Talking

Kick Off Conference

Workshops

Roundtables

Speakers

June 11

Ed Fries, Gian Marco Zanna, Cristina Nava, Luca Breda

From Vision to Reality: A conversation between Ed Fries & the founders of Day 4 Night

2.45 PM - 3.15 PM

What does it take to turn a creative spark into a studio — and to convince someone it’s worth backing? In this unique conversation, legendary game executive Ed Fries sits down with the Italian founders of Day 4 Night to talk about the long road from first ideas to first milestones. Together, they’ll share perspectives from both sides of the table: building a team, shaping a vision, and recognizing the moment when it’s time to believe in something — and make it real.

Josef Martinovsky

No Destination Needed: The Story Behind Keep Driving

4.30 PM - 5.00 PM

How do you build a game that’s small, personal, and unforgettable? In this chat with one of the creators of Keep Driving, we’ll explore the journey behind this pixel-art management RPG: from its nostalgic take on road trips and character-driven storytelling, to the challenges of working as a duo and finding the right creative scale. A conversation about pacing, limits, and how choosing the slow lane can sometimes take you the farthest.

Patrick Johnson

Playing Your Cards Right: The Story of Balatro

5.00 PM - 5.30 PM

How does an unexpected deck-building roguelike become one of the most talked-about indie games of 2024? In this fireside chat, we explore the rise of Balatro through the lens of its publisher. From the initial pitch to launch day and beyond, we’ll unpack the strategies, surprises, and lessons behind building and supporting a breakout success. What does it take to recognize the potential of a weird, wonderful idea — and how do you amplify it once the world starts paying attention?

June 12

Francesco De Rugeriis, Nicoletta Serao

From home development to video game studio: The story of a game developer and the legal 'monsters' they have to deal with

9.30 AM - 10.30 AM

Join us on an interactive journey into the legal world of video game development. Two experienced lawyers will guide the audience through the stages that take a developer from their early, almost hobbyist beginnings to establishing a structured company and beyond. For each stage — from product conception to publishing and distribution — the most common legal risks and concrete solutions will be illustrated.

June 13

Davide Pellino, Attilio Di Gaeta

Blue Prince: a procedural graphics style for a procedural video game

3.00 PM - 4.00 PM

Blue Prince is an ambitious procedural roguelike deckbuilder set in ever-changing environments. Behind its 2,000+ unique models is a tiny art team of just three. The secret? Four textures and one material, used procedurally and creatively to generate endless architectural variety with a unified style. Step inside Dogubomb’s workflow, where creativity meets smart optimisation.

Roundtables are one-hour 1-many meetings between an international guest (roundtable leader) and Italian developers, accessible only to “Developer Full Access” ticket holders, without reservation and subject to availability (max. 8 places per each roundtable).