2024 Developer Showcase and look ahead to 2025

As we extend our half-price offer on demo stations & tables (including an expanded exhibitor program) for NG25 Spring into December, we look back at last May’s success, the foundation for our Showcase plans in 2025.

Nordic Game’s twentieth anniversary edition last May significantly expanded our Developer Showcase, underlining Nordic Game’s continuing commitment to game startups and growing studios in the region, across Europe and around the globe.

More than 100 developers, either as part of country delegations or as stand-alone exhibitors, demonstrated their titles on the show floor, which also featured a dedicated stage for pitches and presentations. As a program bonus, mentor group The Mighty Diamonds provided expert advice and support to Developer Showcase participants.

“The Developer Showcase was great, and the games showcased there were unique and impressive. It was a great experience and I recommend anyone who has the chance to attend!” Paul Sendroiu, game developer and programmer

Here were the 2024 Developer Showcase cornerstones that made the experience such a success:

Custom-designed demo stations on the show floor

Over 1300 sqm at Nordic Game 2024 were dedicated to Developer Showcase demo stations and group delegation booths. The show floor bustled with energetic teams presenting their projects to the many investors, publishers, media and other games industry participants at Nordic Game’s 20-year jubilee.

The Mighty Diamonds mentorship

A collective of games industry veterans in game design, production, marketing, business and management, The Mighty Diamonds provided their expertise to indie developers and studios in 2024 with personal meetings, informative talks on stage and special activities for exhibiting developers.

Developer (Pitch) Stage

Featuring a program entirely for developers, with talks and panels giving advice on topics from tech to business, the Developer Stage was a central hub for Developer Showcase exhibitors in 2024. Many of the talks were presented by The Mighty Diamonds, but there were also ad hoc sessions by exhibitors themselves, as well as a string of special events (see below).

“Few conferences have been as fun and great for my career as Nordic Game. Every time I attend, I leave not just with great new contacts and business opportunities sitting in my lap, but also a new group of friends!” Alec Shea, composer and sound designer

Video game influencers

Nordic Game also partnered with Spelkollektivet, a Swedish indie developer collective that planned and executed a pre-show campaign to attract game influencers to NG24 Spring, and especially the Developer Showcase.

Spelkollektivet successfully coaxed important Swedish influencers to visit the NG24 Spring and record interviews with developers while trying their games.

Publishers & Investors Day

The 2024 Publishers & Investors Day offered investors and publishers a valuable opportunity to connect with emerging talents in the NG24 Spring Developer Showcase and discover potential publishing and investment opportunities firsthand.

Nordic Game also organised related sub-events on the same day, including the exclusive VC-focused Games Capital Summit, where twelve selected game projects were presented to a group of equity investors. Participants included Acequia Capital, Behold Ventures, Dreamcraft, GameTech Ventures, GFR Fund, London Venture Partners and Makers Fund, among others.

Speed pitching

A key NG24 Spring event for publishers looking to add new games to their portfolios was the Developer Showcase kick-off session, Nordic Game Speed Pitching. Hosted by Nordic Game program director Jacob Riis, the competition served as an initial, easy overview for busy participants.

Around 70% of the exhibiting studios submitted presentations for this fast-paced and entertaining concept, with each developer limited to one minute on stage and one slide projection to present their game. Participating publishers included Tencent Games, Nordisk Film Games and Bonus Stage Publishing.

Pitch battle contest

The 2024 Developer Showcase Game of the Year was decided by a pitch battle between three selected studios exhibiting at NG24 Spring.

In a fun, game show-inspired format, the studios pitched their games on stage through four rounds of tough questions. Victorious Ukrainian developer Twigames won over the judges and live audience with their touching title Hollow Home.

“Connecting minds and forging innovations; Nordic Game serves as a vital catalyst, uniting game developers across the Nordic region, fostering conversation and collaboration, all to push our industry to new heights.” Bergur Finnbogason, Creative Director, CCP Games

Showcase at Nordic Game 2025

We’ve extended our half-price offer on demo stations & tables (including an expanded exhibitor program) for NG25 Spring into December, so don’t delay – get your two-for-one Nordic Game 2025 business pass and upgrade to a demo station at half-price today!

Join our exhibitors, sponsors and partners

Nordic Game would not be gathering the games industry in Malmö each spring without the enthusiastic participation of thousands of talented game developers from the Nordic region and across the globe for over two decades. Thank you!

We’re also tremendously grateful for the unwavering support of our exhibitors, sponsors and partners. Many of them have already signed-up for our upcoming show, but we’re always ready to welcome new partnerships.

About the Nordic Game conference

Nordic Game is the leading games conference in Europe. Gathering thousands of industry professionals in the spring each year, Nordic Game is the one and only “home turf” meeting place for the highly successful game developers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

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