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Independent Game Development

Meet other local people interested in Independent Game Development: share experiences, inspire and encourage each other! Join a Independent Game Development group.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Check out independent game development events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.

Discover all the independent game development events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.

Absolutely! Find independent game development events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.

Independent Game Development Events Today

Join in-person Independent Game Development events happening right now

Boards Games @ Third Hill Brewing Co.
Boards Games @ Third Hill Brewing Co.
Come out to [Third Hill Brewing Company](https://www.thirdhillbrewing.com/) and play some board games! Serving food with their variety of drinks so come and fuel up for the games. Learn about new games, play games, meet new friends, and have a good time! All ages and levels of experience/knowledge of games are welcome as long as you have a willingness to learn and/or teach your games. Host will provide some games but as always, you are welcome/encouraged to bring your own (recommended you know them and/or ready to teach them). Please be aware that there is no direct parking but there is nearby parking garages. **NTBG** is a safe environment for all to have fun. Bullying/harassment is not tolerated.
ALEXANDRIA Play & Learn Boardgames, Strategy, Card, Euro Games
ALEXANDRIA Play & Learn Boardgames, Strategy, Card, Euro Games
This meetup is for people that want to play table games: board games, strategy games, episodic RPGs, eurogames, card games and co-operative games. NOT A GAMER BUT WANT TO LEARN? We teach them all... We are open minded on all games. Games we plan to teach and play include Ascension, Azul, Azul Summer Pavillion, Splendor, Magic The Gathering, Melee/Wizard, Backgammon, Castallan, Chess Variants, Compounded, Dead of Winters: Crossroads, Dixit, Dominion, Exploding Kittens, Flux, GravWell, Ghost Stories, Hanabi, Heroquest RPG, Hive, House Divided, House on the Hill, Illuminati, Ingenious, King of Tokyo, Lost Cities, Machi Koro, Munchkin, Pandemic, Pirate Dice, Ogre/GEV, Qwirkle, Race for the Galaxy, Roll Through The Ages, Ricochet Robot, RoboRally, Settlers of Catan, Sagrada, Sentinels of the Multiverse, Splendor, Spot-It, Sushi-To-Go, Takenoko, Ticket to Ride, Tsuro, Up Front, Yahtzee, Advanced Wizards Card Game, etc.
DC BitDevs #20
DC BitDevs #20
**Location:** Strategy HQ 1850 Towers Crescent Plaza Tysons Corner, VA 22182 [https://maps.app.goo.gl/GWnJA7iWFNLinSjw6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GWnJA7iWFNLinSjw6) Join us for BitDevs DC #20, our local Socratic Seminar covering Bitcoin protocol development, security, and governance. This month we'll be discussing Bitcoin bugs, cluster mempool in Core 31.0, Silent Payments adoption, the recent maintainer shakeup, and more. Pizza provided by Strategy. **Timeline:** 5:30pm - 6:00pm : Doors open and social half hour 6:00pm - 8:30pm : BitDevs Socratic Seminar **Parking/Transport:** * 🚆 Silver Line Metro — Tysons Corner Station + walk through Tysons Corner Center mall and over the bridge to the building * 🚗 Parking available in the Tysons Corner Center mall lots adjacent to the building or in front of the building Thank you to **Strategy** for hosting!
Unstuck Tuesday: Startup Pitches, Feedback, and Action Steps!
Unstuck Tuesday: Startup Pitches, Feedback, and Action Steps!
Pitch your idea, get feedback, give feedback, meet with a mentor and most importantly, take action. Come to the meetup with a specific issue you are stuck with. **10:30 am Introductions:** 2-minute pitches tell us who you are? What you're working on? and what you need help with? **11:00 am Problem Solving:** Let's figure out how we can help, and what action you can take today to move forward. **12:00 pm** Open Networking: Keep the discussion going and connect with other attendees. Bring yourself, notebooks, laptops and anything else you need to pitch your idea and get work done. Interested in joining the Studio? [APPLY NOW](https://unstucklabs.com)
Board Gaming!
Board Gaming!
Bring a favorite game or pick out a new favorite!
Open Play with IM Oladapo Adu
Open Play with IM Oladapo Adu
Join us for a discussion and open play Tuesdays at 7pm Lamond Riggs/Huff Library 5401 South Dakota Ave., NE Washington, DC 20011 If you cannot see the flier and instead see the default photo, it means the censorship engine is working. Try [https://www.meetup.com/rockville-chess-meetup/photos/33350169/511337001/](https://www.meetup.com/rockville-chess-meetup/photos/33350169/511337001/) .
Gary's 60th BDay: IN PERSON: Alexandria Euchre Club (06/23) 4th Tuesday @ Hank's
Gary's 60th BDay: IN PERSON: Alexandria Euchre Club (06/23) 4th Tuesday @ Hank's
**Gary's "ACTUAL" Birthday. I wasn't going to be here but my plans changed so let the Gary BDay month continue one last time!** ++++++++++++++++++++++++ **Our 4th Tuesday of the month Euchre Location:** Hank's Oyster Bar (Second Floor) 818 N St Asaph St Alexandria, VA 22314 [https://hanksoysterbar.com/](https://hanksoysterbar.com/) GPS: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/9c4JVfapgdM1P31w7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9c4JVfapgdM1P31w7) **Free Retail Parking Around the Corner.** **(Elevator takes you to St. Asaph Street)** Colonial Parking 530 First St. Alexandria, VA 22314 [https://www.ecolonial.com/park-with-us/parking-locator](https://www.ecolonial.com/park-with-us/parking-locator/?detail=1&loc=en&id=1703) ++++++++++++++++++++++++ * **Second Floor Opens @ 6:00pm (Gary will be there).** * **Please arrive by 6:30pm.** * **Please don't leave before 8:30pm.** * **Hank's Oyster Bar closes at 9:00pm.** * We are on the second floor, accessible via the stairs or elevator from the downstairs restaurant. Restrooms are also on this floor. * We start play as soon as we have enough people to get a table going. * We will be getting our bills at 8:30pm so we are all settled by the 9:00pm(ish) closing time. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ **For those new or haven't been in awhile, here is some basic information about our meetup:** 1. **Know How to Play the Game**: Every member of the Alexandria Euchre Club must know how to play the game of Euchre to attend a meetup. If you know the game, but it has been years since you've played, that is fine as we've all been there and will be patient while it comes flooding back to you. 2. **New To The Group:** If you have never been, we are a friendly group and welcome everyone to come. Very few people come with a friend or spouse. What this means is that it will not be awkward to arrive alone. It is better than a happy hour because it is easy to make conversation about cards. You don't have to even ask the dreaded "what do you do?" question. If you come three times, you are a regular. Also, house rules are that we play stick the dealer (ask if you don't know this variation). 3. **Correct Table Count:** Euchre is a 4 person game--yes, I know there are 3 and 6 person variations, but most people prefer the 4 person game. What this means is that if you sign-up, we are counting on you to be there. The deadline for RSVP is 2 days prior to the meet-up. Please update by that time, especially if you are going to cancel your RSVP. If you get 3 "no shows" and you'll only be able to sign up via an organizer. 4. **The Waiting List:** If this month is like the previous months, we will have a waiting list. Please be considerate and honor your RSVP. Of course, if you are sick and on death's door we don't want you to come out and get the rest of us sick; however, if not please do come play. A good evening of food, drink, cards, and friendship may be all that you need to be more productive the next day. If you are on the waiting list I am expecting you to either remove yourself if you don't want to be considered for an open slot, or check the site (or email) so you know you've been promoted to an RSVP of YES when a slot opens up. 5. **Costs:** There are some costs associated with meetup -- I have to pay Meetup every 6 months for listing on their website. They don't work off of advertising fees. We pass the bowl around and ask people to throw a $1 in each time they come. Thanks everyone... looking forward to seeing ya !! Gary Wolanske 703-568-1550 (cell / text)

Independent Game Development Events This Week

Discover what is happening in the next few days

Play at the Library: A Video Game Showcase
Play at the Library: A Video Game Showcase
*A series of pop-up arcades of locally-made games!* The Washington, D.C. Chapter of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA DC) has partnered with the D.C. Public Library to host a series of showcases at library branches across the city. **At these showcases you can come play games made by local developers and learn about how those games were made!** Saturday, June 27, 2026 1-5pm Dorothy I. Height/Benning Neighborhood Library 3935 Benning Rd NE, Washington, DC 20019 (Near the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station) Family-friendly and appropriate for all ages (recommended for children ages 7 and up mainly because video game controllers are hard for younger children to use.) Come out and support your local community of game developers!
Young Professionals Social Club: Nationals Home Game Socials (20s & 30s)
Young Professionals Social Club: Nationals Home Game Socials (20s & 30s)
Young Professionals Social Club: Nationals Home Game Socials (20s & 30s) ​Are you in your 20s or 30s looking to expand your social circle, grab a drink, and catch some live baseball without breaking the bank? This is the group for you! ​We are a vibrant community of local young professionals who meet up for every single Nats home game. Whether you are a die-hard baseball fan or just in it for the social scene, you’ll fit right in. If the Nats are playing at home, we are there! ​What We Are About ​Our events focus on high-energy, low-stress environments. We love utilizing standing room only tickets and affordable season passes to keep things budget-friendly, but regular ticket holders are always welcome! ​Standing room areas (like the outfield bars and concourse decks) give us the freedom to move around, mingle, and actually talk to each other—no being stuck in a single stadium seat all night. ​Every Home Game: No guessing when the next meetup is. If there is a game at the stadium, we are gathering. ​Socialize: Meet new friends, network with fellow local professionals, and find your crowd. ​Eat & Drink: We always kick things off with pre-game drinks or hang out at the stadium's best social spaces. ​Zero Pressure: You don’t need to be a baseball expert. Come for the game, stay for the conversations. ​Who Should Join? ​If you are in your 20s or 30s, live in the area, and want a fun, consistent way to get out after work or on the weekends, hit that "Join" button. ​Check the schedule, grab your tickets, and we'll see you at the ballpark!
Loric Games IGDA Meetup
Loric Games IGDA Meetup
Make games? Fund games? Dream about making games? *This one's for YOU!* IGDA DC and Loric Games are joining forces with support from Arlington County for a night where the DMV's game dev community shows up in one room. Students, hobbyists, seasoned devs, artists, investors, and the curious-but-haven't-started-yet are all invited! Show off what you're building in our open show-and-tell session (prototypes, jam games, or half-finished chaos), get live portfolio feedback from the Loric team, and meet the people who make, fund, and champion games right here in the DMV. If you'd like to be part of the show-and-tell session, submit your videos here: https://forms.gle/qP3TAtixo7NzEsYc8 So bring a build, a portfolio, a business card, or just your curiosity. This is the time to share your work, meet collaborators, and maybe even find your next opportunity. See you there! GMU's Pilot Space (First floor of Vernon Smith Hall) is accessible via the Virginia Square GMU Metro station, with plenty of street parking and a parking garage nearby. * Follow IGDA DC: https://www.meetup.com/igda-dc/ * With support from Arlington Economic Development (AED): https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/
Rockville Gamers
Rockville Gamers
Play for Choice: Fun for the Fund
Play for Choice: Fun for the Fund
Do you love games, meeting people, AND ensuring that people in the DMV have access to safe abortions? We have the event for you! Please join DC Gaming Group and [DC Abortion Fund (DCAF)](https://dcabortionfund.org/) for **Play for Choice: Fun for the Fund.** **When**: June 25th, 2026 - 7PM **Cost**: $25 - pay at the door or pre-pay [via Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/play-for-choice-fun-for-the-fund-tickets-1991068808404?aff=oddtdtcreator). The ticket fee is your donation to DCAF! **Where**: GameOn Bar and Arcade, U Street **Your Mission - If You Choose to Accept It:** You will complete activities in the provided Quest Log. Activities range from playing arcade games to socializing with other guests. As you complete a quest, a host from DCGG will “stamp” your Quest Log for that slot! Inspired by the prize counters of old, you can then choose your reward: more tokens for games, a small trinket, or entering into a raffle for each quest completed. DCAF will be providing some great raffle prizes - you won’t want to miss out! Starter tokens will be provided, thanks to a generous donation from GameOn. You will need to purchase any additional tokens you may want after the starter set or elect to spend your Quest Log completions on more tokens.
Come Play: Container
Come Play: Container
We will be playing the once hard-to-get, but now reprinted classic economic strategy game, **Container**. The rules for Container are simple: build factories and warehouses, manufacture, ship, and auction containers. But the strategy is complex: set prices, time the market, and maximize profits. With minimal luck and plenty of negotiation, Container offers a tense and interactive experience full of clever deals and surprising market swings. We will have multiple copies of the game. Let us know if you can bring yours. If we get more RSVPs than we have copies, we will play a second economic strategy game.

Independent Game Development Events Near You

Connect with your local Independent Game Development community

Unity GameDev Hangout (Topic TBD)
Unity GameDev Hangout (Topic TBD)
*We'll update this with the specific topic(s) once they're set for the month.* A relaxed, community-driven Unity GameDev meetup. No strict agenda — just developers getting together to talk shop, share projects, and exchange ideas. Some topics that may come up (based on attendee interest): * Frame Debugger & performance tooling * Addressables & additive scene workflows * Input System, localization, responsive UI * AI integration approaches * DevOps & LiveOps experiences * Full lifecycle: idea → cross-platform publishing * Favorite Asset Store tools and hidden gems * Weird Unity quirks we've all run into Nothing is locked in. Bring a project if you'd like, bring a question, bring a lesson learned — or just come hang out and meet other developers. All skill levels welcome. Food and drinks provided.
(Cross-Posting) From Joints to Gestures: Reading Hands in Unity
(Cross-Posting) From Joints to Gestures: Reading Hands in Unity
Do **NOT** sign up to this one and sign-up at https://www.meetup.com/columbusjs/events/313386504/ ======================================= A hand tracker gives you joints, not a gesture. This talk shows how you get from raw joints to a "thumbs-up" in Unity: the pipeline that cleans up the data, how a gesture becomes a few 0-to-1 values within tolerance, and why orientation matters as much as finger shape. Includes a live demo of tuning gesture thresholds. Food and drinks will be available. **LOCATION:** 6515 Longshore Loop, Suite 300, Dublin, OH 43017 **FREE PARKING:** 6725 Longshore Street, Dublin, OH 43017
Unity GameDev Hangout (Topic TBD)
Unity GameDev Hangout (Topic TBD)
*We'll update this with the specific topic(s) once they're set for the month.* A relaxed, community-driven Unity GameDev meetup. No strict agenda — just developers getting together to talk shop, share projects, and exchange ideas. Some topics that may come up (based on attendee interest): * Frame Debugger & performance tooling * Addressables & additive scene workflows * Input System, localization, responsive UI * AI integration approaches * DevOps & LiveOps experiences * Full lifecycle: idea → cross-platform publishing * Favorite Asset Store tools and hidden gems * Weird Unity quirks we've all run into Nothing is locked in. Bring a project if you'd like, bring a question, bring a lesson learned — or just come hang out and meet other developers. All skill levels welcome. Food and drinks provided.
Customize the IDE: Building Extensions for Visual Studio Code - Alan Barber
Customize the IDE: Building Extensions for Visual Studio Code - Alan Barber
**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** *Customize the IDE: Building Extensions for Visual Studio Code* Visual Studio Code is one of the most widely used development environments today, and much of its flexibility comes from its extension ecosystem. Extensions allow developers to customize the editor with new features, integrations, and workflow improvements tailored to their needs. In this session, we’ll cover what extensions are and the different types available, including full extensions written in TypeScript or JavaScript, along with lighter-weight extensions such as color themes, language packs, language support, code snippets, and keymaps. We’ll also look at practical reasons a developer might create an extension, from automating repetitive tasks to adding custom tooling. The session includes a hands-on walkthrough of creating a new extension, testing it locally, and understanding the basic project structure. We’ll close with a brief overview of how extensions are packaged and published to the Visual Studio Marketplace and other distribution options. **YouTube Link** TBD
Board games at The Forge
Board games at The Forge
The Forge does have a full bar and kitchen. There is no cover charge but they do request all attendees to purchase a minimum of ~20 per person. Soft drink refills are 1 each. Please support our hosts so we can continue to provide great events for the group! The Forge has a large library of games available for us to enjoy. Hosts and regulars will also provide numerous popular games but please bring any games you would like to teach and/or play. Doors open at 6, and we expect gaming to be rolling by around 630. Please promptly end your games and clear out the space at 10pm when the bar closes. We encourage socializing but do not permit disruptive behavior of any kind. Thank you for your continued commitment to providing a fun and welcoming space to veteran, newbie, and rookie gamers in the Columbus area. Parking can sometimes fill esrly. There is additional parking lot behind the neighboring Mexican restaurant that is free and easy to walk from but it's a bit hidden.
Casual Boardgames - make friends, then beat them in games
Casual Boardgames - make friends, then beat them in games
Welcome to Casual Boardgames, where we enjoy classic tabletop games and social deduction games while bonding over good food, drinks, and great conversations. 
We started this group to meet new people and make new friends, and bonding over games in a relaxed atmosphere is a great way to do that. We currently meet near route 23 and Polaris Parkway, and this is close to areas like Powell, Lewis Center, Worthington, and parts of Westerville and Columbus. 
Feel free to bring your own games or play one of the many games our members bring. If you are inexperienced, we will help you learn. 
Here are just a few examples of the kind of games we play. 
Tabletop/board games: Splendor, Catan, Azul, Dominion, 7 Wonders
 
Social deduction games: Code Names, Chameleon, Werewords
 
IMPORTANT: 
1. While we love playing a variety of games and competing, we are not just about the games. We interact and talk while playing, and this leads to a lot of laughter and fun. If you just want to compete and focus solely on the game, then this is probably not the group you are looking for. 
2. Many people join groups like this and never (or rarely) show up after weeks or months. If you join and never really come, we will eventually remove you from the group as a courtesy to our members. Why? Because limiting group conversations (on the app) to regular members makes communication and planning much easier. Also, while it may be rare, it protects members from people who join because they are interested in following a person instead of having a real interest in our group. If you get removed, it is just because you haven’t come, and we follow this protocol as a courtesy to our regular game players.