Pocket Gamer Connects Digital is back for 2021, set to bring together some of the finest voices in the games industry and beyond.

PGC Digital #5 takes place on February 8th - 12th. To give you a taste of what to expect, we'll regularly be publishing interviews with the speakers at the show.

The conference spans across five days and will feature a broad selection of tracks, talks and speakers, as well as various fringe events and the return of our meeting system. For more details on PGC Digital and to book a ticket, head to the website.

Today's spotlight is on Gerard Williams, a New York-based influencer and also known as HipHopGamer. Williams works with a handful of brands including HOT97, Def Jam and Logitech. Williams is coming to PGC Digital #5 for a talk titled, "Being Exclusive: The Importance Of Being Unique", where he'll share his insight on branding, creativity and the synergy between culture and gaming.

PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a bit about your company?

Gerard Williams: HipHopGamer is a brand designed to merge Hip-Hop & Videogame culture together in authentic fashion based off passion. The goal is to bring people together through videogames to build more impactful relationships for a better community with all people being apart of it.

What does your role entail?

My role is to keep being creative and sharing those creative experiences to bring more value to the platform. 

Why did you want to work in the games industry?

My grandma taught me how to play video games when I was 4 years old and the passion only continued to grow from there. I developed a true love for gaming so I just had to be a part of the gaming industry.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?

1. Know what you want to do. 2. Be consistent. 3. Be authentic & fearless 4. Surround yourself with like-minded people that you can learn from and build relationships with, truly network.

What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?

I think that too many people don't care about the industry and what it stands for, since the money and the opportunities are so huge the credibility is being sold instead of the authenticity remaining standard.

But as long as the dollar amount in gaming is respected we will always have some sort of respect level in the culture.

What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?

In the next 12 months you will see clothing companies, music companies, etc. use gamification to push their products to survive in the entertainment world, considering gaming is number one and will remain in that position.

How has the games industry changed since you first started?

The game industry changed drastically because of social media, live streaming, and non-endemic brands being more involved with the culture along with more growth in the esports space.

Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?

Just being apart of it, period, I still can't believe that I was even considered. I've been in this industry for over 10 years and I don't often get an opportunity like this to be a leader on a big platform although I've led this industry in many of the changes that you see happening today. It's truly a blessing and I'm honored happy and humbled by it.

Want more?

The full conference schedule will be live very soon. In the meantime, you can also check out our other track rundowns and coverage of previous Pocket Gamer Connects conferences ahead of the event itself.

Register for Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #5 today!