What are the best ways to network in the gaming industry?

Develop Brighton is a great event for networking and the expo is free to attend. Another is the Guildford games festival, also free.

The obvious has been mentioned already, so ill try something different. Kickstart your gaming network in a more unique way: Launch a niche podcast or YouTube channel focusing on specific gaming interests to attract industry folks. Dive into game development challenges, offering feedback and collaboration, not just competition. Utilize Discord to foster or join communities around gaming niches, creating a space for shared learning. Contribute to open-source projects or indie game critiques, showcasing your passion and skills. This approach turns networking into a creative, collaborative adventure, deeply rooted in genuine shared interests.

Participate in events because games are also events. Additionally, events provide; - Finding a new teammate, - Finding people with whom you will establish a company in the future, - Finding people to whom you can transfer solutions at lower costs, - Meeting investors or publishers, - And most importantly, change your perspective

GDC, Leap and Gitex are most impotant events out there for game enthusiasts to attend and network. Actually events play a vital role in networking. People do remember you face though when you try to catch up with them.

It actually also depends on your career status and what you intend to do with the networks you establish. If you are an aspiring game developer looking to get some ideas or just to find out more - gamejams at physical locations and hang-out sessions would be your best bet. If you are an indie developer looking to grow your business then usually a more B2B approach like pitching, public play-tests and trade-shows is also a wise-choice. In Malaysia - there are plenty opportunities for gamejams, the most notable is the Global Game Jam usually at the end of every January. The IGDA Malaysian chapter is also a good place to meet young developers. And for B2C and B2B events, the LevelUP event held every year is a great place to network.

Platforms like Reddit's r/gamedev, Twitter, and Discord servers provide avenues for engagement, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. For instance, participating in discussions on Reddit's gamedev subreddit allows you to connect with developers, share experiences, and seek advice. Additionally, Discord servers dedicated to game development, such as Indie Game Developers.

Participate in online forums, social media groups, and communities dedicated to gaming and game development. Platforms like Reddit (e.g., r/gamedev, r/IndieDev), Discord servers, and LinkedIn groups can provide networking opportunities and valuable connections.

Scout communities focused on your specific niche or tech stack rather than broad generalist spaces. Join multiple selectively for diverse perspectives. Unsubscribe respectfully when priorities evolve. Lurk first, then engage through helpful questions, thoughtful commentary and high-quality shares.

There are several communities on Discord and even on Linkedin which can help you network via posting content on your behalf or helping you connect with the right person.

You can find various communities on the internet based on certain engines or game genres, programming, sound, 3D/2D design and such. GameDev.tv is one of the greatest beginner-friendly communities you can find. Unity and Unreal have their communities for networking from all levels. Even other engines also have a community of people willing to help each other out such as Godot, GameMaker, RPG Maker so more... Go to itch.io and follow game jams, join their discord channel and network with people to work with.

If you have expertise in a particular aspect of gaming, consider creating content such as articles, videos, or tutorials. Sharing your knowledge and insights can attract like-minded individuals and potential collaborators.

Creating content can help you alot in connecting with the right audience. For example every product based studio follows engine or art style. So if you are fond of them or even want to attract them. Youc an create content similar to that and there you go!

Sharing your content is essential. Devlogs, Steam demos, itch.io page, social media pages, website portfolios... all these are essential to gather attention to create a community under your product. If you give people a product to make content with and kickstart with these resources, people will start to create content using your game. Therefore you have already started to get noticed and this time people will come to you for networking.

Creating a product beforehand for your brand will give you a one step forward then your competitors. A working MVP will always get more points then an idea. You can pitch your product and its working and sponsors can understand it better compared to only a vocal presentation. Higher chances of funding, having a product also means that you will be constantly getting constructive feedbacks to improve your project.

A good way to create content is doing game jams, as the short time frame will encourage to bring to life smaller ideas, instead of larger scale projects that can be overwhelming. Many small experimental games can show versatility and adaptability too.

The best way to get what you are looking for is through cold outreach via social media. Though there are many ways to network, cold outreach is effective and efficient. It helps you build connections with individuals across the globe, which can assist you in finding a job, securing a mentor, collaborating on projects, and more. It's important to note that cold outreach doesn't guarantee a response from everyone, but there are procedures that can increase your chances. These procedures include maintaining a good profile, being authentic and starting the conversation with a commonality between you and the person you're reaching out to. Not everyone is obligated to help you, but you will find great friends in the process.

Look for gaming meetups, developer gatherings, and industry networking events in your area. Websites like Meetup.com often list relevant events where you can meet people face-to-face.

Reaching out to people will not always end up as friendly as it can be. There will be toxic people who will see you as competition but as well there will be people who would love to work with you. It is a process of trial and error. Experiment and find like-minded people with similar targets. The best way to find like-minded people is by attending game jams.

When your building something, its really important that you setup meetings with like minded people to discuss your problem. Like what the users would want. Set up feedback sessions with your users. You are building a brand and its ecosystem contains several people. You would want to get perspective from everyone. Deep dive into those edge cases. Sometimes a layman can give a better feedback for your product. Consider that too

Look at the target position you wish to occopy and in linkedin, look at people that have a similar job title as your goal and reach out. You have a chance of being mentored, or at least given a lead to where to start/go.

Build a professional website or portfolio showcasing your work, projects, and achievements. Maintain active profiles on relevant social media platforms, particularly Twitter, LinkedIn, and Twitch, where many gaming professionals engage.

Brand is the main thing. If you have a brand then you have a worth in the market. People would want to come to you. They will be attracted towards your brand to discuss collaborations. You will have a clear thought on what you want to convey to the user. Even if you fail, you can always rebrand and make your next move better. See what you lacked before and try to improve that in your next venture..!!!

Platforms like LinkedIn, industry events, and game development communities offer opportunities to showcase your authentic self. For instance, sharing personal experiences, achievements, and challenges on LinkedIn can attract like-minded professionals and foster meaningful connections. However, authenticity requires vulnerability and courage to express opinions and emotions openly.

Understand your values, strengths, weaknesses, and goals within the gaming industry. Being self-aware allows you to present yourself authentically to others

It is cool when person going after they dreams in game development. Relying on the personal strong sides will help greatly to stand out. If it's hard to start - it's okay, think about like it's raw power that should be refined. After some tries it will work, it always does. And it will attrack other people with similar interests as well. Anyway, you will be always able to drop authenticity in the future. :)

Gaming Industry is huge and there are several genres in it. So be specific about what are you targeting. Come up with a small MVP. Publish it on content pages. Attend events and showcase your expertise to the relevant networks through your ideation.

Participate in game jams, challenges and competitions. They're great opportunities to collaborate, learn and promote your work. Follow industry leaders on social media. Stay up to date on developments, and engage thoughtfully with your favourite creators. Contribute helpful content like tutorials, guides or case studies about your process. Provide value before asking for feedback.

Working in Bucharest at a game company, a colleague that was organizing a game conference in Ipswich East Anglia, I was invited to speak at it, and this is how I've meet John Romero and other great people from the industry, bridging international borders.

Networking is a two-way street. Listen actively and be ready to help others without expecting something in return. Do not network to advance your career or get a job as your primary driver. I recommend looking at Robert Dilenschneider’s book, The Ultimate Guide to Power and Influence, where he discusses networking and relationships with some great stories as examples.

There are numerous ways to distinguish ourselves and progress in this field. While luck may seem to play a role, readiness to seize opportunities is paramount. Engaging genuinely in conversations, building respectful relationships, and understanding our networking goals guide our actions—whether expanding our network, generating leads, sourcing vendors, or identifying collaboration opportunities. Providing value through our expertise and experiences fosters connections. Authenticity is key; sincerity resonates more than pretense.