News

The Pokémon Company International, Niantic, THQ Nordic, Imperia Online and Crunchyroll all confirmed to speak at Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #4

Revealed: the second set of speakers for the fourth online-only conference in the series, this November 9-13

The Pokémon Company International, Niantic, THQ Nordic, Imperia Online and Crunchyroll all confirmed to speak at Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #4

Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #4 goes live on November 9th to 13th, and our speaker lineup looks set to be the best of the year.

Taking place completely online, the conference sees 1,500+ virtual attendees from all around the world log onto their computers to do business, network and learn from more than 200 of the world’s leading authorities in the games industry on 16 conference tracks.

Each talk, panel, keynote and seminars is streamed live, recorded and made available on demand, so with a ticket you can interact with our speakers during their talks through our Q&As or catch up at a later time if you’re unavailable for the stream.

And we’re excited to announce our next list of incredible speakers joining us for Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #4. Read on to find out who you’ll learn from online this November.

L-R: Ariana Marcassa Kim, Josh Petries, Diana Korkina, Georgina Felce

Industry Visions and Values

Taking place alongside many of the fringe events going online at Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #4, the Pocket Gamer Connects Careers Week returns once more this November. The Careers Week includes job listings, daily recruitment hours, Q&A sessions and dedicated careers focused talks, roundtables and panels. One such roundtable features Probably Monsters senior recruiters Alejandro Rodriguez, Hardsuit Labs’ in-house recruiter Ariana Marcassa Kim, Work With Indies’ founder Nathan Bosia and Undead Labs’ senior engineering manager Josh Petries as they look at ways you can rocket launch your games career during a pandemic.

Diana Korkina delivers a presentation on diversity in the team, diversity in gaming portfolio and diversity in game development

Legacy Games’ CEO Ariella Lehrer presents her session on managing a career in games for over 35 years. Silver Rain Games’ head of studio Melissa Phillips features on a panel where they discuss building a perfect team.

Big Pixel Studios’ studio operations manager Georgina Felce takes part in a panel on how we can go about creating real inclusion in teams and games. MyTona’s business development manager Diana Korkina delivers a presentation on diversity in the team, diversity in gaming portfolio and diversity in game development.

2020 has been a very strange year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving many industries in limbo. Abylight Studios’ communications manager Orchidee Stachelig and Antler Interactive’s CEO Anna Norrevik discuss with other panelists what comes after the pandemic for the games industry.

Revolution Games’ CEO and head of community Oren Bennett presents some of the challenges of engaging the community in all aspects of the game business.

Mokuni Games’ founder and CEO Kurt Yong dedicates his session to discuss whether the word ‘indie’ has become a dirty word.

L-R: Justin Lasola, Kathy Carpenter, TQ Jefferson, Kelly Vero

Working with IPs and going beyond mobile

Jonathan Higgins shows how user generated content can be utilised to drive user acquisition, retention and monetisation in premium PC titles

We are excited to be joined by Crunchyroll’s social media manager Justin Lasola as he hosts a seminar which focuses on working on non-IP-based games as a publisher. Meanwhile, The Pokémon Company International senior attorney Kathy Carpenter and Survios CPO TQ Jefferson feature on a panel to discuss some of the advantages and challenges of working with licensed IPs.

New World Interactive’s marketing and communications director Jonathan Higgins shows how user generated content can be utilised to drive user acquisition, retention and monetisation in premium PC titles. Meanwhile, DPS Games’ monesiation and live ops director Sarah Tilley presents her expertise in live ops in PC games. SO REAL DIGITAL TWINS’ head of game development Kelly Vero looks at Hollywood cinema in the games industry and why engines rule.

Paladin Studios’ CEO Kay Gruenwoldt hosts a panel looking at publishing amidst the new consoles, while WildWorks’ CEO Clark Stacey shares his expertise and thoughts on publishing games for kids in multiplatforms.

Plug In Digital’s VP - head of publishing and marketing Guillaume Jamet shares his experiences and thoughts of working with publishers from different cultures with a panel. Plug In Digital’s founder and CEO Francis Ingrand, with other panelists, points out how to spot a bad publishing deal.

L-R: Javier Untoria Zuniga, Celia Hodent, Jason Schklar, Jasmin Dahncke

Into the design

THQ Nordic’s game designer Javier Untoria Zuniga hosts a session on environment storytelling, while looking at the relation between the art department and the design department and how they should learn to work together. SO REAL DIGITAL TWINS’ senior 3D artist Gabriel Fidalgo dives into art production workflow.

Freelance game UX consultant Celia Hodent presents her expert research on the psychology of video games, while Mainframe Industries’ senior UX designer Jasmin Dahncke joins a fireside chat on the topic of games user research.

UX is Fine! founder Jason Schklar leads his own session on UX strategy as a force multiplier to data-driven game development, suggesting that, “There are many ways that UX spend can yield great ROI at every stage of the development cycle, but not enough attention is paid to how UX strategy provides a lens to sharpen and strengthen product strategy, creative vision, and especially data-driven game development.” Niantic’s AR strategy lead Ross Finman joins us for a fireside chat where he shares his augmented reality expertise.

L-R: Kyu Lee, Melissa Phillips, Marvin Liao, Martine Spaans

Show me the money!

Make your pitch deck stand out with Marvin Liao and Sean Seton-Rogers

GAMEVIL COM2US USA’s president Kyu Lee and Agnitio Capital’s managing director David Bluhm picture the portrait of the market after mergers and acquisitions with a panel of other expert speakers.

N3TWORK’s games executive and consultant Chris Heatherly, PROfounders Capital’s co-founder and partner Sean Seton-Rogers and adacado board member Marvin Liao look at ways you can make your pitch deck stand out.

Have we reached the end of innovation with hybrid monetisation? ICO Partners’ CEO Thomas Bidaux and Tamalaki’s CEO Martine Spaans discusses with a panel.

Dodreams’ head of products’ Minwoo Lee discusses what are some of the alternative ways to monetise your games with a panel of other speakers.

Independent game developer Dynasto Afedo features on a fireside chat which looks at the growth of Africa in 2020. Funorama’s head of business development David Pich joins a panel which discusses ads as a tool for retention, while Traplight’s chief growth officer Filippo De Rose discusses how we prepare for the end of the IDFA with a panel. We are also pleased to announce that Bedtime Digital Games’ CEO Klaus Pedersen joins the speaker roster for November.

L-R: Marcus Howard, Anya Stoyanova, Sam Cooke, David Lee

Esports and influencers

Anya Stoyanova covers the influencer marketing ecosystem in Europe while providing answers to both indie developers and big publishers about whether it is worth it to work with influencers there

Esports Insider’s managing director and co-founder Sam Cooke presents a mass overview of the esports ecosystem and the commercial opportunities surrounding this field of the games industry. Meanwhile, ibMedia Group’s CEO Frank Sliwka takes a deep dive into the esports market in Asia.

Gamma Law’s managing partner David B. Hoppe analyses the legal aspects of esports, while Mission Control GG’s CRO Daniel Herz talks gathering communities through recreational esports.

Is esports becoming all about brands and prizes? MetArena’s CEO Marcus Howard, Gamers. Vote’s COO Robb Chiarini and Estars Studios’ co-founder and general manager David Lee discuss how we can go about keeping esports about esports on this panel.

Cheesecake Digital’s CEO Philip Wride and CAPSL’s head of business development and partnerships Alwin Wong discuss with a panel how we can attract non-gamers to esports.

Happy Warrior’s founder and president Rebecca Longawa hosts a session which focuses on how to build your personal brand as a streamer. Imperia Online JSC’s senior marketing and business development manager Anya Stoyanova covers the influencer marketing ecosystem in Europe while providing answers to both indie developers and big publishers about whether it is worth it to work with influencers there.

Book now and save more than $190

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to learn from the biggest names in the games industry. Book now and save more than $190 with our Mid-Term prices!

We’re also allocating a limited amount of free passes solely for small indie developers, enabling them to meet with investors and publishers, and learn from the industry’s biggest names. If you think you qualify, sign up here.

Events Writer

Charlie is the Events Writer at PocketGamer.biz

You can catch him on Twitter @CharlieScowen_ talking about anything gaming, TV or football related whilst also sharing too many memes.