Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2025: Raises the bar for the Nordic Games Industry

• Over 1,350 delegates, 580+ companies, 172 speakers, and 22 content tracks filled Wanha Satama for two dynamic days of insight, connection, and deal-making.
• Many of the biggest names in the industry taking part.
• Three summits, including Big Screen Gaming Summit and new additions, the AI Gamechangers Summit, and Beyond Games: Transmedia Summit, are expanding the show’s scope.
• The Aurora: Celebrating Women in Games initiative took centre stage, championing diversity, mentorship, and leadership.

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Helsinki has always had a heartbeat that syncs with the rhythm of the games industry, but in 2025, that pulse felt louder and faster. Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2025 revisited Wanha Satama and revitalised the venue, transforming it into an electrifying hub for innovation, collaboration, and candid discussions about the future trajectory of the regional and global games business.

Over 1,350 delegates, 172 speakers, and 22 content tracks packed into two dynamic days, proving once again why PGC Helsinki stands at the centre of the Nordic games industry ecosystem. It wasn’t about size this year – it was about substance: sharper insights, braver debates, and deeper cross-industry collaboration.

Many of the biggest names in the industry took part in the event, including Supercell, Rovio, Fingersoft, Housemarque, Remedy, Epic Games, Netflix, Plarium, Metacore, Crazy Games, Boom Bit, Take 2, Small Giant, Nazara, Rollic, Sumo, Wooga, Kwalee, Social Point, TikTok, AppCharge, FastPlay, Xsolla, Neon, Stash, Metaplay and many more.

This year, even the rhythm hit differently – Neil Cooper, drummer of alternative rock band Therapy?, joined the event to share a unique perspective on the evolving relationship between music, technology, and play. His appearance underscored the events’ growing cross-disciplinary scope and creative energy.

With three new summits, Pocket Jam 8, the Aurora initiative spotlighting women in the Nordic games industry, and a laser focus on PC, Console, AI and transmedia, PGC Helsinki 2025 raised the bar on both content and community.

Chris James, CEO, Steel Media, was understandably bullish:

“This was our 12th outing in Helsinki, and as usual, the Finns didn’t let us down. In fact, I think this may have been one of our best editions yet!

“Not only were the expo floor, track rooms and indie zone busy throughout both days, and our additional events – the Transmedia Summit, AI GameChangers Summit, and Aurora Awards – all very well received, but there was also an underlying tone of genuine positivity.

“As I said in my introduction to the show, rumours of the Finnish games industry’s demise (from certain quarters) have been very much exaggerated. This is not to say that Finland and the wider Nordics are immune from the challenges facing the rest of the global business, in terms of increasing competition and cost, tightening of investment or unwelcome government intervention. However, they are nevertheless posting record numbers of companies (270), games industry employees (4,300) and an industry turnover of €2.8 billion in 2024.

“So I stand by my belief that the native talent, unique community engagement (supported by IGDAs and local hubs), and incredible companies and IPs in place ensure that Finland, together with the wider Nordic region, remains one of the best places in the world to make games.

“We’ll certainly be returning next year!”

Nordic collaborations in full force

From mobile veterans to transmedia visionaries, this year’s Pocket Gamer Connects was a portrait of a maturing industry facing its future head-on. Over 580 companies from 44 countries gathered under one roof – from agile indie teams to major publishers – and more than two-thirds hailed from the Nordics, reinforcing Helsinki’s growing reputation as the beating heart of northern Europe’s game development.

The numbers tell their own story:

• 65% focused on mobile, 64% on PC/Mac, 31% on console, 21% on XR, and 12% on instant/social games.

• Half the attendees were senior decision-makers, with 21% at C-level, and 60% hands-on developers shaping the next generation of games.

That cross-platform mindset set the tone, reflecting the multi-device reality shaping development today.

And the conversations didn’t stop at the coffee line – the MeetToMatch platform powered meaningful business connections across the event, with 1,450 scheduled meetings between studios, publishers, investors, and more looking to spark the next wave of collaborations.

Three new summits expand the scope

PGC Helsinki 2025 launched three integrated summits – Big Screen Gaming, AI Gamechangers, and Beyond Games: Transmedia – each tackling one of the industry’s fastest-evolving frontiers. The response was electric. Rooms hit capacity early, corridors overflowed, and sessions became standing-room-only as attendees packed in to hear from the voices shaping the next era of interactive entertainment.

Big Screen Gaming Summit

This summit looked beyond mobile to explore PC, console, XR, and next-gen web platforms, and it drew a crowd that proved how hungry the industry is for what’s next. Sessions like “Is the Triple-A Games Market on Fire?” and “Together We Can’t Fail (But Let’s See If We Can Prove That Wrong)” offered an unfiltered look at large-scale production.

Meanwhile, packed sessions like “State of Roblox in 2025” and creator-driven panels on Roblox and Fortnite UEFN underscored the explosive momentum of user-generated games – a space so hot it had attendees spilling into the aisles.

AI Gamechangers Summit

AI was a dominant theme, capturing both the agenda and the attention of the crowd across four dedicated tracks. Across four full tracks – AI Advances, Practical AI, Next-Gen UA, and Future Formats – crowds surged to hear developers, founders, and technologists dissect the reality behind AI. Sessions like “AI or Die? The Studio Survival Dilemma” and “Beyond the Algorithm – Will AI Redefine Player Experiences?” packed the house, mirroring the intensity of the conversation happening industry-wide.

Both the legal and ethical panels were highly popular, with attendees keen to explore the impact of AI on copyright, the evolving workforce, and creative ownership. The key message was undeniable: AI has moved beyond mere discussion to become a transformative force in how we work.

Beyond Games: Transmedia Summit

For the first time in Helsinki, in collaboration with The Helsinki Film Lab, the Beyond Games: Transmedia Summit brought together voices from film, television, comics, and games to explore how stories now move seamlessly across mediums. From game adaptations and cinematic universes to branded storytelling and applied game design, speakers showcased a creative landscape where boundaries are dissolving fast, proving that transmedia convergence isn’t on the way; it’s already arrived.

Highlights included Rovio’s Eeva Aaltonen on Angry Birds’ rise from mobile game to global phenomenon, Ann Austen on balancing creative integrity with brand strategy, and Miro Vesterinen of Remedy on the crossover between cinema and interactive worlds. Panels featuring Dreamloop Games, All Hats, and others examined adapting screen stories into games.

At the same time, sessions from Psyon Games, JWR Ventures, and composers Petri Alanko and Tuomas Kantelinen tackled everything from design loops to world-building through sound. Director Antti J. Jokinen and a cross-industry panel closed the summit by reaffirming a central truth: the future of storytelling lies in building worlds that transcend any single medium.

Fabulous Fringe

Our fringe events kept the buzz alive and the connections flowing. Investor Connector matched ambitious studios with investors hungry for the next breakout success. At the same time, Publisher SpeedMatch turned introductions into opportunities in record time, the kind of deal-making energy that defines Pocket Gamer Connects. 

Meanwhile, the Very Big Indie Pitch showcased an impressive display of creativity, as developers presented their best builds to a panel of experienced judges. We saw a very good variety of games with some close votes between the top five! Nevertheless, following an intense pitching session, the winners were announced:

Mobile:

• 1st place: Idle City Builder by Playnest

• 2nd place: Gaming Couch by Gaming Couch Ltd

• 3rd place: HORTENSIAS by Paperclip

PC and Console:

• 1st place: Muri: Wildwoods by Speldosa Interactive

• 2nd place: Tactichord: Glam Strategy by Ichigoichie

• 3rd place: Brainshell by Nothing Normal

MiTale’s Willow Guard was a crowd favourite, rising to the top to be crowned this year’s Big Indie Zone Audience Choice.

Aurora and Power-Up track put diversity at the heart of the event

One of the standout moments at PGC Helsinki 2025 was the Aurora: Celebrating Women in the Games Industry celebration, which was supported by Women in Games. This initiative recognises the women who are driving innovation and leadership throughout the Nordic games industry.

Fifteen professionals from the Nordics were honoured for their achievements in areas such as art, production, technology, and business, showcasing a diverse range of talent that is shaping the future of the industry.

In parallel, the Power-Up Track – an entirely women-curated programme – delivered an engaging series of talks focused on creative innovation, leadership, and resilience. Together, Aurora Award and Power-Up provided a concrete example of how intentional inclusion can be incorporated into event programming, rather than just acknowledged theoretically.

The takeaway was clear: Equity is not merely the right thing to do; it is fundamental to fostering a more robust and intelligent games industry.

The road ahead

The Pocket Gamer Connects momentum doesn’t stop in Helsinki. Next up is Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea 2025 (October 31st), offering a focused opportunity to engage with one of Asia’s most dynamic games markets.

From there, we turn our attention back to the MENA region for Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba in Jordan (November 7–8th), bringing together regional and international talent to explore the fast-growing opportunities across the Middle East.

And as the calendar flips to a new year, the global games industry will reunite at our flagship event, Pocket Gamer Connects London 2026 (January 19–20th), setting the tone for another year of innovation, collaboration, and growth.