GameON: Ventures conference heads to MaRS for 2016

While some of the brightest minds in science work out how to get us to Mars in the next couple of decades, some of the brightest minds in the games industry are descending on MaRS in Toronto on October 20th and 21st - that's the MaRS Discovery District rather than the Red Planet, a non-profit and hub dedicating to fostering innovation and growth.

This year's two-day GameON: Ventures event is diversifying in both the range of activities happening and the attendees making an appearance. Headline speakers from Spain, the UK, Argentina, Brazil, Nigeria, Sweden and the USA will be involved in keynotes, panels and workshops covering some of the key topics sparking discussion in the industry.

Take building gaming for kids, the subject of a day one panel: being successful in this market involves a lot more than adding brighter colours and cutting out the violence, something executives from 2Mundos, Tobo, Glorious Games and Planet Nemo Interactive will be discussing on stage.

Diversity and balance are also very much on the agenda for the games industry as a whole and at GameON: Ventures on October 20th and 21st. Speakers from high-profile publishers will outline how opening up workplaces to all cultures, ethnicities, abilities, genders and sexualities can help teams break into new markets and find new audiences through the age-old method of simply telling a good story.

"Speakers from high-profile publishers will outline how opening up workplaces to all cultures, ethnicities, abilities, genders and sexualities can help teams break into new markets and find new audiences through the age-old method of simply telling a good story"

And then there's the promise of virtual reality, perhaps the breakthrough gaming technology of the year - a session on the second day looks at marketing opportunities in VR that go way beyond movies and games, the two areas where early VR technologies have had the biggest impact so far.

This kind of tech can be used everywhere from museum galleries (so tourists get a more immersive experience) to hospital surgeries (giving doctors invaluable virtual training), and it's a topic that GameON: Ventures speakers will be digging right into. Lucie Lalumiere from 360 Story Lab is going to be moderating the VR session.

This year special attention is being given to fostering relationships, whether that's between developers and publishers, or investors and hardware makers. More opportunities for networking and a pitch competition have been worked into the schedule to give attendees a better chance to get to know each other and establish partnerships.

The pitch competition - first prize $10,000 in cash - will be contested by 20 companies. They'll first take part in an intensive pitching workshop on the first day, and a private jury of investors and publishers will choose four finalists to pitch in front of all conference delegates and another jury on the second day.

We're hoping it helps grease the wheels on what can be a potential sticking point inside the industry - publishers being able to find the right developers, and vice versa. Even those pitch participants who don't walk away with a prize will still have got their talents and portfolio in the shop window.

Also new in 2016 at GameON: Ventures is an Interactive Digital Media Expo, intended as a way to debut cutting-edge interactive products. That could be video games or mobile apps, or it could be e-learning tools, or it could be virtual and augmented reality experiences. Attendees will have the chance to wander around the Expo and get a sneak preview of what's coming soon in the Canadian and international games markets.

"It's an outward-looking conference too: one of the sessions is dedicated to the topic of "doing good through games" and discussing how video games can be a positive influence and effect real change for good, despite plenty of speculation to the contrary"

It's an outward-looking conference too: one of the sessions is dedicated to the topic of "doing good through games" and discussing how video games can be a positive influence and effect real change for good, despite plenty of speculation to the contrary. There are programs making a difference, and we'll be putting them to the fore.

There's perhaps no bigger indication of the rising star of GameON: Ventures than the appearance of keynote speaker John Romero, a legend in the games industry with iconic titles like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Quake in his list of credits.

While the gaming landscape has changed almost beyond recognition since the days of Wolfenstein 3D, the influence of those early shooters can still be seen in the very latest games. Romero has been at the centre of the industry while those changes have been happening, and he's promising event attendees the inside story.

"I'm going to be talking about my path through the game industry from the beginning and what the industry was like through all the major changes," says Romero. "There have been a LOT of changes and people will learn about things I've done that aren't really covered widely. I'm excited to be at GameON."

With the Canadian gaming industry now worth an estimated $3 billion, and the industry as a whole closing in on $100 billion in value, we want Game ON: Ventures to tap into some of that growth and help push it forward by bringing the right ideas and the right people together (and we hope it's still going by the time we eventually do get to Mars). Tickets for the event are now available here.