Inaugural Devcom line-up finalised

Devcom has put the finishing touches on the schedule for its first ever conference.

The event was created in the wake of GDC Europe, which is not returning to Cologne this year, and precedes annual games consumer and trade show Gamescom.

The organisers have previously announced Epic Games' Tim Sweeney will deliver a keynote speech, which notable developers Blizzard and Bohemia Interactive will also offer talks.

As the conference approaches, more highlights have emerged from the final speaker line-up.

Gamevil President Kyu Lee will also deliver a keynote on how MMORPGs are expected to change the mobile market on Monday 21st August. Later that day, EverQuest developer Brad McQuiad will be talking about the evolution of games development and why hardcore gamers are still happy to pay for a subscription in a free-to-play world.

Meanwhile on Wednesday 23rd August, Brendan Greene - also known as PlayerUnknown - will discuss his journey from modder to creative director of this year's smash hit PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, an Early Access game that has already shifted 7m copies in six months.

Finally, Richard Garriott of Ultima fame will reflect on his 43-plus year career and offer advice to the next generation of games developers.

You can find the full schedule at Devcom's website.

Last month, we spoke to the Devcom organisers about how their "more holistic" approach to conference structure will fill the void left by GDC Europe.

Devcom will be held at Cologne's Koelnmesse throughout next week, kicking off on Sunday August 20th and running alongside Gamescom until Thursday, August 24th.

GamesIndustry.biz will be covering some of the biggest talks. You can keep track of our coverage through our dedicated Devcom section, accessible from the navigation bar or via this link.