GDX 2023 Conference

July 19-20, 2023

The conference is returning in a big way to GDX 2023 with content for developers of all skill levels. We've listened to past attendee feedback, and are happy to announce that professional development time will be dedicated time for developers; conference attendees will no longer have to worry about showcasing their games or being on the exhibition floor. while the conference proceedings take place. For GDX 2023, the conference will be held ahead of the exhibition, at a post-secondary institution within Edmonton so that we get to focus on learning and development.

Stay tuned to this space to find out more about our upcoming content streams as we get closer to the date. In the meantime, check out some of the content that we will be releasing details on in the next few months!

Get Tickets

AI/ML + Games Summit

Alberta is home to some of the foremost AI research institutions on the planet: the University of Alberta, and amii, Canada's top centre of AI excellence. Ranked third in the world for AI, and second in the world for games + AI publications, the University of Alberta's experts in AI and games will provide you with unprecedented insight into the future of game development through AI and ML, while fellows from the world-renowned Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute will guide cutting-edge AI workshops for you to join.

Leadership Development

If we want to make the games industry better, let's start with leaders. How might leadership skills like coaching improve our capacity to work together? How do we ensure that the next generation of game dev leaders are equipped to handle the creative challenges within interdisciplinary game development? Explore your leadership journey as a game developer from a career and human-centred perspective.

IGDA Mentorship Café

Mentorship is a key component of career growth, but finding the right mentor for you can be a challenge, especially post-pandemic. We are partnering with the IGDA to provide a mentorship café to build connections across developers, find the right mentor for you, and strengthen our global networks.

Building a Better Games Industry Summit

Equity, diversity, and inclusion is an area of growth for the games industry. Let's move the conversation beyond representation, and more into the brass tacks of integrating EDI directly into your products, your teams, your policies and practices, and your studio culture. What constitutes authentic representation? How do we achieve belonging with uniqueness in our studios? It's time to dive deep and get broad with activating EDI in the games industry. Hear from a broad spectrum of skilled practitioners doing EDI work.

Indie Realities

We elevate lesser known indie developers who are innovating in ways that really push the industry forward. Indie developers who not only push the envelope in terms of game design, but also with their teams and their communities. What does it mean to be an indie, and how do we make the indie experience sustainable? How do we build solidarity amongst indies in order to build a strong indie ecosystem?

Community-Building & Networking

We're on a mission to connect our local developers to the global game development community. Alberta talent has a lot to offer the world, and Alberta has a lot to learn from the rest of the world. Let's cross-pollinate our indie and AAA developers to build a deeper, richer foundation of connectedness within and outside our region. Community is a key element to games industry sustainability, so join your fellow game devs in our networking sessions to build solidarity.

Speakers

Come join the best and brightest of the games industry at GDX 2023. From experts who are dedicated to making the industry a better place, to world-class AI and Machine Learning scientists, and local indie community activators.
GDX 2023 has something for everyone.

Stay tuned as more speakers are announced.

Cristina Amaya

Director of DreamHack Festivals Americas, Founder & President of Latinx in Gaming

Cristina has been in the games industry for 8+ years and events for 7+. Founder and President of Latinx in Gaming and Vice Chair for the International Game Developer's Association, she is dedicated to making the industry a better place.

Cristina's past experiences include Google Stadia, Twitch, Team Liquid, and Unity.

Osama Dorias

Lead Content Designer Blizzard Entertainment, One-third of The Habibis, Advisor for GDC, Professor at Dawson College, and TEDx Speaker

Osama is a Lead Content Designer at Blizzard Entertainment. In the past, he has worked at WB Games Montreal, Gameloft, GEE Media, Ubisoft, and Minority Media. During this time he has devoted his energy to ensuring the games industry in Canada is a healthy working environment.

He also teaches game design at Dawson College, where he is able to empower people in expressing themselves through game making and co-founded the Montreal Independent Games Awards.

Dr. Matthew Guzdial

Assistant Professor University of Alberta, Fellow & Canada CIFAR AI Chair Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute

Dr. Guzdial is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta and a Fellow & Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii). His specialty lies in studying the intersection of creativity and machine learning.

His work on procedural content generation via machine learning has been continuously cited and he continues to explore the relationship between games and artificial intelligence.