The Wisconsin Games Alliance’s 8th annual conference, MDEV, kicks off today at the Alliant Energy center in Madison. MDEV is a conference where developers, game studios, students, and enthusiasts to talk shop about the games industry. The event takes place over November 6th-7th and has backing from major studios such as Hathora, Midwest Games, Respawn Entertainment, SciPlay, Raven Software, Lost Boys, Git Gud Gaming Lounge, and PUBG Studios.
“MDEV has become a beacon for the games industry in the middle of the US. It’s been incredible to watch it grow to the largest games industry focused event outside of California. We aren’t done yet either. With the show expanding to two days last year, and the inclusion of the Kick-Off Event at the Orpheum, we’ve seen even more ways to bring together the industry and support one another in this ever-changing environment. Networking, collaboration, and life-long-learning are such keys to being able to succeed in this industry and MDEV is a conduit for all three.” said Ben Kvalo, WGA President, MDEV Executive Chair, and Founder of Midwest Games.
The event begins with a keynote presentation from game developer and renowned academic Jesse Schell. The Carnegie Mellon professor is best known for his book The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses, as well as games such as Among Us 3D, I Expect You to Die, and Happy Atoms. Following the keynote, the event includes two days of panels, lectures, indie game showcases, and opportunities for networking.
The event takes place during a tumultuous year for the industry, and this is reflected within many of the topics discussed. Several talks, such as Artificial Intelligence, Intellectual Property, and the Modern Video Game Pipeline, address both the potential impacts and downsides of the technology. Other talks, such as Failing to Go Indie will explore the challenges and lessons of trying to survive outside the studio ecosystem and still earn a living making games. Others explore the strained mental health aspect of development, such as Rediscovering Passion: Finding Momentum for Works In Progress. Naturally many talks still address the fundamentals of programming, design, writing, art, and producing.
“MDEV is one of the top shows in the video game industry these days, mostly because it’s not a bunch of sales people having drinks or a show talking about how great we all are. It’s a collection of folks that love games and want to make games and make the industry better. All of which are working together to do just that.” said Mitchell Patterson, CEO of Wolfjaw Studios. “MDEV shows what is possible outside traditional hubs, in support of talent and in bringing together communities.”
Tickets and more information are available here: MDEV 26 – Home.
Featured Image Credit: Midwest Games
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