Enjoy a light morning snack and some coffee or tea at the Glass Egg Central Bar, brought to you by our Presenting Sponsor, Glass Egg – a Virtuos Studio

Join us alongside Joe Nickolls at the GlobalStep Mainstage to kick off the 10 annual External Development Summit (XDS)!

With over 20 years of experience in the games industry, Patrick Klaus is Vice President and General Manager for Electronic Arts’ Motive Studio. In 2019, Patrick returned to EA after seven years at Ubisoft Quebec, where he led the studio during the release of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Before that, Patrick spent ten years at EA in the UK in various development, operations, and publishing roles. At Motive, Patrick’s mission and passion are building a world-class team focused on creating innovative AAA action games within iconic worlds where every player feels like the hero. The studio is currently working on a Dead Space remake as well as another unannounced project. Please join this fireside chat to hear more about Patrick’s career, and his outlook on today’s games industry.

Our industry has long been fascinated by the movie model. By which small teams temporarily form to build productions at scale.

In this session we’ll explore what the movie method truly is. The differences between game and film production and the traps we set ourselves preventing successful implementation.

There are challenges to overcome and fundamental shifts in approach required. However, I believe there’s also the potential of game changing opportunities to be unlocked, with external development holding the key…

Take a break from attending sessions or meetings and grab a meal to keep you going!

Since 2018, Snowed In Studios grew from 25 engineers to 170 developers, in a global organization that scaled from 6,000 employees to 10,000. We encountered pitfalls, a global pandemic, and *then* came surprises in studio culture, rapid growth, change management and ways of operating – lots of things broke. If you want to keep your sanity, follow the business textbooks and keep your studio small, or go into online retail. If you are a glutton for punishment and high growth, this talk will touch on how textbook MBA lessons don’t always work, real-world scaling, strategic planning, and why innovation fails or succeeds

Enjoy a light snack and some coffee or tea at the Glass Egg Central Bar, brought to you by Presenting Sponsor, Glass Egg – A Virtuos Studio

From a loose collection of values to an industry of training and work system construction, “Agile” has permanently changed the way developers view managing their projects. Despite the good it’s done, Agile isn’t a silver bullet: at times, the values of Agile run counter to the needs of outsource art development. We’ll discuss looking at Agile as a tool with a purpose, understanding when it is most effective, and determining when the values you sacrifice with agile development are the ones you can’t afford to lose.

Enjoy a beverage (or two!) after a day of networking and knowledge sharing, Presented by PTW!

DEI is a double-bladed sword: when properly executed, it helps to create more accessible products; but do it poorly, and you risk alienating the audience and losing it all. In fact, there is more to DEI than just bringing visually diverse characters to the story. It’s all about cultural context and how the story can benefit from diversity, equality, and inclusivity.So how can game creators avoid falling into the trap of doing DEI just for the sake of doing it? How can they ensure that all “boxes are checked” while telling a coherent and engaging story? Melissa Lee, the CEO of Massive Black, brings to the table discussion about different aspects of developing an inclusive visual language for video games, sharing dos and don’ts of DEI in visual development.

While there are industry bodies (like the IGDA) focused on sharing knowledge, promoting community, and celebrating the success stories coming from game developers and publishers, there is less focus on the challenges and issues specific to those of us that work in External Development. In this Table-Topic we’ll take the approach that, while XDS provides us with a valuable venue for discussions and networking, there is a need for a persistent industry body that continues and promotes conversation and sharing throughout the year. This discussion will be quite broad, exploring the functions this body could perform, how it could support service providers as well as developers, and explore some examples of where this has worked in games and other industries.

Building lasting relationships demands time, effort, and a deep understanding of companies’ needs to ensure partnerships lead to fruition and both parties remain delighted. It is also critical that the individuals/companies you choose to work with share the same values you believe in as a company. So how do you build a long-term relationship while ensuring they’re also a good fit for your company? In this Table-topic, we’ll address the importance of owning your company values and making them the foundation of your partnerships. In the first half, we’ll discuss the challenges that companies face while building partnerships. In the second half, we’ll discuss actions that both ends of the parties can take to make the partnership fruitful and the role that company values can have in ensuring success.

Given the proliferation of remote development in recent years, technical barriers have come crumbling down and yet many developers still often find themselves clinging to the mindset “what we do here creatively couldn’t possibly be understood or done outside of these walls”…why is that? How can we get to a point where partnerships are viewed as a source of creative chemistry and fresh ideas, pushing aside the antiquated notion that innovation can only be found in-house? What are the steps external partners should take to be more prepared to take on an active role in the creative process?

In this roundtable session we’ll share stories of successes, challenges, and failures on the topic of distributed Creative CoDevelopment from early prototyping through final polish. We’ll explore why we all still at times hold fast to partnership constructs of the past, and discuss how we can take strides towards harnessing & maximizing the potential of cross-studio creative collaboration.

Individuals on teams are not always proactive when it comes to signing up for peer mentoring programs or opportunities. How do we increase mentoring opportunities for team members and create a circle of mentoring? In this table-topic a flexible template of approaches to mentoring will first be presented. In the second half a discussion will be facilitated in order to gather and share specific approaches to mentoring that have worked for you and your teams. Ideas will be captured via Miro and shared.

Language defines a culture, person, and even games. AI and Machine Translation (MT) technology is improving at a fast pace. The ease of adding text into a search box and having access to numerous languages is efficient and appealing to developers. It can be cost effective and fast. However, what are games losing not being translated by a Human? Gaming itself is its own language, arguably something a machine may never fully understand. The purpose of localizing a game is for the player to identity and understand the game on a personal level. To be part of the game itself. Human translators understand and embrace this.

In this Table-Topic, we’ll compare the pros and cons of AI/MT and Human translators. We’ll discuss the future of localization technology and if there is a way for Human translators and technology to work together.

For any kind of service, in any country and regardless of the parties involved, deciding between an asset-based contract or a retainer seems to be an everlasting question. This table-topic aims at confronting all of the participant’s stakes to eventually come up with a more mutually beneficial approach.

Designers will have an understanding of the implications of a project which will likely differ from how engineers or artists view the same project. These are all manifestations of cultural diversity. In this Table-Topic, we’ll take the approach start from the perspective that we can make a difference in our systems and practices and become more intentionally inclusive. For the first half of the session, we will start with an introduction to some definitions including CQ plus common examples of cultural biases which show up in the games industry as we explore our various cultural identities and how they show up in the workplace.

In the second half, we’ll brainstorm specific strategies and actions for mitigating and disrupting bias every day, tacking topics such as:

• Mitigating bias in talent management & decision making

• Best practices for inclusion when working hybrid/with diverse teams

• Building phycological safety in teams and with partners

One of Our Presenting Sponsors, Keywords Studios, brings you our coveted Welcome Reception! Come by the Parq Patio for an event to remember, complete with delicious eats and magnificent views of Vancouver. Year over year, it has become clear that the Welcome Reception presented by Keywords Studios is definitely not to be missed!

Enjoy a light morning snack and some coffee or tea at the Glass Egg Central Bar, brought to you by our Presenting Sponsor, Glass Egg – a Virtuos Studio

Join us alongside Joe Nickolls at the GlobalStep Mainstage to open the second day of the 10 annual External Development Summit (XDS)!

Leah Hoyer is the GM and VP of Creative for Wizards of the Coast’s New IP Studio. She has developed and produced television series, video games, and interactive experiences for some of the world’s most beloved entertainment companies (Disney, Xbox, Telltale Games, Bungie) for over twenty years. She is a recognized expert in interactive storytelling and franchise development across various media. Leah is passionate about supporting diverse voices in entertainment and working to make everyone feel that gaming is for them. Please join us to discuss Leah’s journey, her outlook on the continued importance of external development, and what gets her excited about the future of gaming!

In the 2022 XDS Insights Report, the biggest concerns for Developers, Publishers, and Service Providers alike revolved around a scarcity of talent and market consolidation. The great resignation and the competition for talent has exacerbated capacity constraints, and to make things harder, the need for external development is showing no signs of slowing down. The importance of diversifying our Partners to stabilize capacity is apparent, but concerns with analyzing new partners or engaging with small vendors with no track record can be challenging.

This presentation will help Developers and Publishers diversify with confidence by presenting tips and tricks to elevate due diligence processes. This session will also provide value to established and n00b Service Providers by giving an insight into what questions are important for Developers and Publishers when hunting for the perfect Partner.

Take a break from attending sessions or meetings and grab a meal to keep you going!

A frank discussion of how multinational companies are sharing resources to new geographic locations and leveraging global talent for success and strategic development advantages. With 65% of employees reporting they are wanting to work remotely full-time, Global Mobility has a golden moment to align more closely with top AAA talent. Global Mobility enhances attraction for top talent, deployment of capable employees, knowledge sharing, and talent retention.

Enjoy some coffee or tea at the Glass Egg Central Bar, brought to you by Presenting Sponsor, Glass Egg – A Virtuos Studio

In January 2020, Phoenix Labs was acquired by Garena, transforming it from a venture capital-backed independent company to a unit within a publicly traded global gaming giant. Our corporate planning changed dramatically – and our ExDev strategy had to change with it. This talk is a practical review of how and why ExDev strategies change; how External Development contributes to and is driven by wider corporate strategies; and how Service Providers actually experience these strategies in practice

Enjoy a beverage (or two!) after a day of networking and knowledge sharing, Presented by Amber Studios!

Join us for what may well be one of the most fun and adventurous and shiny XDS parties yet. We take you to Good Co. Granville – a hot location where you can play games, enjoy some food and drinks while casually networking! The venue is multi-level, so there will be quieter spaces to have a conversation. Or if you prefer, dance until the early morning as you fuel up with craft beers and tasty food.

Enjoy a light morning snack and some coffee or tea at the Glass Egg Central Bar, brought to you by our Presenting Sponsor, Glass Egg – a Virtuos Studio

This session will focus on service provider preparedness, being ready for the requirements of the onboarding and engagement process with buyers. There are many things to consider when reaching out to a buyer, and requirements can range from company to company. Everyone benefits when Providers know these steps and come prepared when making contact with Buyers.

With this in mind, this session will begin with a short panel which will bring together veteran service providers and buyers to discuss the various things a potential partner can do before first contact. The conversation will then turn to an open roundtable style discussion in which everyone in the session has a chance to ask questions and discuss solutions with the panel and their peers in a moderated open forum.

We will cover topics around cybersecurity, insurance, contract negotiations, portfolios and services kept up to date, what is the best way to get noticed, etc. Basically a compendium of considerations for buyers and sellers so that everyone is better prepared. Onboarding can be complex, come explore how we can streamline the process through transparency.

The takeaway for all attendees is a better understanding of preparation before contact and setting requirement expectations early on for both sides of the relationship.

NOTE: Due to space limitations we can only accommodate 50 attendees. Sign-up is required.

Grab a much needed pick me up to get you through the last day of XDS! Presented by Endava

Take a break from attending sessions or meetings and grab a meal to help you wrap up the last day of XDS on a high note!

We as individuals and as part of the External Development community have a role to play to step up for the environment and push our companies to reduce carbon footprint. But where to start and what realistically can we do as Service Providers and Developers to address this common concern? Everyone can make a difference and every action counts as demonstrated with this year’s XDS Sustainability Vision.

In this Table-Topic, we’ll start by listing the steps needed to acknowledge and analyze our carbon footprint. We’ll look at how to contribute at our scale to raise awareness among our companies, and what solutions or steps to propose. We’ll also explain how those actions can have a positive impact on our business. The outcomes of this table-topic are meant to be a source of inspiration for everyone!

From cave paintings to text-to-image transformer models, we are embarked on a fast-evolving process that opens incredible perspectives for the creation of high-quality digital assets. How can game studios leverage AI assisted methods in the coming years? In this table-talk we’ll explore the future of AI in game production and showcase a research project where Endava’s R&D team approached 3D digital content creation leveraging the latest AI models. First, we will describe our motivation and innovative approach to text to 3D creation. We will discuss the state of the art creations that our method produces but also some limitations of the technology. In the second part, we’d like to spark a discussion about how such approaches can helps artists ideate and generate 3D objects that can populate the future metaverses.

With questions like:

• What style of game or what type of game is AI going to subsume first in terms of content creation?

• How can you leverage research to push forward on your innovation and increase efficiency at the same time?

• What if AGI comes out? Are we moving in the right direction, or will we never even get there?

• How would we know if AI generated something? And if AI did it and it took half the time then should it be half the cost?

In this Table-Topic we will explore, refine, and build upon our findings from our panel at Ignite. What are the essential soft skills and tools, training networks, and possible actions that will enable us to collectively answer the question of: “What could an XDS Mentorship Program offer?”

In this Table-Topic we will briefly review our Ignite session findings and expand upon and refine our identified blockers & solutions. During the later half we will explore, add, and discuss some of the call-to-action ideas that came up. Our hope is that by refining these ideas we leave the session with a foundation to enable a vision for what the XDS Mentorship Program can become.

There is a lot at stake when entering any relationship – for both parties! An important component in running and maintaining successful relationships are the parties’ ability to take responsibility for their end of the business.

In this Table-Topic, we will dive into responsibilities in different stages of external development (pre-engagement and during engagement), initially brainstorming the most important responsibilities on both the Dev/Pub and Service Provider side. Followed by discussion on how we can make these responsibilities meaningful, actionable, and measurable.

Emerging technology such as AI and machine learning, the cloud and blockchain are significantly changing the way we build games, and this is only the beginning. Are we ready for the impact of emerging tech on external development? It’s time to talk about what this means and how we, as an industry, want to thoughtfully and responsibly navigate these changes.

In this table topic, we will discuss topics such as how we can leverage AI to reduce mundane work and unleash more creativity and innovation, while scaling content to meet demand, and how cloud computing allows developers and service providers to work together more effectively and securely. We will also discuss challenges emerging tech presents such as fears of job security as AI becomes better and faster at content creation and how the rise of NFTs and blockchain can complicate ownership of over assets and code.

The last 5 years have seen an unprecedented number of investments and acquisitions in our industry. When is the right time to take outside money? Too early and you forgo future growth in valuation, too late and you miss the peak. How does a company go about making the determination to seek investment? Once they do, how can they start an effective process, and with whom?

This table topic will explore both the reasoning behind, and process of, taking outside money. The first part of the session will focus the WHY: what are good reasons for taking outside money and how do you know if the time is right? The second part of the session will look at the various ways to engage with potential investors and run a process for the best outcome.

NOTE: This session is aimed at business owners/shareholders and potential acquires alike. Multiple points of view and perspectives are very welcome

External Development Managers are often misunderstood because they do not share the same challenges as their teammates. Very few game companies have Job Matrix that fully comprehend what they contribute and provide the proper track for growth within the company. External Development Managers have a manager they report to but not all have good mentors to guide them in their journey. As result, many managers feel undervalued and underappreciated within their workplace.

In this table topic, we will discuss ways to create a more nurturing environment for existing External Development Managers at work. We will also dive into things we can do to bring up the next generation as well as identify potential managers within this industry.

NOTE: This session is targeted at Outsourcing Managers who work for Developers/Publishers.

Once upon a time, inclusivity in games was relegated to consumers possibly getting an additional in-game character choice as an option. Now, Developers, Publishers, and Service Providers are working every day to bring diverse lead characters and stories to the forefront, with new creators and ways of developing games growing exponentially around the world. Service Providers are in a unique position to grow this talent at their companies and create opportunities for diverse storytelling with their Developer clients. How can we, as Developers and Service Providers, work together to best foster this in the global games industry?

In this Table-Topic, we’ll discuss how distributed global teams are pioneering in this space, and how Service Providers and their clients can work together to think about the needs of all types of consumers who are playing their games today. We’ll share experiences we’ve had, and brainstorm ideas together for driving inclusivity further in the games industry.

Enjoy some coffee or tea at the Glass Egg Central Bar, brought to you by Presenting Sponsor, Glass Egg – A Virtuos Studio

Join us for the XDS Wrap Party + Awards, Presented by Airship Images! Enjoy live music, beverages, canapés and reminisce on the past three days at XDS. This is the perfect opportunity to say farewell, and find out who will go home with one of the XDS 2022 Gary awards!