Gameplanner: Planning Game Events, Festivals and Conferences for Indie Creators

Key insights

7 takeaways

01
The authors' top-ten chart is based on 23 in-person interviews and 33 online surveys conducted between June and August 2019.See it on page 4
02
For commercial game creators, the document says GDC is the top pick for networking with peers, with PAX ranked second.See it on page 3
03
The document recommends setting a recurring calendar reminder twice a year to plan game events, because festivals often announce dates close to the event.See it on page 5
04
Now Play This director Holly Gramazio says most of the work they show comes some other way, though they take maybe one or two percent of submissions from the open call.See it on page 11
05
Babycastles estimates it shows more than 200 games per year and that its average monthly attendance at its space is 400+ people.See it on page 13
06
Game ON! in Buenos Aires reviews approximately 100 works each edition, of which between 20 and 30 end up being exhibited, and around 2000 people visit the exhibit.See it on page 16
07
Hand Eye Society's CxG reviewed 60 games and selected 25, which the document says is seen by an estimated 800 people.See it on page 17

Summary

Gameplanner is a resource created between January and September 2019 with input from 56 game creators across Canada and over a dozen international game curators, gathered through one-on-one interviews and surveys. It is intended to help independent creators plan an exhibition and networking strategy based on their goals and tendencies. The document covers how to match goals such as building audience, networking, business deals, media coverage and peer connections with specific events. A top ten chart is based on 23 in-person interviews and 33 online surveys conducted between June and August 2019 with creators in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton, London, Varennes, Quebec City, New Westminster, Surrey, Calgary and Gabriola Island. For networking with peers, GDC is ranked highest for commercial game creators, with PAX second, while for non-commercial creators A Maze Berlin and IndieCade are described as highly regarded. The document also presents curator perspectives from organisations including Now Play This in the UK, Babycastles in NYC, Game ON! in Buenos Aires and Hand Eye Society in Toronto. Curators describe their selection processes, with Now Play This taking one or two percent of submissions from its open call.