Editor's picks: Must-attend sessions at PGC Barcelona on June 15th and 16th

Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona is less than a week away. Taking place on June 15th and 16th, the conference is expected to bring together around 1,000 industry professionals from across the sector - all in town to network, cut deals and gain insights on market trends.

We have a packed conference schedule for the show, featuring speakers from the likes of Rovio, Scopely, FunPlus, Socialpoint and many more.

While the show is designed to provide something for everyone - we’ve rounded up some editor’s picks from the agenda below.

Not got your ticket yet? You can grab one here.

Day one

What Makes a Game Timeless? The Psychology Behind Tetris and Enduring Play

We’re kicking off the show on June 15th with a star session from Tetris president and CEO Maya Rogers. This will be a thought discussion exploring why certain games transcend generations and cultures - and why Tetris continues to resonate globally decades later.

• Who:
  • Craig Chapple, PocketGamer.biz's
  • Maya Rogers, Tetris
• When: Monday, June 15th at 10am
• Where: Track room one

Spanish Industry Health Check: Trends, Opportunities and Challenges

We’ve got key industry figures from Spain’s games sector all on a panel to discuss the state of the market.

• Who:
  • David Fernandez
  • Hadrian Semroud, Madbox
  • Joan Francesc Bañó, GameBCN
  • Ivan Zaguirre, Socialpoint
  • Javier Cadenas, U-Tad
• When: Monday, June 15th at 10:20am
• Where: Track room one

Direct-To-Consumer In Games: Promise vs. Reality

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) has ushered in a new era of improved profit margins and closer player relationships for publishers. But as platform policies continue to evolve and new regulations take hold across key markets, the path forward is increasingly complex. This panel assesses the current state of D2C in games: What progress has actually been made? Where have expectations of this great new era fallen short? And how are developers, publishers and platforms adapting as compliance, payments and discoverability challenges come into play?

• Who:
  • Craig Chapple, PocketGamer.biz
  • Inês Ramalho, Xsolla
  • Peter Gerson, Breeze
  • Jonas Matins, Worldline
• When: Monday, June 15th at 10:40am
• Where: Track room two

Barcelona Rising: Emergence of A Global Hub For The Games Industry

Barcelona has quickly emerged as a massive force in the games industry, offering unique advantages over other regional areas. But why? This panel explores what makes the city uniquely positioned as a global hub for the industry. We'll examine the ecosystem's evolution, discuss competitive advantages, analyse current opportunities, identify challenges, and look ahead to future visions for sustaining and scaling the region.

• Who:
  • Xavier Carrillo Costa, Digital Legends Entertainment 
  • Yolanda Sanchez, Gameloft Barcelona
  • Jordi Marin, Ubisoft Barcelona Mobile
  • Beto Osorio, Patrones y Escondites
  • Alex Corominas, Piccolo Studios
• When: Monday, June 15th at 11am
• Where: Track room one

The Future Of User Acquisition

As UA costs continue to rise, games studios are trying to innovate strategies to acquire new users - but what does that look like? Join our experts as they uncover what will define the next era, whether that's AI creativity, rewarded UA, community-driven methods or performance marketing.

• Who:
  • Johannes Lang, TacticTen
  • Brice Laville Saint Martin, Antihero Studios
  • Elena Tsarkova, Wooga
  • Christopher Lefebvre, ByteBrew
  • Solmaz Yilancioglu, Zynga 
• When: Monday, June 15th at 4:20pm
• Where: Track room one

The Hidden Cost of UA Funding: What Every Studio Should Know Before Signing

UA funding deals can be a powerful growth lever. In this session, Plan A Games breaks down the real cost of UA funding across your game's lifecycle, what data you need to bring to the table, and the key terms that can make or break a deal. Walk away with a clear framework for evaluating any UA funding offer and a better understanding of what a studio-friendly structure actually looks like.

• Who: Janette Dalessio, Plan A Games
• When: Monday, June 15th at 4:10pm
• Where: Track room two

Navigating The New Normal: Growth, Capital, & Opportunity In Today's Industry

The games industry is entering a pivotal era where consolidation is accelerating, capital is more selective, and the studios that survive will be those with the sharpest strategic instincts. Drawing on two decades of hands-on experience across M&A, growth strategy and operations, in this conversation Chris will share candid insights on where the industry is heading, what investors are actually looking for right now, and what founders and executives must get right to scale sustainably.

• Who:
  • Craig Chapple, PocketGamer.biz
  • Chris Petrovic, FunPlus
• When: Monday, June 15th at 4:30pm
• Where: Track room two

Day two

The Current State Of AI In Games

There's no denying AI has transformed (and is still currently) the modern era of game development, however there are many that are still unreceptive to adopting AI. It's time to ask ourselves, is AI a competitive advantage and where should the industry draw the line? This panel explores where AI is delivering real value, and where it raises legitimate creative, ethical and commercial concerns.

• Who:
  • Rana Rahman, Raptor PR
  • Martin Boccardi, Rovio
  • Hege Tokerud, Aiba
  • Simonetta Lulli, GameHouse
  • Enric Cabestany, Pickem
  • Ilya Kuznetsov, Layer AI
• When: Tuesday, June 16th at 11am
• Where: Track room two

Aurora: Celebrating Women In The European Games Industry Award Presentation

The games industry is thriving on bold ideas and boundary-breaking craft, and women and non-binary people are driving that momentum. This session brings that reality into focus as we honour outstanding creators, developers, leaders, and innovators whose work is shaping the future of the industry.

• Hosted by: Jacki Vause, Dimoso
• When: 12:40pm
• Where: Track room one

Your Publishing Playbook: How To Find The Right Partner & Get Your Game To Market

Getting your game published is part strategy, part craft, part luck, and - if we're honest - part knowing how the other side thinks.

Elena Lobova has spent 15 years in the games industry, including time on both sides of the pitch table, and is currently leading publishing at Burny Games. In this session she shares a practical playbook covering the full publishing journey: mapping the landscape of partners and funding options available to you, understanding what publishers genuinely evaluate (and what makes them pass), building a pitch that actually lands, and navigating the path from market research to signed deal.

An honest look behind the scenes of how publishing decisions are really made, and how to position your game to be the one that gets a yes.

• Who: Elena Lobova, Burny Games
• When: 2:20pm
• Where: Track room one

Live Ops Today: When, Why & What’s Next?    

The evolution of live ops in the mobile gaming industry from the 2010s to the present reflects a shift toward increasingly sophisticated, data-driven, and player-centric strategies.

As the lines between genres continue to blur, F2P titles will increasingly implement features from contrasting genres to enhance player engagement and monetisation.

Who: Anastasiya Kara, Rovio
When: 2:20pm
Where: Track room two

Designing For Billions: Crafting A Distinct Visual Identity For A Hit Global Game

In this session, Howard Shin, VP of Art at Scopely, shares the creative journey behind defining the visual direction of Monopoly Go - from early exploration to building a cohesive, scalable art style that resonates across generations, cultures, and play styles.

Howard will explore the tension between originality and recognition, the risks of over-generalising for broad audiences, and the principles his team used to avoid creating something that feels generic. He’ll also discuss how art direction evolves in a live game environment, where content velocity, player feedback, and long-term engagement all shape creative decisions.

• Who: Howard Shin, Scopely
• When: 2:40pm
• Where: Track room two