Pocket Gamer Connects London: The Live Ops Landscape and Game Dev Stories tracks | Pocket Gamer.biz
With the 10th anniversary special edition of Pocket Gamer Connects London just a couple of weeks away, we thought it was time to explore the 29-track conference schedule. This January 22nd and 23rd, more than 200 world-class expert speakers will bring you the hottest trends and latest innovations in the global games industry.
You’ll have access to two days of cutting-edge talks, seminars and panel discussions with some of the world’s leading authorities covering everything from monetisation and growth strategies, to web3, blockchain and the metaverse.
Don’t miss out on this unparalleled opportunity to meet and learn from some of the most exciting companies, brands and individuals in the games industry – tickets are available now.
Between now and when the venue doors open, we’ll share what each track is about, as well as the talented individuals that will lead the sessions.
The Live Ops Landscape track
Monday, January 22nd
The world of live ops is rapidly evolving, and games companies must adapt their approach to keep up. This track highlights the need for improving and updating to maintain ongoing engagement with online communities, and shares helpful ways to keep players coming back for more, ensuring that games continue to thrive in the long term.
09:30 Lessons From 20 Years of EVE Online
- Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO at CCP Games
09:50 Rovio’s AI Transformation for Improving Player Experience
- Samantha Pang, VP Customer Success & Growth, Player Engagement Solutions at Keywords Studios
- Pascal Debroek, Player Support Lead at Rovio
In this Fireside Chat, Samantha Pang, V.P. Customer Success & Growth at Helpshift will talk with Pascal Debroek, Player Support Lead at Rovio Entertainment Group about Rovio’s recent journey transforming their entire support setup, to leverage AI and automation to improve their player experience.
10:10 Crafting a Match-3 Campaign Balancing Suite
- Geoffrey Gilles, Product Owner / Game Lead at Space Ape Games
Explore the intricate world of Match-3 games, where live operations transcend mere event configuration – they require daily, meticulous campaign balancing. Join me as we journey through Chrome Valley Customs’ evolution from ground zero to a sophisticated Match-3 campaign balancing suite.
Prepare to immerse yourself in the nuanced strategies and tools that continuously elevate the game’s appeal and keep players engaged every single day.
10:30 Live Ops and Support Strategies to Shape the Future of Your Games
- Peter Gerson, Head of Global Player Engagement Solutions at Keywords Studios
- Stijn Tops, Head of Live Operations & Monetization at Supercell
- Vladyslav Oboronko, Player Support Lead at SYBO
- Sebastian Brant, Director of Player Services at Huuuge Games
Hosted by Keywords Studios, join this distinguished panel featuring leaders from gaming powerhouses Supercell, SYBO, and Huuuge Games to learn how their support environments and tools are surfacing rich data and insights that shape new directions in their live ops and product roadmaps.
Get a peek into the unique setups of each team and discover how they effectively channel qualitative and quantitative player data from support teams to game teams. Each panelist will share their experience of live ops and support strategies tailored to the unique characteristics of the games they manage.
They’ll also touch on the latest advancements in AI-driven support and automation, player retention tactics, and VIP engagement—key elements for propelling top-notch experiences and revenue growth in 2024 and beyond.
The Game Dev Stories track
Tuesday, January 23rd
Get inspired by the firsthand experiences of games developers as they share their latest projects, groundbreaking innovations, and invaluable lessons learned throughout their journey.
Gain exclusive insights into their creative process, discover the innovative solutions they’ve implemented, and uncover the wisdom they’ve gained along the way.
Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from the best in the industry and fuel your own path to success in game development.
14:10 Producing Garbage – Avoiding the Pitfalls of Game Development
- Marie-Anne Hachey, Chief Operating Officer at Threaks
In this meme-filled rant about bad management and terrible product planning, I’ll be pointing out a couple of giant red flags in game development. These are by no means the only bad things that can lead to the production of garbage, but if you see signs of them in your current team or a future company, you’ll know what to do: RUN! Or, you know, stay and help make things better. Whatever works!
14:30 Jamming for Careers
- Charly Harbord, Director of Operations at Global Game Jam
14:50 Retro Mobile Games: Preserving a History That is Quickly Disappearing
- Ryan Filsinger, CEO at Iron Fox Games
- Chris Gallant, COO at Iron Fox Games
We’re now entering an era where a significant portion of mobile gaming history is being lost. You cannot go into your closet, grab an old iPhone 4, dust it off and play the classics. Gaming history is being lost and a lot of amazing games were made prior to push to games as a service are going the way of the dodo.
Iron Fox’s careers were born at the advent of the App Stores, and now we’re spending our resources and time to try and preserve our history. This talk will be one part history lesson, one part call to action and one part bringing these classics to a new audience.
15:10 It’s Dangerous to go Alone! – How to Dare to Take Creative Risks?
- Maria Sayans, CEO at ustwo games
- Alexander Bergendahl, CEO & Co-Founder at LootLocker
- Phil Elliott, CEO at Modern Wolf
- Vincent Scheurer, Founder & Operations Director at Payload Studios
In the ever-shifting landscape of game creation, uncertainty reigns supreme. How do we forge a path that marries innovation with legacy? The answer lies in calculated risk-taking. Join us as we unravel the paradox: How can we leap into uncharted territories while tethered to our roots? As stewards of creativity, let’s cultivate a culture where boldness is curated, where daring choices propel us toward enduring.
Fringe events, parties and networking
As well as two full days of unmissable conference content, whether you’re a publisher, developer, investor or indie we’ve sessions, networking and fringe events designed to give you a conference experience you won’t forget. Plus access to our Kick Off and Global Connects parties, where the real networking really happens.
And in addition to all those amazing live opportunities, every one of our 2,500+ attendees gets full access to the event’s online meeting scheduler, MeetToMatch. As well as connecting you with decision makers from more than 900 companies, you can organise your appointments at the event itself.
