Explore how 2026 growth engines impact games at Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona

• Explore AI, D2C, and emerging trends to understand what’s driving game development, monetisation, and growth in 2026.
• Hear first-hand from industry leaders and join the conversation at Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona on June 15th-16th.

There’s no shortage of trend predictions and actual trends in the games industry. 

A steady influx of headlines around studio closures, how AI technology, direct-to-consumer (D2C) and new tools will change the way games are built and monetised saturates the news feeds. It can be hard to separate the signal from the noise.

What will eventually translate into practical outcomes - something that genuinely improves production pipelines, drives growth and enhances the player experience? The studios that move from curiosity to capability early will be the ones that crack the code on how these technologies and models can be used to their advantage.

That’s where Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona on June 15th and 16th comes into play. It’s the meeting point where those trends are evaluated by game makers and decision-makers themselves. 

Hype vs reality

How AI is practically used in game development is an obvious place to start, but it’s also where the contrast between hype and reality becomes most visible. 

There’s no question that the tech is impacting production, but is it transforming the games industry? For now, it seems the studios getting the most out of AI are the ones approaching it carefully, still figuring out where it offers clear purpose and efficiency across budget and product quality, while not alienating players.

That same balance between promise and actual implementation comes up when you look at monetisation.

D2C repeatedly surfaced as a topic at Pocket Gamer Connects London in January and then again at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit San Francisco in March, reflecting its growing industry-wide relevance. More teams are actively investing in their own web stores, off-platform payments and alternative ways to connect deeper with their players. 

This lines up with wider industry thinking, including themes highlighted in recent comments in State of the Video Games Industry in 2026 by industry analyst Matthew Ball, that developers are increasingly looking to take more control over how they distribute, monetise and connect with their players.

That desire doesn’t exist without friction, however. Building and owning your own platforms, storefronts and infrastructure adds costs and risks. AI and D2C aren’t just trends to watch and simply adapt to, they require constant discernment and the capability to build and maintain.

Be part of the conversation first-hand

That’s ultimately what ties them together, and what defines the games industry conversation in 2026. It’s not so much about understanding where the market is heading, but staying agile and being able to act on it in a way that fits your game and vision.

At Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona, you will meet the teams that navigate these changes day-to-day, from world-leading companies to local indies. Including the dedicated AI Gamechangers Summit and App Summit, you will leave with first-hand insight about the real challenges, solutions and trade-offs facing studios from every corner of the games industry.

From cross-platform strategies, monetisation innovation, retention and growth models, Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona is where developers, publishers, platform holders, service providers and investors meet to set the agenda for the games industry’s growth engines.

Join the discussion by securing your ticket today.