Tag Archives: development

Train2Game News Game Music Festival 2022

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The details of the 2022 edition of the Game Music Festival have been unveiled. This time, the fully fledged festival dedicated to video game soundtracks will take place at the famous Royal Festival Hall in London.

On the 5th and 6th of March 2022, the venue will play host to original arrangements of fan-favourite video game soundtracks, as well as various accompanying events. An educational programme will take place on the first day, while the second day will be dedicated to live concerts. The three previous editions of the Game Music Festival have been praised by fans worldwide, attracting an audience of over 12,000 on-site guests in total.

The whole initiative is organised by the Game Music Foundation, and tickets are now available for purchase at gmfest.com.


The Jazz of Cuphead is the first concert at GMF 2022. The exuberant jazz score of Cuphead, an unmistakably stylish platformer, will be interpreted on stage by a seasoned big band. Full of early styles of jazz mixed with ragtime music, the original soundtrack of Cuphead swiftly transports the listener to a world inspired by Duke Ellington and Count Basie, but always with a twist. All of this has led to Cuphead winning the well-deserved BAFTA Games Award for Best Music.

Cuphead’s composer, Kristofer Maddigan, will join the audience to see his score brought to life by the Bartosz Pernal Orchestra – an ensemble of experienced musicians led by a charismatic trombone player.


Lauded by critics and millions of fans worldwide upon release , Ori and the Will of the Wisps was soon hailed as a masterpiece, with special merit given to its unforgettable score by Gareth Coker, a multi-BAFTA-nominated composer and winner of the 2021 Ivor Novello Award for Best Original Video Game Score.

Together with Ori and the Blind Forest, both of these universally acclaimed soundtracks comprise the musical programme of The Symphony of the Spirits, the second concert of Game Music Festival 2022.

These arrangements have been created by maestro Robert Kurdybacha, who is no stranger to the music of video games – he has arranged several fan-favourite symphonies for previous editions of the festival. Gareth Coker will also attend this very special occasion at the Royal Festival Hall. The performance by the Philharmonia Orchestra and Hertfordshire Chorus will take the audience on a journey through Ori’s world as never before.


Game Music Festival will not only present these concerts, but also multiple educational events.

On Saturday the 5th of March, the GMF 2022 educational programme will host masterclass workshops and other sessions, where participants will be able to see behind the scenes of how audio is created for games, improve their skills and learn many tips and tricks in the field. Details of the educational programme will be unveiled later on. These sessions will be a unique opportunity to have a closer look into the world of music and sound in contemporary video games.

This will be a great event for anyone who plans to build a career composing or designing sound in games.


As the organisers say: “This time the festival will be held in London, but apart from changing the venue, our approach remains consistent: we aspire to maintain high artistic quality which has become the hallmark of GMF. As in previous editions, we extract the musical essence of selected games to present them in a way that will satisfy not only the fan community but also music lovers in general. Besides the two big concerts, we also invite you to the educational programme which will once again be a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience for audio professionals. We hope that both our regular audience as well as newcomers will be pleased with the end result at London’s Southbank Centre.”

For the latest updates, be sure to follow the event’s Facebook page.


Tickets:

Ticket prices start from 25 GBP per concert and rise according to seat location. Strictly limited VIP vouchers are also available – they include the best seats, as well as meetings with all composers that will appear at the festival (in person or online). All tickets are being sold via gmfest.com.

Train2Game News Scarlet Moon Christmas Vol VI

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Scarlet Moon Records is pleased to present the latest installment of their Christmas series featuring some of the biggest names in videogame music remixing Christmas standards and game music classics in Christmas style.

This year’s volume features Scarlet Moon composers Peter Jones (as XenoKeyz), Goomin “Nauts” Nam (DJMAX, Ragnarok Online), Osamu Kubota (arranger on Kingdom Hearts, Ragnarok Online), Norihiko Hibino (Metal Gear Solid, Bayonetta, as GENTLE LOVE), and Hiroki Kikuta (Secret of Mana, Indivisible) alongside several guests ranging from renowned composer Mitsuto Suzuki (as mojera), indie rocker Rogov, and progressive rock legend Vince DiCola (The Transformers: The Movie (1980), ROCKY IV).

Scarlet Moon Christmas Vol. VI is available today on all digital storefronts:

Scarlet Moon Christmas Vol. VI on Bandcamp

Scarlet Moon Christmas Vol. VI on Spotify

Scarlet Moon Christmas Vol. VI on Apple Music
 

Scarlet Moon’s entire Bandcamp catalog, including the entire Christmas series, can be purchased at 20% off today through Cyber Monday using the BFCM2021 coupon code.

The album’s full track list is as follows:

  1. CosmicGem and XenoKeyz – The Little Saint Nick
  2. Jamphibious – Dreaming (White Christmas Fusion Arrange)
  3. Goomin Nam – Prontera Carol. Ver (“Theme of Prontera” from Ragnarok Online)
  4. Le Cantïque (O Holy Night) – Osamu Kubota
  5. GENTLE LOVE – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
  6. bLiNd – Frappe Latte Christmas LoFi ReMix (“Frappe Snowland” from Mario Kart 64)
  7. mojera – Blackbird
  8. Rogov – Timeboy
  9. Hiroki Kikuta – O Come Ye All Faithful (SNES Version)
  10. Mustin – Hearth Afire (“Heart of Fire” from Castlevania)
  11. Vince DiCola – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

  “It feels weird wrapping up our Christmas albums in October, but it really gets us into the mood very early,” comments Scarlet Moon’s Jayson Napolitano.

“We were thrilled to get so many of our artists onboard this year alongside a couple members from our Discord server, the return of our dear friends Mitsuto Suzuki and his duo, mojera, and former Scarlet Moon artist Vince DiCola, and grizzled indie rocker Rogov who makes his debut in the game music space. We hope everyone checks out this year’s offerings along with past volumes.”
 

The Scarlet Moon Christmas series has featured Scarlet Moon Artists talent and guests ranging from SuperSweep (Tetris 99, Pokémon Quest), and Robyn Miller (Myst) to Mega Ran, Dale North (Dreamscaper, Nintendo Minute), and more over past volumes.

The entire series can be enjoyed from a single website: http://scarletmoon.com/christmas/

Train2Game News Iconic Creatures Returns To Steam

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Gameware Europe and Critter Consortium are proud to announce the upcoming release of the iconic “Creatures” series on Steam.

Seeking to model life itself via digital DNA, Creatures is a game all about raising and teaching virtual “Norns” – a friendly species, that with the player’s help can learn, communicate, breed, and (hopefully!) survive in a world full of danger.

The series has been recognized in a number of awards, such as two EMMA wins for Creatures and Creatures Adventures, as well as a BAFTA nomination for Creatures Playground.

With 6 major releases on PC between 1996 and 2001, the series has delighted fans with its unrivalled technology in the field of artificial life by modelling real, scientific principles – “Call it a game if you like, but this is the most impressive example of artificial life I have seen” Richard Dawkins ( Oxford University Zoologist and author)

“I first saw this program in the same week that evidence was discovered of life on Mars. This is more exciting” Douglas Adams ( Author of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)

Creatures Docking Station and Creatures 3 are set to release on December 6th, while the other games will be released later that month as Creatures: The Albian Years (a compilation of Creatures & Creatures 2 with their respective expansions) and Creatures Village (including both Creatures Adventures and Creatures Playground).

Train2Game News Dragon Ball The Breakers

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Leading video game publisher and developer BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. have announced DRAGON BALL: THE BREAKERS which is scheduled to release in the Americas for PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5 (Compatible), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S (Compatible), Nintendo Switch, and PCs via STEAM® in 2022.

DRAGON BALL: THE BREAKERS is an eight-person online multiplayer game that combines both cooperative and competitive dynamics to create a revolutionary asymmetrical online survival action experience set in the DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE universe. A Closed Beta Test will be organized on PC, enabling players to get their hands on the game. More details regarding Closed Beta Test registration will be shared soon. 
 
DRAGON BALL: THE BREAKERS consists of 7v1 matches where seven normal “Survivors” have been sucked into a mysterious phenomenon called the “Temporal Seam” and must contend with the overwhelming power of the eighth player, the franchise iconic rival “Raider,” whose task is to obliterate the Survivor team.

The Survivors don’t have any superpowers and must rely on various power-up items, weapons, and pilotable vehicles to battle and evade the Raider while searching for the Super Time Machine to escape oblivion. Concurrently, the Raider will be able to play as Cell, Buu, or Frieza and amass overwhelming power to destroy the Survivor team throughout the match, ensuring complete dominance. 
 
DRAGON BALL: THE BREAKERS also features a Survivor character customization mode which enables players to design their match avatars by using familiar DRAGON BALL Survivor skins and decorative equipment earned with in-game credits or via optional in-game purchases.

Additionally, DRAGON BALL: THE BREAKERS will link save data with DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2. Stay tuned for more updates in the future. 
 
“The DRAGON BALL series has been a global fan favorite for over 37 years and DRAGON BALL: THE BREAKERS takes the classic over-the-top action formula and offers an innovative twist with its online survival gameplay,” said Lin Leng, Senior Director of Brand Marketing at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.

“Both new players and long-time fans can expect an extremely fun and engaging experience; whether playing as a Raider hunting down fellow gamers or as a Survivor, playing cooperatively to team-up against an iconic rival.”  
 
Steeped in a wealth of DRAGON BALL lore and featuring innovative survival action gameplay, DRAGON BALL: THE BREAKERS will be available in the Americas for purchase digitally and at brick & mortar retailers for PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5 (Compatible), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S (Compatible), Nintendo Switch, and PCs via STEAM® in 2022.

For information on this and other products from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., please visit www.bandainamcoent.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS, or join the conversation on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoUS

To view the trailer please go to https://youtu.be/7K6xPGMQdwo

Train2Game News Stream For Mind

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Stream for Mind is a timed streaming challenge to fundraise for mental health charity Mind.

Supporters can take on one of the following timed challenges or choose their own.
 

  • Stream 5 hours: for the 1 in 5 children with a mental health problem who wait for over 6 months to see a mental health specialist.
  • Stream 15 hours: for the 1 in 15 people who attempt to take their own life each year.
  • Stream 23 hours: for the 23% of us who experience a mental health problem.

Everyone who takes part in Stream for Mind can pick the length of streaming challenge that’s right for them, or take part in a different kind of challenge with their stream.

Hashtag: #StreamForMind

When is it and how can I sign up?

Sign-up for free at:

Streamers can choose when they do their challenge and they don’t need to complete it in one go. For example, it could be split over a week or month, and fundraising could take place during every stream until the hour’s target is reached.

Why is it important?

Mental health problems affect one in four of us every year. Many of us will be feeling the lasting impact of the pandemic on our mental health and wellbeing, especially those of us with existing mental health problems. A recent survey by Mind of people’s mental health during the pandemic, found that more than half of adults and over two thirds of young people said that their mental health had got worse. Now, more than ever, we need to ensure we are there for everyone who needs us.

The money raised by Stream for Mind supporters will enable Mind to continue to provide services like the Infoline, legal line, and online peer support community, Side by Side. Since the start of the pandemic, the gaming and streaming community has helped to raise over £700,000, so far, for Mind.

How does gaming and streaming help our mental health?

Playing games can have a positive impact on our mental health by giving us time to relax, connect with others or try out new skills. Mind’s survey found that one in three (33%) young people and more than one in 10 (14%) adults with mental health problems coped with the pressures of the pandemic via gaming.

The top benefits of streaming and gaming on our mental health include:​

  1. Time and space to relax: For some of us, gaming can be positive for wellbeing. Online gaming can also help us form social connections.  We might also use gaming as time for relaxation.
  2. Encouraging us to learn and test new skills like team-working or problem-solving​. Learning is one of the 5 Ways to Wellbeing and has been shown to enhance self-esteem, encourage social interaction and a more active life.
  3. Connecting us to others: ​building a positive gaming community with others can help us socialise and connect. For some of us, it can help us talk more honestly about how we are feeling and when we are having a difficult time. It can also provide peer support, open up conversations, and create a supportive community. 
  4. Giving space to express yourself: There are many ways we can express ourselves creatively online through streaming and gaming. Some of us find that communicating online is a useful way to test how we’re feeling before sharing with others. Gaming and streaming can also allow us to express our imagination.  

Ian O’Reilly, Head of Community & Events Fundraising at Mind, says:

“Through Stream for Mind, we want to call upon supporters to channel the power of streaming to fundraise and stand with us in the fight for mental health. So many of us aren’t getting the support we need and are left feeling totally alone. Whatever you choose to do for your Stream for Mind, the money you raise will make a real difference to those of us with mental health problems. It will support our Infoline, giving someone a voice to talk to when things are too much, keep our online community Side by Side open for anyone feeling isolated, and help us to keep pushing people in power to protect our rights and support our needs.

“Stream for Mind also provides a chance to explore how gaming and streaming might be able to help your own mental health and wellbeing. This activity can help us to relax, socialise and find peer support, as well as offering a way to keep our mind stimulated, occupied and challenged.”

Train2Game News British Esports Collaborating Woth Bett 2022

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British Esports is proud to announce its collaboration with Bett 2022, which will bring esports into the world’s biggest EdTech show.

Bett is the global community for education technology, and Bett is the biggest annual Edtech event across the globe. 

The upcoming show will be taking place in London from the 19th – 21st January 2022 at the ExCeL Centre. 

The event will have a dedicated esports feature, where British Esports is working in association with Bett to curate Esports @ Bett’ – which is the first dedicated feature of its kind at any Edtech show across the globe. 

Alongside this, they will be involved in panels to show the positive impact esports can have on young people. Daily Rocket League matches will also take place between British Esports Student Champs participants throughout the event. 

This strategic partnership will allow for further esports integration into the education sector, and give educators the chance to explore possibilities for their students. On top of this, the feature will also highlight the importance of digital skills, and how esports is the starting point. 

The esports feature will be in a prime position on the show floor – of which visitors can get hands-on with some gaming setups, and speak to industry professionals. 

In the run up to to the event, British Esports will also create regular online content for the Bett Esports Hub. This content will be education-focused, and further develop the importance of esports for global educators. 

Elliot Bond, British Esports’ Head of Broadcast and Events, said: “We are proud to be representing the esports industry in the incredible Bett show this year. It’s a huge opportunity for those interested in gaming to learn how education and esports can be brought together to inspire and motivate young people.”

Registrations are now open for the event for Bett 2022, and further information on this can be found on their website. 

Train2Game News Knights Of The Old Republic Comes To Switch

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Aspyr and Lucasfilm Games have announced that the original, critically acclaimed, award-winning RPG legend Star Wars™: Knights of the Old Republic™ is available today on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop for $14.99|£11.29|12,49€.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer who has yet to discover this genre-defining adventure, you can experience one of the greatest Star Wars™ RPG classics ever made at home and on the go in HD fidelity with upgraded resolution, textures, UI and cinematics.

Four thousand years before the Galactic Empire, countless Jedi Knights have fallen in battle against the ruthless Sith, and now you are the last hope of the Jedi Order. Can you master the awesome power of the Force and save the Republic? Or will you fall to the lure of the dark side? Hero or villain, savior or conqueror… you alone will determine the fate of the entire galaxy!
 

Key Features:

  • Journey through the original Star Wars RPG classic, set in an era long before the rise of the Empire and filled with unique characters, creatures, vehicles and planets.
  • Choose your own path with customizable characters and meaningful decisions that will impact your squad, your story and your destiny.
  • Wield your own lightsaber and harness the power of the Force with over 40 different abilities.
  • Adventure through eight enormous and iconic Star Wars worlds, including Tatooine and Kashyyyk, in your own daring starship, the Ebon Hawk.
  • Choose your party from and build everlasting bonds with nine unique crewmates, including Twi’leks, droids and Wookiees.
  • Experience the legend in incredible HD detail with upgraded resolution, textures, UI and cinematics.

Star Wars™: Knights of the Old Republic™ is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB.

Enjoy The Launch Trailer: https://youtu.be/6K63VBysgU0
 

Train2Game News Jurassic World Evolution 2 Launches

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Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) invites players to discover a world evolved with the much-anticipated dinosaur park management simulation, Jurassic World Evolution 2, out today on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One for a suggested retail price of £49.99/$59.99/€59.99.

Players looking to expand their experience can discover even more with the digitally exclusive Jurassic World Evolution 2: Deluxe Edition. In addition to the base game, players will receive three exclusive vehicle skins inspired by the Dinosaur Protection Group, six guest building amenity signs, and five additional awe-inspiring prehistoric species to add to their Challenge and Sandbox mode parks, including the aerobatic Geosternbergia, water based Attenborosaurus and land-dwelling Megalosaurus, all for a suggested retail price of £59.99/$69.99/€69.99.

Ahead of next summer’s highly-anticipated new chapter in one of the biggest franchises in the history of cinema, Jurassic World: Dominion, from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, players can immerse themselves in a thrilling Jurassic World experience as they find themselves outside the confines of the Muertes Islands for the very first time. They will discover dinosaurs brought to life with stunning realism across a host of distinctive environments, ranging from dense forests and rocky deserts to sun-drenched tropics, each offering its own unique set of conditions, terrain and environmental calamities to contend with.

With a captivating narrative, Campaign mode puts players at the heart of the action following the earth-shattering events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom as they join returning characters such as Claire Dearing (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard) and Dr. Ian Malcolm (voiced by Jeff Goldblum). In this cinematic, original story, budding prehistoric park managers will learn the skills needed to be park- management masters. They’ll join forces with Cabot Finch to help lead the efforts of the DFW (Department of Fish and Wildlife) across the continental U.S., working to establish new facilities across a range of locations in order to control, contain and conserve wild dinosaurs.

Players can change the course of events and experience the Jurassic World universe like never before, in the all-new Chaos Theory mode. Revisiting pivotal moments from all five films in the Jurassic World franchise, players can put themselves in the shoes of those that came before them and make their mark in a range of ‘what if’ scenarios. Whether realising John Hammond’s dream of an operational Jurassic Park, showcasing a T. rex in the San Diego Amphitheatre or building and running their own Jurassic World with the support of iconic characters such as Dr. Henry Wu (voiced by BD Wong), franchise fans can rediscover and alter the events from their favourite films whilst managing a brand new array of challenges with unpredictable outcomes.

Dinosaur park perfectionists will find everything they need to unleash their creativity in Sandbox mode. With a wealth of tools at their fingertips including expanded construction and customisation options, players are free to create their ultimate Jurassic Park or Jurassic World in this open-ended gameplay experience. For those looking to test their park management skills, Challenge mode offers the perfect outlet with a range of missions of varying difficulty to test even the most seasoned of park managers.

With deeper management, such as the all-new guest demographics, players will need to balance guest interests and needs to maximise profits and boost park appeal. Meanwhile, a roster of key staff, including Scientists and Veterinary teams, ensure parks and their inhabitants are kept in tip-top shape. With more than 75 breathtaking prehistoric species to discover, including highly requested flying and marine reptiles and returning community-favourite dinosaurs, Jurassic World Evolution 2 offers fans everything they need to create authentic and compelling Jurassic World experiences.

You can enjoy the trailer below:

Train2Game News Golden Joystick Awards Now Open

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The Golden Joystick Awards is celebrating 50 years of video games by inviting the public to pick their favourite game and gaming hardware of all time.

The prestigious awards brand is now in its 39th year and is the world’s largest public-voted gaming awards event attracting millions of votes every year.

Voting opened yesterday at goldenjoysticks.com and closes at 3pm PST / 6pm EST / 11pm GMT on Friday, November 12.

Daniel Dawkins, Content Director, Games at event owner Future said: “We are delighted to celebrate 50 Years of Games in a landmark moment for the gaming industry. In November 1971, Computer Space* became the world’s first commercially playable arcade machine, birthing a $150bn industry from a 10-cent coin. We’re celebrating this milestone by inviting the public to vote for their Ultimate Game of All Time and Best Gaming Hardware of All Time. The results will be revealed in a truly special Golden Joystick Awards ceremony broadcast on Tuesday, November 23.

We assembled a diverse panel of industry luminaries to create a 20 game shortlist, considering factors such as critical reception, social impact, commercial success, legacy and influence, plus a measure of personal preference. We hope our shortlist represents the diversity and achievement of our 50-year-old industry, which – by definition – has been forced to exclude some truly exceptional games. You can find out more about the judging process on gamesradar.com and we can’t wait to find out which games and hardware the public will vote as their winners.”

Shortlisted games and hardware:

Ultimate Game of All Time Best Gaming Hardware of All Time
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Amiga 500
Dark Souls Atari 2600
Doom (1993) Commodore 64
Grand Theft Auto V Dreamcast
Half-Life 2 Game Boy
Halo: Combat Evolved Game Boy Advance
Metal Gear Solid GameCube
Minecraft Nintendo 64
Pac-Man Nintendo DS
Pokemon Go Nintendo Entertainment System
Portal PC
SimCity (1989) PlayStation
Street Fighter II PlayStation 2
Space Invaders PlayStation 4
Super Mario 64 Sega Mega Drive
Super Mario Bros. 3 Sega Saturn
Super Mario Kart Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Last of Us Wii
Tetris Xbox 360
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ZX Spectrum

The Golden Joystick Awards are presented by GamesRadar+. The winners will be revealed on Tuesday, November 23 via an online broadcast. In addition to the two special ’50 Years of Games’ awards the event will also feature 20 more awards for the best games of 2021 including ‘Ultimate Game of the Year’, ‘Studio of the Year’ and more.

For more information visit Golden Joystick Awards 2021 or follow us on Twitter and Facebook #GoldenJoystickAwards #50YearsOfGames.

Train2Game News Free Women In Games Virtual Event

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The Women in Games Careers & Networking Expo will provide a unique opportunity for anyone to gain valuable insights into the many career options and pathways available in games and esports – and, importantly, put you in touch with studios and organisations who are currently hiring.

This full day of talks and networking is unmissable – whether you are planning your first steps in games and esports, or looking to take your career further forward.
 
A truly global event, the Women in Games Careers & Networking Expo will run from 8am to 10pm GMT to allow delegates from all over the world to attend virtually. A series of talks throughout the day will throw the spotlight on influential and inspirational women. They include:-
 
Alice Middleton, Programmer, The Multiplayer Guys
Donna Morrison, People & Culture Manager, Gram Games
Elizabeth Loverso, VP Product Development, Red Storm Entertainment
Eve Crevoshay, Executive Director, Take This
Heather Bales, Game Product Owner, Big Fish Games
Helen Fitzhugh, UEA Researcher into HR Practices, University of East Anglia
Hollie Bennett, Head of Influencers & Development, Frontier Developments
Jade Cavanagh, Events & Social Manager, London Esports
Kate Edwards, CEO, Geogrify
Steph Marcus, Lead UX/UI Designer, Sprung Studio
Sandra Castro, Journalist, Tan Grande Y Jugando
Sofia da Silva, Environment Artist, Gunzilla Games
 
The day has been designed to allow time for visiting our virtual booths in the Expo area, where the likes of Riot Games, Unity, Virtuos Games, Dovetail Games, Sports Interactive, StarStable, Cloud Imperium, AWS, G into Gaming, GINX TV, Grads In Games and more will be discussing opportunities within their organisations.
 
You can also meet up with friends and peers, old and new, using Hopin’s Networking feature. You can choose between chat roulette or speed meeting; you can meet for the first time and get in touch again using the video chat in a virtual one to one. Or look for your existing connections at the event and arrange to meet for longer catch-ups.
 
Don’t miss this must-attend event. Register for your free ticket today.