The game industry has been evolving rapidly, and real-time communication has become a crucial aspect of game development. PubNub, a leading provider of real-time APIs and SDKs, has been attending multiple key gaming conferences, including GDC 2023, to showcase its innovative solutions and engage with the game development community. In this post, we’ll explore our presence at GDC 2023 and other gaming conferences.
GDC 2023
Game Developers Conference (GDC) attracts game developers, industry professionals, and enthusiasts from around the world. In 2023, GDC took place in San Francisco, showcasing new games and the latest trends, technologies, monetization strategies, and innovations in game development and game design from companies such as Microsoft, Nintendo, RiotGames, Scopely, Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, and more. PubNub, being a prominent player in real-time communication solutions, had an active presence at GDC 2023, engaging with game industry members and sharing our expertise in real-time technologies.
We boasted a booth presence, where we interacted with numerous game industry members, discussing our real-time solutions and how we can enhance the gaming experience for their web, desktop, console, VR, and mobile games. We also delivered presentations, showcasing our innovative technologies with live demos and how these features can benefit game developers. Moreover, attendees were treated to some cool PubNub swag (including a comic book!).
One of the highlights of PubNub's participation at GDC 2023 was a joint presentation with the Dolby.io team, featuring Braden Riggs and Angelik Laboy Torres at the Dolby booth. The talk, titled No Headset, No Problem! Bringing Social Gaming to Every Device, delved into the aspects that make games social and immersive, exploring how the future of social gaming and the Metaverse is not limited by players' hardware. We even showcased a live, metaverse Unity game that allows players to connect with their mobile devices and appear in-game.
We also attended the GDC 2023 After Party Meetup hosted by the SF Game Development Group. Held at the DNA Lounge, PubNub and Dolby.io presented the same demo given at the Dolby booth during GDC.
We met and connected with many game industry members, all while listening to booming video game remixes and everyone having a great time. You can take a peek at all the fun with the highlights video.
AWS for Games Workshop
PubNub participated in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) for Games Workshop, held on March 30, 2023. This virtual event focused on guiding game developers to build and deploy real-time features in their games using various AWS services.
During the AWS for Games Workshop, we provided guidance to Unity developers on how to integrate PubNub's Unity SDK to power real-time features in their games. The workshop covered various aspects, such as implementing in-game chat, player presence, chat moderation, friend lists, leaderboards, lobbies, trading, and push notifications. These features not only enhance the gaming experience but also enable developers to create immersive gaming worlds that keep players engaged and connected.
East Coast Game Conference 2023
The East Coast Game Conference (ECGC) hosts game developers, indie studios, and enthusiasts alike on the East Coast. In 2023, PubNub attended ECGC, interacting with students, professionals, and industry members, further expanding our presence in the game development community.
We held a talk titled How To Deliver Real-Time Features That Maximize Game Engagement, emphasizing the importance of social features in online games. The session explored various social features that can be implemented to improve player experiences, as well as the solutions to make infrastructure setup as easy as possible. This talk allowed attendees to gain valuable insights into the role of real-time communication in creating engaging and immersive gaming experiences.
Nordic Game Conference 2023
The Nordic Game Conference (NG) is another influential event in the game industry, held in Malmö, Sweden. In 2023, the conference is taking place between May 23 and May 26, attracting game developers and industry professionals from across the globe. We will be actively participating in two pre-recorded talks.
The first talk, also presented at the East Coast Game Conference, focuses on the importance of social features in online games and how to implement them effectively. The session provides valuable insights into improving player experiences and simplifying the infrastructure setup. The presentation details can be found on NG's website.
The second talk at the Nordic Game Conference is a joint presentation with Dolby.io, similar to the one held at GDC 2023. Titled No Headset, No Problem: Building Social Gaming Experiences for Any Device, the talk explores the aspects that make games social and immersive, and how the future of gaming is not limited by players' hardware. The presentation details can also be found on NG's website.
We'll be available in the NG23 Discord server during the event to answer questions and connect with attendees. To watch these sessions and other pre-recorded talks, as well as ask questions and connect with industry members, make sure to reserve your tickets.
Looking Forward
Our involvement in these events has allowed us to engage with the game development community, showcasing our real-time communication solutions, and sharing valuable insights on enhancing the gaming experience. We remain committed to supporting game developers so they can build communities and connections within their games, ensuring players stay engaged and entertained.
As part of our ongoing commitment to the game industry, we plan to attend more game conferences and events in the future. Visit our website at pubnub.com to learn more about PubNub, including blogs, guides, and developer resources such as tutorials, demos, and documentation, and follow our social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook) to be notified about any important updates.
