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Pocket Gamer Connects 2023. It's a wrap!

Here's our highlights from day two of our massive Pocket Gamer Connects London 2023 event

Pocket Gamer Connects 2023. It's a wrap!

PGC London 2023 was our biggest event yet, with over 2500 attendees and dozens of talks across tracks covering the breadth of The Brewery, our venue of choice. It was a chilly start on both days as the UK braves an ongoing cold snap, but fortunately it was warm and welcoming inside.

Today is Wednesday, which means that most of the attendees from PGC London 2023 will be on their way back home. That could be just walking back to the office, hopping on train or – for many – talking long flight overseas. If you attended Pocket Gamer Connects London 2023 we hope you had a great time, made some great new connections and learnt something to help you succeed. And if you didn't attend (why not?) here are our highlights from day two of the show. 

The Highlights

The Big Indie Pitch saw many hopefuls attend to pitch their game from both mobile, PC and console. Attendees from a huge range of companies represented themselves and delegates networked and attended meetings all around The Brewery. Rumour has it that we may be looking at a new, even bigger venue to accommodate people next year... We'll keep you informed…

Track 1

First up in track room 1 was Monetiser, sponsored by Odeeo. Monetisation is always a hot-button issue, finding the balance between what’s good for you and what’s best for your players. However, with the speakers we had on hand there’s a good chance at least someone had the right plan and the right suggestions for great monetisation and a fantastic player experience.

Next came the Audience Accelerator. Which covered a small but important series of talks about communicating with, keeping and attracting an audience. After all, a great game and business model is nothing without people to actually play it.

Next was eSports Enthusiasts, sponsored by our parent company Enthusiast Gaming. Esports has been a topic we’ve covered incessantly, mainly because of how dynamic it is. Both on mobile and on PC and console. We even covered the communication of culture via eSports, as well as how it’s changing the face of gaming.

Finally, we moved onto the Big Screen Gaming track. Covering all the non-handheld talks you can imagine. Porting games to console, innovation in gameplay, and discussing what innovations and new trends may shake up the PC and console platforms in the future.

Track 2

This track first began with Incredible Indies. As we talk a lot about massive investments and M&A we too often forget that gaming of all kinds features representation from many smaller studios. If you wanted to learn more about, were part of or simply found indie studios fascinating, this was the track for you.

Next came Ad Insights, sponsored by Digital Turbine. Your AQI’s and your IAP’s were key features of these talks. As advertising is of course, a key UA strategy and one of the most dominating supporting features of virtually any form of media throughout human history. Learning more about it and how you can make it work for you is key.

After which we had ASO Acumen, sponsored by apptweak. App Store Optimization is another key feature you’ll want to dominate in your quest for success. In a somewhat saturated mobile market, where popping up atop the crowd is difficult, this is another tactic well-worth mastering and our experts from Apptweak, Mobileaction, Plarium, Nine66 and more put everyone on the right track.

Nour Khrais from Maysalward explains the opportunities awating in the MENA region

Finally was The Global Gaze. As the day wound down we took a global view, introducing the opportunities in the MENA region, Saudi Arabia and India. Whether that’s Vaibhav Chahan (Culttales Interactive) talking storytelling in games from India or Nour Khrais (Maysalward) discussing what’s next from the MENA region, day 2’s wrap up was all about opening eyes to global wallets.

Track 3

In track three we kicked off with Game Dev Stories. Discussing all the horror and success stories you see in the dev space. Learning from which is always vital to building future success. What better way to hear than from others who’ve been in the same position as you?

Next came Game Maker Insights. Covering everything from creating a narrative to keeping your audiences happy, engaged and safe, there was something for every developer and publisher to learn – especially in how the latest techniques and technology can help you break into wider international markets.

Finally, we had Show Me the Money by Sanlo. Investment and funding from firms can be key to kickstarting or continuing a studio’s success. But it’s not just game makers themselves. If you’re in an adjacent industry or a publisher for example, these key insights into getting your business the money it needs will prove invaluable.

Track 4

Track 4 hosted a similar variety of blockchain and Web3 themed discussions. Starting with Blockchain Boost. Whether you’re just Web3 curious or a pro working in the field the blockchain discussion and debate was as lively as ever. Our panel discussed what blockchain may be able to provide in future as it becomes a bigger part of the gaming landscape.

Next we had NFT Knowhow, sponsored by Venly. If you want to know the lingo and how it all works in the world of this hot topic this was track was for you! Our speakers from Venly, Dacoco and Tiny Rebel Games covered the potential utility this tech may see in the gaming landscape and why it could be the missing component in your upcoming game.

After which we had Mapping the Metaverse, sponsored by Thesoul Publishing. Something as broad as the Metaverse can be a hard concept to grasp but our sessions gave key insights into a variety of elements beyond Mark Zuckerberg and his own digital town square… Learning about virtual influencers, the design principles of the metaverse and the tech that makes it happen always makes for popular sessions.

Finally we came to Metaverse Magic. If you want to hear more about what the Metaverse may hold in store for the future, this was the track for you. Understanding how people see it and what could be around the corner could help shape your plans for the future of your work.

 

So that’s the final day of PGC London! And then there were our fringe events such as Publisher Speed Match and The Very Big Indie Pitch, limitless networking opportunities and near countless pop-ups and booths filled with great games and vital new talent. 

Missed the show? Don’t fret, we have PGC Seattle 2023 coming next and plenty more amazing events in the pipeline. We’re taking ticket orders for Seattle already so come see us in the US for an experience you won’t want to miss.

Staff Writer

Iwan is a Cardiff-based freelance writer, who joined the Pocket Gamer Biz site fresh-faced from University before moving to the Pocketgamer.com editorial team in November of 2023.