EVENT SCHEDULE

Mainstage Intro Welcome Remarks

Welcome Remarks

Keynote: “AI, Tools, and the Future of Game Creation”

Panel Session: Mythbusters – SEA Service Providers

“Mythbuster Panel 2026”

(Moderator) Juney Dijkstra
(Panelists) Erwin Trinidad, Oh Yea Ji, Marla Rausch, Margarita Bogdanova

Presentation: Country Spotlight

TBC

Lunch Break

Workshops 1 & 2

Workshop 1 (Indie Track)
Moving to Unreal: Key Information, Myths and Straightforward Solutions by Chris Murphy

Presentation [Workshop 2] (ExDev Track)
The Bandai Namco Malaysia × Kojima Productions case study / Tips for Successfully Collaborating with Japanese Companies by Riki Kataoka

Table Discussions 1

Table Discussions 1.1
TBC by Adelle Bueno

Table Discussions 1.2
How to Secure Finding for Gaming Company or How to Sign a Deal with Publisher for Your Game by Ilya Gutov

Table Discussions 1.3
Don’t stop challenging yourself! The future of game development by Keiji Inafune

Table Discussions 1.4
Unlocking Asia’s Creative Workforce: Smart Staffing Solutions for Games, Animation, and VFX by Kirsty Parkin

Table Discussion 1.5
TBC by Benjamin Pommeraud

Women@GDS

Presented by XDS Spark

1:00-2:00 PM Panel Session: “Between the Lines: Unpacking Everyday Bias and Expectations for Women at Work “

Speakers: Jade Lee, Shiew Yeu Loh, Stephanie Arnett, Alice Davis

Workshops 3 & 4

Workshop 3 (Indie Track)
Finding the right publishing partners for your game by Neon Doctrine

Workshop 4 (ExDev Track)
Project Butterfly – Presented by EA XDI
Reviewers: Juney, Kamer Erken, Shiew Yeu Loh and Hiroko Matsuda

Table Discussions 2

Table Discussions 2.1
Level Design: Are Paper Designs Really Necessary? by Dennis Micka

Table Discussions 2.2
Designing Games for Grown Women by Ria Lu

Table Discussions 2.3
Competing with Giants: How Southeast Asia’s Metaverse Can Win Together by Thomas Simpson

Table Discussions 2.4
From Bedroom Dev to Building a Studio in the Philippines by Roberto Bendinelli

Table Discussion 2.5
Navigating External Development in Today’s Climate by Shiew Yeu Loh

GDS Happy Hour

(Location: Exhibitor Floor)

Workshops 5 & 6

Presentation [Workshop 5] (Indie Track)
Company Growth and Investment Strategy – Presented by Pontus Mähler

Presentation [Workshop 6] (ExDev Track)
Bridging Cultures in Game Development: Building Sustainable Co-Dev Pipelines for Asia’s Rising Role by Harish Rao and Yuya Kato

Table Discussions 3

Table Discussions 3.1
What it really takes to lead a modern game studio by Linda Tiger

Table Discussions 3.2
STOP WITH THE HERO COMPLEX: Shipping is Mandatory. Suffering is Optional. by Joni Lappalainen

Table Discussions 3.3
Level Up IRL: Gamifying Connection, Community & Commerce by Allie Young

Table Discussions 3.4
From Our Island to Your Screen: An Indie’s Path to Original IP by Janyl Tanoy

Table Discussions 3.5
THE 7-SECOND TEST: Design a Killer USP That Sells Your Game by Patrick Rose

GDS Sundown Party

(Happy Hour)
(Location: Lawn)

Sunset Treat Party

By invite only

Presented by Neun Farben