IGEA has officially revealed the full schedule and keynote speakers for Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP) 2024, with talks headlined by three games industry veterans.
The first keynote speaker is Rich Lambert, game director at ZeniMax Online Studios, and he’ll talk about the longevity of The Elder Scrolls Online, and how it consistently adapts to changing cultures. Karrie Shirou Shao of Pacific Drive (and formerly of League of Leagues) is another keynote speaker. She’ll talk about the value of narrative and writing, and how player interactions can shape game storytelling.
Teddy Dief of We Are OFK and Hyper Light Drifter is the third announced keynote speaker. They’ll discuss the “nooks and crannies” of the games industry, while also talking about the lessons learned from developing a range of indie smash hits.
As shared by IGEA, the focus of this year’s conference is perseverance through challenges, as the games industry is currently in flux, and facing a cavalcade of changes that will reshape its future. Talks at GCAP 2024 focus on these potential changes, and how studios can adapt and thrive under tough circumstances.
Beyond the keynotes, the full schedule contains a range of other essential talks, focussed on leadership, market-led game design, the ins-and-outs of publishing, production pipelines, and mobile game optimisation.
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While talks will hold different appeal to those with different expertise, standout panels so far include:
- Publishers, Pitching, and Plan B – Think & act like a publisher – A panel focussed on art vs. business, and how to create a game with a mindset that it’s still a product to be engaged with, and potentially sold.
- A Producer’s Delight: Formally Provable Narrative – A panel focussed on narrative design, and how to test the bounds of a game’s story with digital tools.
- How the Australian jobs market has evolved over the past 12 month – A panel breaking down how the Australian jobs market has fluctuated over the last year, and how to overcome the many challenges facing the industry.
- From Talk to Action: A Wellbeing Guide for Studios of Any Size – A panel discussing how to create a healthy and productive studio, beyond paying lip service to concepts like “wellbeing” and “positive mental health.”
- See It Coming: How to Build a Production Crystal Ball – A panel educating about the warning signs of production, and how best to plan for game development in an uncertain future.
- Awesome Black’s Mission: Possible – An interactive panel with Awesome Black where the team will discuss GCAP’s mission statements from the perspective of an Indigenous organisation, with a focus on community connection.
You can view the full panel schedule online now. For those yet to purchase tickets, they’re available via Eventbrite. GCAP 2024 takes place from 7-9 October 2024 in Melbourne, Australia, and the show will conclude with the Australian Game Developer Awards on 9 October 2024.
