February 24 - How To Get Into The Gaming Industry

Link to RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/h962cewp

About this Event:

From bedroom coders to strong teams with huge budgets there is a vast array of opportunities in the video game industry.

Gaming is no longer a small niche, it's the mainstream and everyone loves it. Younger generations are growing up alongside video games with PewDiePie as their reference and twitch as their main form of media. With this generation getting into the business world they're seeking roles in a new and challenging environment for themselves (and we are not talking about the shrinking map).

We’ve partnered with experts in the area to understand how to land (safely) a job in the gaming world and maneuver the career battle royale.

Takeaways:

• What to start a career in the gaming industry
• What you need to learn to get a job in video games.
• Tips and tricks on how to start.

About the Instructors:

Pushkar P
UX Designer, Archiact

Pushkar is a UX UI design lead with a focus on VR and AR digital experiences in Vancouver, Canada. His goal is to create the most immersive experiences in virtual and augmented reality. With a BFA in Design and a Masters in Digital Media, he has over 15 years of design and advertising experience in some of the world’s leading design studios and ad agencies.

Over the last few years Pushkar has been working at a world-leading VR and AR game studio - Archiact, where he recently worked on Doom 3: VR Edition. It’s a finalist for VR Game of the Year at the 2021 International VR Awards and has been well received among diehard fans. He is currently is working on a major VR production (undisclosed) in addition to other exciting projects.

Pushkar also teaches Data Visualization and Human-centered design at a VRAR program in Vancouver.

Mark Backler
Founder & Creative Director, Sketchbook Games and Game Anglia

Mark has worked in the games industry for 15 years at companies like EA, Lionhead and Sony on games including Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the BAFTA award winning Fable 2. He has now founded Sketchbook Games, who have recently released the Lost Words: Beyond the Page. He also co-founded Game Anglia, which runs games events in the East of England.

Laura Dilloway
Lead Environment Artist, Sumo Digital

Laura never intended to work in games, despite having played them since childhood. She stumbled in after being offered a job as a Junior Artist, and discovered that it was the place she wanted to be all along. Some 15 years later, she is now a Lead Environment Artist, and has experience working in both AAA and indie companies on a variety of games and systems: from Killzone to LittleBigPlanet; everything PlayStation since the PS3, to Nintendo Switch and PC. She most recently released OlliOlli World, which she worked on at her previous company, Roll7

Kat Welsford
Digital Analyst, Square Enix

Kat Welsford is from London UK, and works at Square Enix as a Digital Analyst. During the day she works on almost every single game that Square Enix produces, from Final Fantasy to Guardians of the Galaxy to Circuit Superstars, making sure everyone understands the effect of marketing actions. She's worked on games of all sizes, from tiny indies to AAA multiplayer titles. She previously worked in marketing eCommerce for Channel Advisor and as a physics teacher - so a varied background!

She hosts Games Industry Gathering, a monthly networking online for everyone in the games industry from around the world and Save Point Industry Gathering, a dedicated space marginalized genders, providing support and a save and inclusive space to chat. She is also a member of the 2021 Future Class, a games industry project celebrating the best and brightest up and coming games industry professionals.