An incredible community. My personal experience.

Disclaimer: This DevLog is intended to help anyone, who is in a similar situation we are in at the moment. Everyone has to make their own decisions. This merely is our own honest view and opinion, based on our experience. We would love to hear from you, what you think about it all. We wish you all the success and fun you deserve with the development and release of your game! eXplore Studio

Last week was quite special to me. I had an amazing opportunity to go to EGX in London but after the crowds of loud people I had experienced earlier this year at Gamescom in Cologne, I was certainly not  eager, at first. But sometimes, it is important to go out of our comfort zone, seize the moment and embrace the vibes. And I can assure you, it did not disappoint. The people I met, the talks I listened to and the wide range of games I played (not even mentioning the food and drinks in the food court) made my time at EGX definitely enjoyable and unique.

Indeed, there was truly a distinctive atmosphere in the exhibition hall and a positive, I could feel so much passion and enthusiasm everywhere. The developers I had the pleasure to exchange with were so kind, and passionately shared all about their games, from the struggles and successes they have encountered during the development process to this exciting showcase time. And whether they were students or older, supported by a publishing company or doing it all on their own, they were all  radiating the same fervour and zeal that certainly boosted my energy levels and confidence for the future of our own game.

Moreover, the rich variety of panels offered this year on the different stages was fantastic,  but my focus this time  was primarily towards talks on equity,  diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry. I attended quite a few, and the talk by Special Effect had a huge impact on me. This charity based in England promotes inclusion in one of the most inspirational ways possible by supporting gamers with physical challenges. The occupational therapists and technologists consider each person according to their circumstances or physical abilities and provide accessible gaming and equipment to improve the quality of life of the people they support. It gives them the possibility to play video games and for some even the opportunity to go further by studying or working in the gaming industry (see link below if you want to learn more about Special Effect*).

Furthermore, I could not be at a gaming convention without playing games – or watching gamers play games! So, from indie games to AAA games, there was a lot to choose from. I usually gravitate towards casual games and at the end of my time at EGX 2023, I needed to choose my three favourite games to share them with other members of eXplore Studio.

Finally, to conclude this DevLog, I will use this quote from EGX: “People come to EGX to meet people, to make friends and to bond over something we all love.” (EGX on X, 15 October 2023) and a  massive ‘Thank you’ to all the people who make a difference in this world, you can be proud of all that you are doing.🙂

*https://www.specialeffect.org.uk/