5, 2021 —PAX Unplugged, the most attended tabletop gaming convention in the eastern U.S., returns to the Philadelphia Convention Center from Dec. 10 – 12, 2021. Badges go on-sale soon for the first in-person PAX Unplugged in two years, where attendees can experience new game demos, exciting tournaments, panels with industry giants, and more.

    ReedPop and Penny Arcade will build on the successful return of PAX West over Labor Day weekend, where robust health and safety guidelines resulted in universal mask compliance and 93% of attendees showing proof of vaccination. PAX Unplugged 2021 will require all attendees to show proof of a complete COVID-19 vaccination series and abide by stringent masking requirements. For more information, please see the official health and safety guidelines.

    Hundreds of game publishers, independent creators, and vendors will showcase their wares in Philadelphia, PA, including many of the biggest names in board games, role playing games, miniatures, and card games. Go hands-on with the latest from Cephalofair, creators of the wildly popular tactical phenomenon Gloomhaven. Hang out with R. Talsorian Games, makers of the Cyberpunk role-playing universe and The Witcher Pen & Paper RPG. Experience live demos from CGE, publishers of Codenames, Galaxy Trucker, and Sanctum.

    Explore a massive show floor populated by Bézier Games, KOSMOS, Rock Manor Games, Lone Shark Games, Mage Hand Press, Devir Games, Chaosium Inc., Leder Games, Wyrmwood, and many more. Witness panels hosted by acclaimed designers, content creators, and fan-favorite personalities. Safely make new friends and reminisce with party members in the freeplay area, with hundreds of titles at your fingertips.

    “Boardgames are, among other things, about being together,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder, Penny Arcade. “With our safety protocols in place for PAX Unplugged, it’s time to dust off those Legacy games we got halfway through in 2019.”

    Three-day badges for PAX Unplugged 2021 go on-sale soon for $75, while individual Friday, Saturday, and Sunday badges will go for $35 each. 

    For badge purchasing, travel info, event schedules, FAQs, and more, check out the PAX Unplugged website, join the official Discord server, and follow PAX on TwitterFacebook, TwitchYouTube, and Instagram.

    VR/AR Global Summit Rebranded as immerse Global Summit

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    The VR/AR Global Summit recently took place online on September 29-October 1. As this conference name suggests, the event series has focused on “connecting the best virtual reality and augmented reality solution providers with enterprise and media entertainment companies.” But immediately after their most recent summit, the organizers, the VR/AR Association (VRARA) sent out word that they are rebranding their next big event as the immerse Global Summit (iGS).

    Along with the announcement, the iGS now has a new website and a few big picture details to start with, such as confirming a spring 2022 time frame to host the event. Folks who visit the website will find a few sign-up forms — for news updates, VIP ticket upgrades, a call for exhibitors and sponsors, and a call for speakers for upcoming events. Likely coming up soon in the official news queue? Expect to hear about a location and venue. Perhaps the event will be in-person only or an in-person/online hybrid, but those details aren’t confirmed as of yet.

    On the website, the VRARA made a post explaining the reasons behind the rebrand. In a nutshell, the organizers aim to encompass a much broader range of interconnected technologies, such as 5G, PCs, crypto, etc. instead of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) alone. Of particular note, gaming is also listed as a content track for the iGS.

    We’ll be sure to keep watch for upcoming news as it’s released (and share it, of course) about the immerse Global Summit.

    October 2021 Game Industry Events Calendar

    September was chock-full of all sorts of great events to attend, and it’s looking like October is going to be the same! We’re still seeing more hybrid events being developed with an increase in on-site events again.

    Is this another long-term trend? Certainly for on-site (we hope), but we also suspect 2022 is going to reveal many more with bigger events like GDC sporting a permanent year-to-year hybrid schedule.

    To help you discover upcoming game industry events calendar that includes conferences, conventions, festivals and many other types of events, we post a consolidated list here on Events for Gamers each month.

    View this month’s event list below. You can also click here for the main calendar view that includes events into 2022 and beyond.

    SEP 28-OCT 1: Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki (Online)
    SEP 29-OCT 1: MeetToMatch – The Tokyo Edition (Online)
    SEP 30-OCT 3: Tokyo Game Show (Online)
    SEP 30-OCT 3: GDEX & Origins Game Fair
    OCT 1-7: Steam Fest October (Online)
    OCT 2-10: MIGW (Online)
    OCT 4-6: GCAP
    OCT 5-6: Game Global Digital Summit (Online)
    OCT 7: Dutch Game Awards
    OCT 7-10: EGX
    OCT 7-10: New York Comic Con
    OCT 8-10: Lair Con
    OCT 8-10: Too Many Games
    OCT 8-10: Pixel Haven
    OCT 11-12: O3DECON
    OCT 13-14: WN Conference Moscow (Hybrid)
    OCT 13-15: Sweden Game Conference
    OCT 13-15: Esports BAR Cannes
    OCT 14-17: GamesCom Asia
    OCT 15-16: Future Works Tech Conference
    OCT 20-22: Global XR Conference (Online)
    OCT 20-21: BEYOND (Hybrid)
    OCT 21-22: Hyper Games Conference (Online)
    OCT 21-25: Steam Digital Tabletop Fest (Online)
    OCT 22-24: BEYOND
    OCT 22-24: Games Industry Conference (GIC) (Hybrid)
    OCT 23-29: Overcome Film Festival (Online)
    OCT 28-29: BEYOND

    This game industry events calendar list is obtained from the main calendar. Did we miss an event? Let us know! Also check out the Google version of the calendar.

    Tencent Games Becomes Main Partner of Sweden Game Conference

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    Skövde, SWEDEN, Sept. 24, 2021–Tencent Games is joining Sweden Game Conference as the main partner for Europe’s leading conference for aspiring and professional game developers and startups, organizer Sweden Game Arena announced today.

    This year’s event will both be livestreamed and held onsite at Arena Skövde on October 14-15. The conference begins with a business-oriented day that includes recruitement sessions, pitching and networking opportunities followed by a day for game developers, with talks, panels and workshops.

    Sweden Game Conference will also feature an onsite expo at the venue and a digital expo where startups and developers can showcase their projects to thousands of visitors during the conference. It was last year visited by more than 2,300 people.

    Tencent Games is a world leader in game development, publishing and operations. It offers over 140 top games, and hundreds of millions of players across more than 200 countries and regions enjoy playing its titles. The Sweden Game Conference partnership continues Tencent Games’ longstanding commitment to seek out and support outstanding teams developing great games around the world.

    “Having Tencent Games as main partner is a seal of quality for our conference and games cluster and it also marks the start of a long-term partnership that I’m really exited about“, says Magnus Ling, Project Manager at Sweden Game Arena.

    Tickets for Sweden Game Conference are available at swedengameconference.se.

    Gear Up for Asia’s Most Anticipated Gaming Event with gamescom asia 2021

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    gamescom asia, the first Asian satellite event of the world’s largest computer and video games festival, gamescom, is set to launch its hybrid event from 14 to 17 October 2021 in Singapore. A prelude to the full-scale convention that is set to take place in 2022, fans and industry players will get to enjoy a whole host of exciting events featuring the latest products and games from developers and publishers.

    Divided between the Trade and Entertainment Zones, industry players will be able to participate in the event through a hybrid offering for brands from 14-15 October 2021, which is set to be held digitally and physically at Singapore’s Suntec Convention Centre. The Trade Conference will feature prominent international speakers from Axie Infinity creators Sky Mavis, That’s No Moon, Cygames, Square Enix, miHoYo, Zynga and more.

    The virtual consumer segment will kickstart with gamescom asia PRIMETIME, on 15 October 2021, premiering new games and trailers from the region and around the world, while giving fans a sneak preview of what’s to come with the all-digital programs under gamescom asia STUDIO that will take place from 16-17 October 2021. Streams and the gamescom asia VAULT on-demand will be broadcasted via the event’s Entertainment Zone platform as well as YouTube and TikTok.
    As such, we’d be happy to offer you an interview opportunity with Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Singapore on the following topics:

    • His views on the region’s and Singapore’s gaming industry and why the flagship event has been brought to Asia
    • How gamescom asia 2021 is aimed to empower Asian game publishers and developers
    • What does the future of the gaming industry entail based on current trends
    • How Asia’s gaming talents are changing the face of the industry 
    • What can brands and consumers expect for gamescom asia 2022

    MGA to host hybrid conference for MGS GAMES

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    Join MGS GAMES in person in San Francisco or online with a new hybrid conference model

    San Francisco Jazz Center

    September 30th, 2021 

    TICKETS AND INFORMATION: 

    mobilegrowthassociation.com/events/games

    PRICING:  Starting from $199 EARLY ADOPTER PASS 

    VIP Tickets, Service Tickets and Sponsor Packages also available

    Mobile Growth Association is known as a pillar of the mobile app industry; an organization that has pushed creativity, community, and progress over its 14-year history. Always one step ahead when it comes to adopting new technology in the mobile industry, MGA announces a new hybrid strategy for its next edition of MGS GAMES, taking place at the San Francisco Jazz Center on September 30th, 2021. Attendees of the event receive access to all sessions, and are able to learn from and network with influential industry leaders, including Google, Snap Inc., Electronic Arts, Big Fish Games, GamesBeat, Glu Mobile, Fandom, Kooapps, 5×5 Gaming, and more experts within the industry.

    MGS GAMES offers the opportunity for developers, publishers, and marketers to connect once again in real life at the physical event, or online via the digital conference which will host the same selection of sessions. This hybrid model will allow the Community to connect on a global scale with a meeting scheduling app. 

    Throughout the day, there will be sessions on how to make better games, market and monetize more effectively, and a keynote about improving Ad Revenue strategies from Chris Akhavan, SVP, Electronic Arts and Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer, GamesBeat at VentureBeat, then a session on Mobile Games Metrics and Optimizations from expert Peiwen Yao, who is responsible for all things product at 2K. Throughout the rest of the day, there will be keynotes and panels from Google, Snap Inc., Electronic Arts, GamesBeat, and 5×5 Gaming — all invited by the Community to share insights and expertise.

    ”I’m truly looking forward to speaking at MGS GAMES this year. MGS has been a long-term strategic partner of Google’s AppDev speaking team as their audience is at the heart of the gaming ecosystem. The industry is experiencing a time of outsized growth requiring a new set of business, marketing, and development considerations as games look to acquire and retain and engage gamers. Not only that, the profile of a typical gamer has changed and is drawn to more social, sophisticated, and unique gaming experiences. As we look ahead to what comes next, games must think about measurement, monetization, and prioritizing differently.” 

    • Brandon Cubillas, Head of Industry – App Gaming, Google

    “GamesBeat is happy to support MGA as it returns to physical events with MGS GAMES. I look forward to moderating a session on the direction of mobile gaming at the event.” 

    • Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat

    “We’re thrilled to be back on stage at MGS GAMES this year. Mobile gaming has seen incredible growth within the Snap ecosystem and beyond, and there’s no better time to connect with the people and companies who are driving the industry forward than at MGS GAMES. As the industry continues to shift and expand, we look forward to working with our partners and the mobile gaming community to embrace these changes as we step into the future.”

    • Meena Kallu, Head of Mobile Games, Snap Inc, North America 

    Developers, publishers, and marketers who attend MGS GAMES will learn how to make better games, market and monetize them more effectively, improve business operations, and hold onto your users for higher LTV. The lineup consists of industry leaders who are experts in building, running, and marketing mobile games and mobile game studios. With lectures, panels, and numerous opportunities for networking, MGS GAMES has everything you need to make 2021 a successful year for both you and your company.

    “For the past 14 years we have been working to cultivate a community that is supportive, progressive and innovative within the fast-paced, ever-changing mobile industry. The last two years have not been easy, but it has shown us that we are part of a community that can stay just as strong whether connecting in real life, or online — we are proud to be able to reflect that in our new events strategy that incorporates our new, dynamic world.”

    • Jen Laloup, CEO and Co-Founder, Mobile Growth Association

    News Topics