IGDA Finland Leadership Day 2023 - Get your tickets now!

/ BioRex/

We invite you to join us on our fifth Leadership Day on the 11th of September at BioRex Helsinki!

Leadership Day by IGDA Finland is an international event about how we build companies, teams and working cultures to build better games. Games companies, their inner workings and cultures are some of the least documented aspects of game development. Yet we and our work are all defined by these choices every single day. Join us in learning and challenging the cutting edge of leadership in games from some of the brightest minds in the industry!

Speakers

Saara Bergström
Next Games / Netflix

Mika Tammenkoski
Metacore

Jaakko Kylmäoja
Fingersoft

Jinesha Gandhi
Redhill Games

Wanda O Rly
Psyon Games

Aki Kanerva
Virtual Air Guitar

Sponsors

For more info visit our event page

IGDA Future at Assembly 2023

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As previous year, we are delighted to welcome you to the workshops and seminars at Assembly 2023, organized by IGDA Future program of IGDA Finland!


To sign up for the workshops, feel free to use this form, but also ad hoc attendance is possible.

Check full program of Assembly Creative Zone and welcome to the party of the year!

POCKET GAMER CONNECTS - Early Bird is Closing!

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The leading games industry conference, Pocket Gamer Connects, returns to Finland again on September 12-13 this autumn!

This year over 1,500 games industry professionals will gather in Helsinki to network, discover, pitch and learn from 200 of the world’s top experts. EARLY BIRD tickets are closing this Thursday, August 3rd, make sure to register in time.

IGDA Finland members get a 20% discount with the code IGDAFinland20, get your ticket today!

https://www.pgconnects.com/helsinki/registration/ 

Games Gathering Bratislava Call for Speakers

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Games Gathering will be returning to Bratislava with an online and live format taking place from Sep 25-27.

In order to make the event accessible to everyone, particularly those who can’t travel, the 25th will be a one-day online event of talks and networking. The physical conference will kick off with a pre-party on the 25th and run through the 27th at the Hotel Tatra.

The event will feature lectures of industry experts and networking opportunities. The call for speakers is currently open. Apply to speak using this form.

IGDA Finland members can get 10% off their tickets by using promo code IGDA_GGCBratislava23 during checkout.

The Games Gathering team is Ukrainian and 10% of ticket proceeds will be donated to the Gamedev Under Bombs project to help Ukrainians affected by the war.

Support Ukraine by attending Games Gathering Kyiv

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Games Gathering will be hosting the largest game developer conference in Ukraine with a hybrid event taking place online and at the Hotel Rus in Kyiv from August 3-6, 2023.

Show your support by applying to speak at the event.

IGDA Finland members get 10% off tickets using promocode IGDA_GGCKyiv23 during checkout.

For more information visit the conference website.

Leadership Day - Last Call for Speakers

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Leadership Day by IGDA Finland is an international event about how we build companies, teams and working cultures to build better games. Games companies, their inner workings and cultures are some of the least documented aspects of game development. Yet we and our work are all defined by these choices every single day. Join us in learning and challenging the cutting edge of leadership in games from some of the brightest minds in the industry!

Save the date: This free event will take place at BioRex in Helsinki on Sept 11th, the day before Pocket Gamer Connects.

Last call for speakers! The speaker application deadline is Jun 30th.

For more information visit: https://www.igda.fi/leadership-day

Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2023

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The leading games industry conference, Pocket Gamer Connects, returns to Finland again in 2023!

Over 1,500 games industry professionals will gather in Helsinki on September 12-13 to network, discover, pitch and learn from 200 of the world’s top experts.

Mobile, PC and console, blockchain, VR/AR and more will be covered, across unmissable conference tracks. Our speakers and panellists will share their expert insight into design and development, monetisation and growth, AI, blockchain and loads more.

The event is called Connects because that’s what we help you do; connect with the whole gaming industry, from students and indie studios to the media, international investors and publishers. We offer our MeetToMatch meeting platform free and unlimited to all delegates, so you can find that perfect contact and arrange to meet them in person.

We’ll be running a whole host of side activities and curated matchmaking events to cater to everyone’s networking needs.

  • Investor Connector

  • Publisher SpeedMatch

  • The Global Connects Party

  • The Very Big Indie Pitch (Mobile Edition)

  • The Very Big Indie Pitch (PC + Console Edition)

  • The Big Indie Zone

Join us in Helsinki for the return of the leading games industry conference! Book your tickets now: https://www.pgconnects.com/helsinki/registration/ 

Discount code for IGDA Finland members: IGDAFinland20 

Get 15% off your ticket to DevGAMM Vilnius

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DevGAMM returns to the Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva in Vilnius from June 20-21, 2023.

Game submissions are now open until May 25th, so if you’ve been working on something, this is your chance to show it to major studios, publishers, investors, and developers at one of the fastest-growing conferences in the region.

Activities include:
Exclusive Sessions
Roundtable Discussions
The Game Showcase
The Public Pitch
Yet Another Steam Event
The Career Wall
And The DevGAMM Awards

The deadline to submit your game is MAY 25, 23:59 GMT+3.

IGDA Finland members get 15% off Business and Standard tickets using promocode DG_IGDA_15

Vote for IGDA Finland: Support Shirt 2023 Design Competition!

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Community voting has started and will last until the 15th of May, the winner will be announced on IGDA Finland 20th birthday on the 27th of May. The new design will be available after the party and be sold there to support IGDA Finland’s future events!

 

ALSO

If you´re interested in the birthday party, make sure to get your tickets now!

 

Baltic Dev Days Are Back!

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Baltic Dev Days, Europe's largest international non-profit game developer conference, will be held at the Atlantic Hotel Kiel in Kiel, Germany on June 1-2, 2023.

Around 600 people from twenty different countries are anticipated to attend the event to share knowledge and network. Through lectures and hands-on workshops, over 50 professionals from the games industry and other areas that overlap with games will share essential expertise. A free Indie Expo is the final piece of the puzzle that will provide 15 developers from Germany and the Baltic Sea countries with the opportunity to present their games. Furthermore, because there is no meeting system, speakers, experts, and all attendees will have ample time to provide valuable feedback.

Further information on the program, speakers, and ticket rates may be found at https://www.balticdevdays.com

Discounted tickets are available for students and professors (who show their credentials) for only €30.

IGDA Finland members get 25% off their tickets using promocode: BDD23-IGDA

Join the IGDA Game Accessibility SIG's European Conference

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The IGDA Game Accessibility Special Interest Group volunteers have worked since 2003 to aid the game industry in making games accessible for all, regardless of impairments or other limitations. The European conference is a hybrid event taking place in London and online April 24-25. Tickets for the streamed content and networking in Discord are free, but it’s possible to make a donation when getting your ticket.

For more information visit the IGDA Game Accessibility SIG webpage or the conference registration page:

Head to Tallinn for the GDWC Awards Ceremony

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And the winner is….

The finalists for the Game Development World Championships (GDWC) are set and the winners will be announced at the GDWC Awards Show taking place at Erinevate Tubade Klubi in Tallinn, Estonia on April 22nd from 18:00-22:00 EEST.

IGDA Finland members get 50% off the ticket price when using promocode: 50off
Tickets can be bought here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-game-development-world-championship-2022-tickets-566168875347

Show your support for the finalists and network at the event. For those you can’t attend, the event will be live streamed on GWDC’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thegdwc

For more information on the awards ceremony and the finalists check out: https://thegdwc.com/awards/

Address: Erinevate Tubade Klubi, Telliskivi 60-A1 10412, Tallinn, Estonia

IGDA Finland Support Shirt Competition 2023 together with upcoming birthday party!

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IGDA Finland support shirt competition is back and this year we´re celebrating in collaboration with IGDA Finland’s 20th birthday!

IGDA Finland invites you to participate and showcase your creativity by designing a unique support shirt for this year's special occasion. The winner will be revealed on 27.5 at IGDA Finland´s 20th birthday and the top 3 will be getting tickets and their traveling expenses covered the event!

IGDA_Digihub16.png

Prize

  • Top 3 gets tickets to the birthday party + travel expenses covered
  • 350€ Gift card (S/K group/amazon/verkkokauppa)
  • T-shirt with their design

File specs

  • Min 300dpi
  • 4000x4000px in .PNG
  • Max 10MB
IGDA_Digihub16.png

Rules

  • Includes IGDA Finland text somehow
  • Includes “20” somehow
  • Includes artist signature (highly recommended)
  • If you use the original IGDA logo, don’t edit it.
  • Max 3 submissions
  • Must be located in Finland
  • Avoid using other companies' IP
  • AI Art is not allowed

Schedule:

  • Submission time: 3.4 - 30.4

  • Voting time: 2.5 - 14.5

  • The winner will be revealed on 27.5 at IGDA Finland´s 20th birthday and the top 3 will be getting tickets to the event + travel expenses covered, shirts will be available immediately after that.

 

Volunteers:

  • Art: Noora Jokela

  • Copywriting: Emma Vantaa & Niko Pyrhönen

  • Website + forms: Emma Vantaa & Chris Hong

  • Social media: Emma Vantaa

  • Project lead: Niko Pyrhönen

  • Art lead: Egor Sandalnev

  • Art: Elise Juutila

  • Art: Chris Hong

More interested in the birthday party? Get your tickets now!

Games Job Fair Spring 2023 Brings More Challenges, Talks, Workshops!

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Let your career blossom at Games Job Fair Spring 2023 The spring iteration of the games industry recruitment, networking, and career-building event brings new speakers, more challenges with fun prizes, and brand new workshops! 

Join the event online on April 26-28th and Onsite in Espoo, Innopoli campus on April 28th, the last day of the event followed by the afterparty! 

Meet up online or in person with fellow game developers and studio reps, expand your professional network, build your knowledge and skill set.

Event Highlights
🙋 Networking with hiring games studios
🎙️ Career-building talks, panels, workshops
💻 Unreal, Unity, UX, and Art Challenges
📔 Creative Portfolio Review
🗺️ Hybrid Day in Espoo + Afterparty at HypeHype HQ

Programming, Art and UX Challenges

ATTENTION Developers, Artists, and UI/UX Designers.
We bring you fresh challenges to showcase your technical skills. Please check the details and participate in:

Art Challenges sponsored by Redhill Games, Metacore, and Savage Game Studios
Unreal Engine Challenge sponsored by Epic Games, Housemarque, and Savage Game Studios
Unity Programming Challenge sponsored by Unity, PHZ Fullstack 
UX Challenge sponsored by Redhill Games 

*If you’re a junior based in Finland, Redhill Games-sponsored Art and UX Challenges include the chance at a paid 6-month internship with the studio!”

Brand New Workshops for Those Joining Onsite on April 28th 
Games Job Fair Spring 2023 aims to offer more hands-on training by industry experts that includes:

Tileable Material Creation by Syed Safeer Abbas Rizvi, Senior Environment Artist at Redhill Games, will help you plan a manageable pipeline of material creation for games on Substance Designer

Towards Equal Worklife by Milla Pennanen, Game Makers of Finland, will focus on the challenges of today's working life & how to overcome them. 

Seeking Mentorship by Salla Hiiskoski, the Mentorship Program Lead of We in Games Finland, will give you the tools to clarify & articulate your goals & get tips to find the right mentor.

Legal Employment Clinic by Maria Jauhiainen, an expert lawyer with Game Makers of Finland, will provide you advice on matters related to employment in Finland, contacts, IP rights, NDAs etc. (you will get a chance to book a slot after the 12th of April via the PINE event platform). 

*Please remember to sign up, as spaces are limited

Afterparty at HypeHype’s HQ, Kamppi on April 28th
HypeHype is graciously hosting the Games Job Fair Spring 2023 afterparty at their new office space in Kamppi. It’s a great opportunity to socialize with peers over pizzas and drinks.

How to Join
Just fill out this registration form. All applications are screened, and all approved talents receive further instructions by email. Don’t forget to join the Games Factory Talents Discord server and get to know the community.

For more on the event, check out GamesJobFair.com.


Get More Invovled with devcom

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The folks at devcom are currently looking for speakers, volunteers and indie developers to showcase.

Call for Volunteers: https://wkf.ms/3HMEjjf
Deadline: Apr 15
Call for Speakers: https://bit.ly/ddc2023_CfS
Deadline: May 15
Call for Indies: https://www.devcom.global/ddc-2023/indies/
Deadline: May 31
Teams selected to participate in the indie showcase will get a 6 sq.m. demo area, branding, a 55 inch screen with peripherals (mouse/keyboard), furniture and 2 x VIP & networking tickets.

Also, early bird ticket sales will end on February 28th

IGDA members get 15% off when using promocode IGDA15 during checkout.
NOTE: Code valid for all passes except student passes, which are already subsidized by devcom.

Submit Your Game to DevGAMM Gdansk 2023

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DevGAMM will hold its first conference in Gdańsk, Poland at the AmberExpo on March 1-2.

DevGAMM Gdańsk will be done in collaboration with Digital Vikings, which was born out of an idea of matching indie developers with publishers and investors.

The game developers can already submit games for DevGAMM Showcase, to present their projects to all the attendees, get a booth, invite guests for a play test, and find partners. The submission deadline is January 25.

Moreover, the event program will include the Digital Vikings Awards, which is a brand-new competition for indie game developers. The event will also host The Best Indie Publisher of 2022 award. The developers will compete in 6 categories:

Best Indie Game Awards
Most Anticipated Indie Game
Best Multiplayer Co-op
Hidden Gem
Best Solo-Dev Game
Best Art Style

The winners will be announced during DevGAMM Gdańsk 2023 on March 2. Submit your game until January 25.

The event will gather game industry professionals for networking, sessions, new games lineup, career opportunities, and three parties.

If you can't make it to Gdańsk, check out a new Online Networking ticket to access the attendees list and schedule virtual calls. There’s a special ticket type for small indie teams as well.

IGDA Finland members get 15% off tickets when using promocode: DG_IGDA_15

Tickets are on sale and available on the website.

Education for Game Industry Harassment contact persons!

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The Finnish game industry organizations are arranging a training event for everybody who might have to deal with harassment cases at work or volunteer work.

The event is organized in cooperation with Sexpo Foundation. The specialist on the topic will be Tommi Paalanen, Executive Director at Sexpo Foundation.

🕓 WHEN: The event takes place on Wednesday, 30.11.2022, from 12.30 - 16.00
🌍 WHERE: Maria03, Helsinki Online: IGDA Finland Twitch

Coffee will be served at the venue, so make sure to register before the 27th. However if you’re more interested in talks, you’re entirely welcome to listen without registration!

More information and registration:
https://www.eventbrite.fi/e/education-for-game-industry-harassment-contact-persons-tickets-457315491947

See you there! 🙌

RSVP to the GIG 2022 Holiday Party

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The Games Industry Gathering (GIG) has invited IGDA Finland members to its Holiday Party 2022 on Friday, December 2, 2022 from 21:00-09:00 Finnish Time. If you wish to attend the virtual event and are not currently a GIG member, you may RSVP using this form: https://forms.gle/TWiNB5YdPRSN7Xip7

You will need your IGDA Finland membership ID number to complete the form. Members (either individual members or employees of studio affiliates) can find it on their digital membership cards by going to https://emmi.igda.fi/card/ and entering their e-mail address and pressing the “return link” button. EMMI will then return an e-mail with a link to view their membership card.

If you're not familiar with GIG, you can learn more about the community here: https://games.industrygathering.com/.

We hope you're able to make it to the event and connect with developers around the world. This is an excellent opportunity to network, make new friends, and wind down from the great things you've been doing all year.

This form will close on November 30th.

If you have any problems or questions contact us at: members [at] igda [dot] fi.

IGDA Helsinki Xmas Party with Rovio

/ Maxine Helsinki/

WINTER HAS ARRIVED! and so has the traditional Xmas party of IGDA Helsinki sponsored by ROVIO!

As always, second Tuesday of the month from 17:00 onwards, we gather at Maxine to share thoughts and connect with our community. This special Xmas themed Meetup is done in collaboration with Rovio Entertainment and they have THREE interesting talks prepared for us, starting at 18:00 📣 Tuesday 13th of December!

Heini Kaihu is Rovio’s Chief Sustainability Officer. She has been with the company since 2012, having held positions such as Head of Studio (Games) as well as Head of HR. Before joining Rovio, Heini had a long career at Sulake, where she worked across the organisation in various leadership positions such as EVP Product and a member of the Leadership Team. Her dedication drives her to continuously improve on the positive impact game companies have on social and environmental sustainability.

Topic: What does sustainability mean for gaming companies? Trends and a little peek into the future.

Petri Hyökyranta is Rovio’s Chief Technology Officer. He has been with the company since 2011. During his career, he has been part of several digital business initiatives for different sized companies in different maturity stages. In many of these, he has held an instrumental role leading work, building teams and structures and turning business requirements into new long-term business and production systems. He has experience from multiple different operational models, including working as a service provider, with service providers and with partly or fully outsourced resources.

Topic: Rovio’s Beacon platform: what is it and how it helps us craft joy to players.

Miika Tams is the Head of Studio at Rovio’s Puzzle studio (and loving it!). He’s a true industry veteran, with over 23 years of games experience behind him, including PC, consoles, mobile and F2P since day one.

Topic: A year in the life of the Rovio Puzzle studio: Games, campaigns, growth and all the other cool stuff we've seen during the past year.

News from Chat Corner! 💬 This has been a really popular and liked part of our Meetups, so why not make it better? If you have any topics you'd like to have in Chat Corner or suggestions for icebreaker games, check this link and leave us some feedback!

See you in three weeks! 💥

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki Xmas Party with Rovio

WHEN:
13.12.
Doors open at 17:00
Chat Corner is open between 17:00 - 20:00
Seminar starts at 18:00

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor (Elevators next to the Jungle Juice Bar at the bottom floor)

BUT I WANNA DEMO MY GAME:
Click this here link and let’s get in touch!

TL;DR:
- Xmas Party with Rovio
- Seminar by Heini Kaihu, Petri Hyökyranta and Miika Tams starts at 18:00
- Chat Corner is open!

Game Design seminar at IGDA Helsinki meetup with Ubisoft Redlynx

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This Meetup is done in collaboration with Ubisoft RedLynx and they have prepared a game design seminar by Isaque Sanches, starting at 18:00!

In his design-oriented talk, Isaque Sanches from Ubisoft RedLynx will explore common reasons why game prototypes often are ill-adjusted to their envisioned projects and propose a few tips on how to avoid those pitfalls.

Isaque Sanches is a Senior Game Designer at Ubisoft RedLynx.
He has worked on games of various genres, sizes (indie, AA, AAA), audiences, and platforms (PC, console, mobile, XR) and began his career in game development as a programmer.

WHAT:
IGDA Helsinki November Meetup with Ubisoft RedLynx

WHEN:
08.11.
Doors open at 17:00
Isaque Sanches talk “Your Prototype Sucks, Here's Why” 18:00
Chat Corner is open between 17:00 - 20:00

WHERE:
Maxine, Kamppi shopping center, 6th floor

BUT I WANNA DEMO MY GAME:
Click this here link and let’s get in touch!

TL;DR:
- November Meetup x Ubisoft RedLynx
- Seminar by Isaque Sanches starts at 18:00
- Chat Corner is open!