Foundational

This collaborative, audience-driven workshop is about sharing candid stories of mistakes made and lessons learned - and levelling each other up in the process  Hosted by Dave Sanderson in his 10th year at XDS and 5th year on the XDS Advisory Commit......

Sharing details of Level Headed's deep use of external development, along with other industry anecdotes, this session will highlight the strong benefits and potential pitfalls of external development for smaller projects and studios As a studio with ......

Outsourcing has evolved, we are no longer just sending a list of assets to be done, Co-development is becoming the standard This brings a new set of challenges such as fully allowing external teams into your ecosystem and being a part of your team Ho......

Over the past decade, the appetite from traditionally underrepresented players to see characters like them in the games they play has grown As studios and their Ex Dev partners look to meet this need by adapting this diverse reality into their games,......

One of Hollywood’s biggest models - such as the Marvel model - focuses on large, IP-centric creative teams at the core, surrounded by specialized units that help deploy content across formats and marketsThis structure is now mirrored in the game in......

Join Meta's Nikki Roth for a dynamic 90-minute elevator pitch review session, featuring our innovative Service Providers participating in the XDS 2025 Industry Assistance Program These independent companies, all founded within the last five years, ar......

External Development often involves multiple groups collaborating towards a common goal, yet doing so whilst navigating complex reporting structures Successfully managing these relationships is crucial for the success of any engagement Leaders in suc......

As Africa’s game development scene gains global attention, success in this emerging market hinges on more than just technical talent — it requires meaningful connection, cultural understanding, and strategic collaboration With a growing number of......

In an industry defined by rapid production cycles, high creative stakes, and growing reliance on external partners, true success no longer comes from scale alone - it comes from trust Ethical development today means building partnerships rooted in tr......

As development teams and player communities become increasingly global, inclusive design and accessibility aren’t just values—they’re strategic advantages Designing for everyone doesn’t mean creating something generic; it means intentionally ......

Gen-AI is becoming a transformative force in our industry With 78% of publishers and 56% of service providers already using or planning to use it within the next year, according to 2025 XDS Insights, it’s clear that this shift is already happening ......

This 90-minute session offers an in-depth look at three service provider pitches, complete with live feedback from two leading developers Led by EA’s Juney Dijkstra and our panel of top-tier game developers, Service Providers will have the chance t......