Yesterday, the Entertainment Software Association announced that the 2023 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has been cancelled.
The event was due to take place this June 13 to 16 in Los Angeles as the first in-person E3 event since 2019 but yesterday the US’s Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and E3’s events company Reedpop announced it's outright cancellation in a public statement from Kyle Marsden-Kish, the Global VP of Gaming at ReedPop:
“This was a difficult decision because of all the effort we and our partners put toward making this event happen, but we had to do what’s right for the industry and what’s right for E3.. For those who did commit to E3 2023, we’re sorry we can’t put on the showcase you deserve and that you’ve come to expect from ReedPop’s event experiences.”
The Shows Must Go On!
While the demise of this year's E3 came as much of a shock to us as everyone else in the industry (and we'll miss our pilgrimage to LA), we don't feel the need to spend too much time mourning it's passing.
The games industry is a relentless, fast-paced and exciting space and, as the saying goes, the 'Show Must Go On'. Fortunately PG Connects have a host of alternative events that will be going on in order to help you connect with the best developers, publishers, investors and service companies in the US and beyond this summer!
In May we have PGC Seattle, bringing together all the big names and upcoming businesses from the west coast of US (with a focus on emerging tech like AI). In June we're breaking new territory in the fast growing MENA market as we power the Dubai GameExpo Summit. And in July just before the holiday break we're returning to Toronto to connect the best of Canada and East-Coast games scene.
There's more details on each event below, but all are open right now so you can get involved as delegate or become a speaker or a sponsor. But don't hang around, get in touch now and let's go on with the show!
The PG Connects Effect
Well over 30,000 industry professionals have attended the Connects international conference series since 2014. Since then, the roadshow has landed in the UK, Canada, USA, Finland, Hong Kong, Jordan and India always offering an international client base; on average, delegates from more than 45 countries attend each event.
Previous speakers and delegates from all the key industry players include Supercell, King, Space Ape Games, Niantic, SYBO, Tencent, Mythical Games, Unity, Jam City, Apple, Rovio, Disney, Facebook, Google and many, many, many more.
Keep on reading to find out more about the events we’re putting on this summer, including two North American Pocket Gamer Connects conferences and a first-of-its-kind Game Expo Summit in Dubai running alongside Dubai’s larger GameExpo event. All the details on how you can join us are below!
Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle: May 16-17, 2023
The leading global games industry conference, Pocket Gamer Connects, returns to Seattle this May. Some 1,000 attendees from the games industry will gather to network, discover, pitch and learn from 150 of the world’s leading authorities. A primary focus for this pioneering conference is artificial intelligence. Alongside all our usual great content, PGC Seattle will explore the practical applications and potential future impacts of generative AI and related technologies across the game industry.
As well as mobile and AI, the event will cover PC and console, web3, AR and more, across multiple track rooms. Our speakers and panellists will share their expert insight into design and development, monetisation and growth, life as an indie, new technologies, company culture and loads more.
As all Pocket Gamer Connects conferences do, PG Connects Seattle facilitates making essential business connections that can help you take your business to the next level. Our matchmaking activities help put you in touch with your perfect business partners. Publisher SpeedMatch and Investor Connector sessions pair developers in rapid succession with a series of publishers and investors in a series of speed-dating style meetings. It’s a perfect way to make first contact and follow up with a longer meeting if you find a potential partner.
If you’re a developer looking for opportunities to share your work and gain feedback from experts, you can also join our Very Big Indie Pitch (Mobile and Console/PC) sessions as well. You'll get instant feedback on your game from experts, and compete for prizes and editorial coverage. Indie developers are the lifeblood of the games industry, and we’re very proud to champion outstanding indie developer work to our international audience.
Ready to book your ticket? We currently have a limited time Super Early Bird offer available that can save you up to $390 on your ticket to PG Connects Seattle if you book now. Head over to our site and secure your ticket before prices rise this April 13th.
Dubai Game Expo Summit, powered by PG Connects: June 21-22, 2023
This June, the Pocket Gamer Connects team are partnering with the Dubai Economy & Tourism Department (DET) to bring the global games industry an unmissable conference experience in the glorious city of Dubai, part of the fastest growing region of the international games industry.
The GameExpo Summit powered by PG Connects will take place over two days alongside the larger GameExpo event at the incredible hub of sustainability and innovation, Expo City Dubai. The summit itself will feature more than 100 renowned games industry speakers from all over the globe delivering insightful talks, panels and seminars across a number of themed tracks. You can expect discussions on pressing topics facing the games industry such as new technologies from the metaverse, AI and Web3 to the latest techniques and trends in development and monetisation, as well as the unprecedented growth of the MENA market.
On top of a multitude of expert-led talks and insightful panel sessions, you will also have the opportunity for discussions with experts at the cutting edge of their respective fields on all of these topics through round-table discussions, a lively expo area to explore multiple fringe events.
The GameExpo Summit will offer the very same high-quality networking opportunities you’ve come to expect from Pocket Gamer Connects events. This Summit presents an unparalleled opportunity for you to expand your network and meet professionals from all around the globe and all areas of the games industry ecosystem, from indie developers and international publishers through key toolmakers, monetisation specialists as well as investors, media and more.
Want to join us in Dubai this summer? Join us in this marvellous destination for a spectacular conference experience full of insights-sharing and endless networking opportunities. Tickets will be on sale soon, but you can express your interest right now as a delegate, speaker or sponsor via completing this short form on our website and lock-in the Super Early Bird ticket price!
Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto: July 19-20, 2023
PG Connects is coming back to Toronto this 2023! After an immensely successful first-ever show in the city last year, we’re returning to this vibrant, dynamic city where we will connect, inform and entertain the local and international games industry community. 750 attendees from the games industry will gather in Toronto in July to network, discover, pitch and learn from 120 of the world’s leading authorities.
You will join a true cross-section of the games industry, from fresh-faced indie designers to experienced CEOs and investors. The conference will take in everything: android and iOS, hot AI trends, PC and console, web3, VR/AR and more will be covered, across multiple track rooms. Our speakers and panellists will share their expert insight into design and development, monetization and growth, new technologies, company culture and loads more.
Make the most of your conference experience by participating in our industry-leading matchmaking events such as Publisher SpeedMatch and Investor Connector. These sessions pair developers in rapid succession with a series of publishers and investors in a series of speed-dating style meetings. It’s a perfect way to make first contact and follow up with a longer meeting if you find a potential partner.
If you’re an indie developer or a small developer team with a project ready to share, you can also join our Very Big Indie Pitch sessions as well. You'll get instant feedback on your game from experts, and compete for prizes and editorial coverage. Indie developers are the lifeblood of the games industry, and we’re very proud to champion outstanding indie developer work to our international audience.
Ready to book your ticket? We currently have a limited time Super Early Bird offer available for our Toronto show as well! Save up to a whopping CA$520 when you use this special offer – book directly on our official conference website today and enjoy peace of mind that you secured the best price possible for the show.
