The events of the 2 day mobile gaming conference event Pocket Gamer Bangalore came to a close on the 17th of April 2015. The event focused on mobile game development, short lectures from notable mobile developers and Game Hack, an indie game development competition. Professionals of the industry from organizations such as Rovio, Microsoft, Zeptolabs, Google, Zynga (to name a few) had representatives to speak at the event..
The main attraction and biggest event was when Indie developers and students from all over India were given a chance to compete in the biggest mobile game development competition Game Hack. Xigma Games won the grand price worth INR 10 Lakh (1 million) at The Very Big Indie Pitch. The competition pitched the best of Indian Indie developers and students to pitch their games for a chance to win. With over 100 participants showcasing their games or game prototypes. The focal point of the event was on the detailed discussion with 4 tracks on the themes East meets West, Indie Academy, Acquire and Monetization and Make in India.
On the first day in the ‘East Meets West’ track, The creater of Angry Birds franchise and over 50 other games, Peter Vesterbacka of Rovio Entertainment, gave an insight into Rovio’s market reach across the world. Misha Lyalin, CEO and Founder of Zeptolab’s gave an insight into the journey that transformed it from an indie to a Global Publisher, on the success of Cut The Rope, the puzzle game series. Finally a panel composing of speakers from Microsoft India, Google, Amazon and Reliance Games hosted a discussion on ‘Decoding the App Stores’.
International experts talked on the latest trends and techniques through ‘Indie Academy’ tracks. It was hosted by renowned speakers from the industry including Mike Bithell, Founder; Armin Hummel, VP Business Development, Lima Sky who presented ‘Doodle Jump – the anatomy of a casual sensation’. Lastly this track featured a panel discussing “How to reach successfully reach the western press” specifically for Indian video game developers.
Looking at the hot trends in the marketing and monetization landscape, the ‘Acquire and Monetise’ track was skewed for all business focused indie developers. Sergio Salvador, Global Head Games Partnerships, Google on how to use IAPS in games; The monetisation sessions also included keynotes from successful Indian developers & publishers like Rohit Sharma and Nikhil Soman, Co-Founders & CEOs of Playblazeretc. It detailed the latest trends in the mobile advertising sector and running through the “must knows” of mobile game monetization, this track was an opportunity to level up ones mobile gaming business understanding.
Make In India – For Video Games
The ‘Make In India’ track offered a razor sharp focus on Indian mobile games development. It was headed by Manish Agawal, CEO, Reliance Entertainment Digital. This highly condensed track featured as an essential package for the domestic mobile developer community. It explained the process of getting into games development – from funding, best production practice, and the effort/reward dynamic to IP building, captivating game design, and market potential.
The conference featured speakers like Peter Vesterbacka – Rovio, Misha Lyalin – ZeptoLabm, Armin Hummel – Lima Sky, Marina Mello – Bossa Studios, Mike Hines – Amazon, Sergio Salvador – Google and many more. Overall it was filled of interesting sessions, short format lectures, and panel discussions abuzz with the spirit of gaming and game development. As well as happenings such as The Very Big Indie Pitch and I Love Indie Showcase.
The event was organized by Reliance Games, Indian publisher and developer of mobile games. Announcing the launch of PG Connects Bangalore, Mr. Manish Agarwal, CEO, Reliance Entertainment Digital said, “We are glad to announce our collaboration with Steel Media to get an international event like Pocket Gamer Connects to India. This initiative is a benchmark in itself towards creating something with a uniquely regional flavour, connecting the global industry with local audiences through constructive information and relationship-building. Whether you are a CEO of a company, Indie developer or a student, PG Connects will have something to offer for everyone. We have committed to deliver the best in class value add for everyone.”
Pocket Gamer Connects Bangalore 2015 gave opportunity to developers, students & budding entrepreneurs and a chance to know more about the mobile gaming market in India and globally. To learn from international experts on the latest trends and techniques and Gain insight into the hottest global markets. Indie development survival guides and a sneak peek into next generation of mobile gaming with many games at display.
