DevGAMM Gdańsk 2026 Highlights
For the fourth time, DevGAMM returned to AmberExpo in Gdańsk, but this edition felt a little different – for the first time, we brought the event to summer instead of late winter.
On June 18-19, we welcomed the Polish and international gamedev community for two packed days of talks, meetings, showcases, and warm seaside moments. Here’s how it went.
Lectures & Workshops
More than 50 speakers shaped the conversation across the Scorewarrior and tinyBuild lecture halls. With sessions running simultaneously, attendees had the chance to explore a wide range of talks on co-development, external development, cross-platform games, mobile trends, monetization, production, art, technology, and the real challenges studios are facing today.
The program opened with the official opening remarks, followed by the exciting fireside chat between Michał Nowakowski (Joint CEO @ CD PROJEKT RED) and Jörg Tittel (CEO & Founder @ RapidEyeMovers). See the EDGE Magazine newsletter for the highlights.
Some of the featured lectures included:
- Yoan Aleksiev from Room 8 Group with a talk on human-in-the-loop tech art tooling in the age of AI
- Tobias Stolz-Zwilling from Warhorse Studios sharing how Kingdom Come cut through the noise
- Ondřej Bittner from Warhorse Studios exploring how to build believable worlds
- Michalina Milewicz-Zalewska from BoomBit speaking about game optimization using machine learning
The Workshop room brought hands-on, practical learning allowing to gain practical knowledge and work through real industry challenges.
Workshop hosts included:
- Rami Ismail, Industry Advisor
- Corrie Green, Senior Developer Advocate, Unity Technologies
- Jakub Kukuryk, Playable Ads Developer, Mad Chicken Studio
- Danylo Hoshko, Expert Technical Artist, Activision Blizzard | Infinity Ward
- Monika Michalak, CEO, 8Bit
- Natalia Santorek, Senior Recruiter, 8Bit
Networking Activities
MeetToMatch, sponsored by Xsolla, served as the official event platform for DevGAMM Gdańsk 2026. We registered over 470 scheduled meetings, and the area was buzzing with meaningful conversations, perfectly reflecting what the conference format was built for.
Full access to the meeting platform was available for VIP and BUSINESS ticket holders, helping them make the most of networking opportunities throughout the event. They also had access to the Business Lounge, sponsored by eGamesLab, which offered a dedicated space for meetings.
On June 19, DevGAMM Gdańsk hosted Table Talks, a format designed for private discussions on key industry topics. These non-recorded talks were limited to 10 people per table and moderated by experienced professionals from EA, 1D3 Digitech, Mellow, Values Value, and more.
Mentors Corner made its debut at DevGAMM Gdańsk as a brand-new activity for attendees looking for practical advice on their projects. On June 19, attendees could book free 20-minute mentorship sessions with experts across different areas of the game industry.
Mentorship topics covered Game Design, Co-Development, PC Marketing & Self-Publishing, and more. The lineup featured 12 professionals from Flying Wild Hog, 11 bit studios, XDS Spark, HYPERCELL, Nexters, and other companies, bringing practical expertise across different areas of game development and business.
Career Hub helped attendees move closer to their next professional opportunity during the conference. Together with partners 8Bit, Skillsearch, Values Value, and InGameJob, we offered free career consultations, including CV reviews, job search tips, and advice on building a stronger career path in the game industry.
The format was useful both for professionals looking for new roles and for companies searching for new talent. The Career Wall also featured over 40 CVs and job openings.
Since the conference took place in summer, the first event day continued by the Baltic sea with the first-ever DevGAMM’s Beach Party, sponsored by Scorewarrior.
The very warm evening featured live DJ sets, saxophone music, a beach bonfire, drinks, and warm connections in a relaxed seaside atmosphere. What’s more – the party was open to all DevGAMM attendees, creating a perfect setting for informal networking.
DevGAMM Gdańsk 2026 ended with Bye-Bye Mingle, a long-running DevGAMM tradition that brings everyone together for one last beer and goodbye hugs.
Sponsored by tinyBuild, it was a lovely final chance to connect until the next DevGAMM.
VIP Experiences
For those looking for extra networking opportunities, we continued the VIP experience with exclusive options such as Business Development Support, helping high-level attendees make the most of their trip to DevGAMM.
The VIP Dinner powered by Unreal Engine was a perfect finishing touch to the first conference day. Set in a relaxed atmosphere, the dinner featured seafood inspired by Poland’s northern coast and brought together VIP guests for a warm evening of new connections and memorable moments.
The Deluxe Breakfast on the morning of the second day tested the bravery of VIP attendees after a long party night. Still, it turned into a great opportunity to reconnect, meet new people, and power up before another full day of the conference.
Game Activities
The Game Showcase, sponsored by Unity, with AMD as the Technological Partner, became the beating heart of the event. It put 62 game development teams and their projects in the spotlight, with a different lineup each day to keep the buzz going.
Attendees had the chance to test, discover, and connect with new games from Poland, the Baltic region, and beyond.
Engage! with Publishers & Investors, sponsored by Epic Games Store, created meaningful connections between developers and companies that could help them grow. The activity gave game developers a chance to pitch their projects in focused, no-rush conversations.
Developers met with companies including Raw Fury, Vivid Games, tinyBuild, Feardemic, and HYPERCELL, bringing their pitch decks to discuss potential opportunities.
On June 18, five teams took the stage for Public Pitch, sponsored by Xsolla.
Hosted by Rami Ismail, the show gave developers a chance to pitch their games in front of the DevGAMM audience and a jury of industry experts:
- Blaze Krakowiak, Xsolla
- Agnieszka Gałecka, 11 bit studios
- Joni Lappalainen, Dreamloop Games
We were very happy to celebrate Watcharid Nithisatienchai, who pitched Little Old One and the Witch by Mimu UG, as the winner.
Digital Vikings Awards returned to Gdańsk to celebrate the best new and upcoming titles from 10 countries of the Baltic basin.
With 153 submissions in total, the jury selected nominees across 4 developer categories and 1 publisher category, highlighting the creativity and talent of game teams from across the region.
Game Roast remains the show we only do in Poland once a year. Sponsored by tinyBuild, it once again brought one of DevGAMM’s most unpredictable formats to the stage.
We were delighted to see Alex Nichiporchik return as the host, with Christopher Lewis, Michael Kuzmin, Rami Ismail, and Sos Sosowski joining the expert panel.
What happens at Game Roast stays at Game Roast. This year, we decided not to publish the recording and keep the experience between everyone who was in the room. What we can say is this: there was a T-shirt giveaway, someone walked away with a Nintendo Switch, eggs were involved, there was swearing, and there was alcohol from every place DevGAMM travels to in 2026.
Photos
For the pictures from the conference days, please follow these links and remember to tag DevGAMM when posting your best shots:
Sponsors & Partners
We’d like to take a moment to thank all the sponsors and conference partners. We couldn’t have made this event a reality without you.
Platinum Sponsors
Scorewarrior, Epic Games Store, Unreal Engine, eGamesLab, tinyBuild
Special Sponsors
Easybrain, AMD
Silver Sponsors
CRI Middleware, FLEXUS
Partners
InvestGDA, Digital Vikings, AMBEREXPO, Visit Gdansk, MeetToMatch, 8Bit, Skillsearch, Values Value, inGame Job
And of course, a huge thank you to all the speakers, our amazing volunteers, partners, and friends who made this edition of DevGAMM in Gdańsk so special. Thanks for joining us!
Up Next
We’re heading into a busy second half of the year. Here’s what’s open now.
DevGAMM FTW! in Serbia, September 29-30 – our first edition in the Balkans, organized in partnership with the Serbian Games Association.
DevGAMM Lisbon 2026, November 17-18 – our fourth show in Portugal and the biggest DevGAMM conference of the year.
DevGAMM Awards 2026 – our third competition for AA and indie studios. Game submissions are open until September 7, with the current prize pool already exceeding $130,000. We’re waiting for your new games.
Thank you for your constant support. It means a lot, and we’re excited to keep moving forward.
