Join us in Utrecht on the 1st of February for our monthly Network Lunch!

Every first Wednesday of the month, Dutch Game Garden hosts a free networking lunch for the Dutch game industry in Utrecht. It is an opportunity for creative professionals, teachers, project leaders, future interns, students, potential clients, and others interested in the industry to meet, mingle and share their projects and questions.

Program (12:00 – 14:00)

• 12:00 – Doors open
• 12:05 – Opening presentation and announcements from Dutch Game Garden
• 12:10 – Shout-outs – share your announcement or question in 3 sentences!
• 12:15 – Lunch with games showcases

Showcasing

Want to showcase a game live during the Network Lunch and get valuable feedback? You can and it’s free, but we have limited spots available each lunch.
Dutch Game Garden can provide an office desk with a screen and power sockets or an INDIGO Cabinet, but please note that you need to bring your own laptop and mouse/keyboard/controllers.
More info and sign up through the showcasing form.

Sign up

Note: only through registration, limited places available. Sign up here.

How do you acquire new projects, funding and players in and out of the video game industry? Ellis Bartholomeus and Michiel Sala have learned the ropes in the last two decennia. They will discuss the ups and downs of working with clients, stakeholders and end-users. Or in Michiel’s words: developing stuff for 100 euros an hour is the worst way to build a sustainable business. Why do money-makers develop nothing, and why don’t developers make money? That’s the discussion for this evening.

Program

18:00 Walk in – Grab a bite (bring your own)
19:00 Bar Talk with Ellis Bartholomeus and Michiel Sala
19:25 Refreshments
19:30 Q&A – ask the speaker anything!
19:45 Informal mixer. Bring your own game and playtest!
23:00 End of event.

See you there, don’t forget to bring your friends!

Register
RSVP here.

About
GameDevCafé is a monthly gathering of game professionals in Utrecht. Share, care and play (each others’) games in an informal friendly setting.

This talk will preview a forthcoming academic book that discusses why games are not mainstream and how game journalism can help them gain cultural credibility.

First, both the history and current practices of game journalists will be discussed, along with the roles writers and industry play in conveying that the medium is a “mainstream” form of entertainment. Second, the bumpy process of what we think of as “mainstreaming” will be unpacked. Ultimately, we will grapple with two provocative questions: will games ever gain widespread cultural acceptance, and should they even?

Hosted by David B. Nieborg, an Associate Professor of Media Studies at the University of Toronto and a Visiting Professor (’22-’23) at the University of Amsterdam.

The Global Game Jam® (GGJ®) is the world’s largest game creation event taking place in physical locations across the globe. Think of it as a 48 hour hackathon focused on game development around a theme. The event takes place from 3-5 February and there are several Dutch locations open to anyone again this year

Jam sites NL
The following jam sites are open for anyone in the Netherlands to attend in person, you can register through the corresponding links bellow:

• Hogeschool van Amsterdam
• TU/e GameDev Eindhoven
• Groningen
• Sickhouse, Enschede

More info
Jam site registration and other important dates can be found on the GGJ website.