The games industry can feel like a scary place right now, among what seems like a constant barrage of layoffs. It can be hard to see this and remain optimistic. At Games Factory Talents, however, we know things will eventually even out. We know your dream is still alive, and Games Job Fair Autumn 2023 was our way to ensure you can keep learning, evolving,
and moving towards it.
Despite the tough state of things, our three-day October iteration gathered 10 studios with 54 open positions, and 1114 talents from 86 countries, which resulted in 133 pre-booked one-on-one meetings between talents and studio representatives.
and moving towards it.
Despite the tough state of things, our three-day October iteration gathered 10 studios with 54 open positions, and 1114 talents from 86 countries, which resulted in 133 pre-booked one-on-one meetings between talents and studio representatives.
Categorization of the attending talents
Since the winding down of the pandemic our events have been traditionally hybrid, starting with the online days and followed by a hybrid final day where attendees can also join talks and meet the studios onsite. This event was no exception, and over 150 talents joined us onsite where, apart from the virtual stands, studios put up their physical stands.
Registration Onsite
Onsite Networking
Redhill Games Onsite
Recruitment Day as a Career Boost
When the going gets tough, the tough get organizing. We wanted to get as many career-boosting talks and panels into our event as we could, at a time when we know game development professionals need them the most. Day 1 of our October fair featured talks such as "How Have the Market Changes Affected Talent and Ideal Next Steps," "Respawning with Purpose: Reinventing Your Personal Brand for a Career in Gaming," "My Burnout Story: From Acceptance to Recovery," and more.
When the going gets tough, the tough get organizing. We wanted to get as many career-boosting talks and panels into our event as we could, at a time when we know game development professionals need them the most. Day 1 of our October fair featured talks such as "How Have the Market Changes Affected Talent and Ideal Next Steps," "Respawning with Purpose: Reinventing Your Personal Brand for a Career in Gaming," "My Burnout Story: From Acceptance to Recovery," and more.
How Have the Market Changes Affected Talent and Ideal Next Steps
Respawning with Purpose: Reinventing Your Personal Brand for a Career in Gaming
My Burnout Story: From Acceptance to Recovery
For Day 2 we wanted to go deeper into different specializations and provide new knowledge for our talents. Talks such as "The Language of Games: Exploring Verbal and Nonverbal Storytelling Techniques," "Developing and Maintaining a Niche Community in Video Games," and more, as well as our Creative Portfolio Review and brand new Animation Portfolio Review show this industry's professionals are always up for new skills and challenges.
Junior, mid-level, and senior gamedevs are struggling with different things, and we wanted to ensure everyone gets something useful out of their time with us. Most importantly, we want to provide everyone with actionable points to work, and improve on as they go after their upcoming job opportunities. This was very well-received, and we are very happy to have helped.
Junior, mid-level, and senior gamedevs are struggling with different things, and we wanted to ensure everyone gets something useful out of their time with us. Most importantly, we want to provide everyone with actionable points to work, and improve on as they go after their upcoming job opportunities. This was very well-received, and we are very happy to have helped.
Playtesting Best Practices
Creative Portfolio Review
Optimization Tips & Tricks in Unity
The Live Networking sessions at the virtual studio stands allowed attendees from all over the world to connect with studio representatives and receive answers to their questions in real time.
Metacore Virtual Networking
Gaijin Virtual Networking
Steer Studios Networking
New Challenges, Great Partners
These challenges are a great opportunity for talents to showcase their skills in various disciplines like programming, art, game design etc. They are also a learning experience to get a feel for what would be expected of them when going through a recruitment process. As test assignments are a very common way of evaluating the skills of an applicant, we work together with studios in shaping these tasks to be as close to them as possible. This is especially important for juniors, who lack experience with recruitment processes at various companies.
Redhill Games dropped a cool, fresh VFX Art Challenge for which participants made (and hopefully had) a blast, while Sloyd rolled in with its Sloyd in-a-Ball Render Challenge, producing wonderful microcosms. Game Designers made an extraordinary journey for the iconic Michigan Music Hall of Fame and Yahaha through the YAHAHA x MMHF Game Design Challenge. Last, but not least, HypeHype said it's game on, and got us all competing for the leaderboard of the HypeHype Play Challenge where attendees had to shoot our logo and get scores for it.
These challenges are a great opportunity for talents to showcase their skills in various disciplines like programming, art, game design etc. They are also a learning experience to get a feel for what would be expected of them when going through a recruitment process. As test assignments are a very common way of evaluating the skills of an applicant, we work together with studios in shaping these tasks to be as close to them as possible. This is especially important for juniors, who lack experience with recruitment processes at various companies.
Redhill Games dropped a cool, fresh VFX Art Challenge for which participants made (and hopefully had) a blast, while Sloyd rolled in with its Sloyd in-a-Ball Render Challenge, producing wonderful microcosms. Game Designers made an extraordinary journey for the iconic Michigan Music Hall of Fame and Yahaha through the YAHAHA x MMHF Game Design Challenge. Last, but not least, HypeHype said it's game on, and got us all competing for the leaderboard of the HypeHype Play Challenge where attendees had to shoot our logo and get scores for it.
Winning Entries of the Art Challenges at Games Job Fair Autumn 2023
The programming challenges were very popular this time as well. We have partnered up with Unity once again for a classic-with-a-twist Unity Programming Challenge, and the Code Review tackled by the lovely and returning Thomas Winkley and Sourav Chatterjee. The Unreal Engine Challenge got its spooks on, and its own great judges, Ari Arnbjörnsson of Epic Games and Tumi Guðmundsson of Myrkur Games, gave us a thorough Code Review.
Connecting Talents and Studios, Online and Onsite
Of course our onsite folks got another go at learning the best way possible; hands-on. Rob Carr of Redhill Games took participants through "The Art of Sound Design" and how that portion of the ever-important ambience is made, while Arja Martikainen helped alleviate those interview jitters through "Play & Learn the Basics Through Roleplay." Milla Pennanen of Game Makers of Finland helped talents analyze and manifest an ideal, functional company in "Creating the Best Game Country Together," and expert lawyer Maria Jauhianen joined her for another round of legal advice at the "Legal Employment Clinic."
While we had to close our online part of the day early for onsite networking with studios, our online Chat Roulette proved to be super popular. This means all the lovely folks participating digitally want to carry the good mood on to Friday evening, which we will be planning for next time.
Of course our onsite folks got another go at learning the best way possible; hands-on. Rob Carr of Redhill Games took participants through "The Art of Sound Design" and how that portion of the ever-important ambience is made, while Arja Martikainen helped alleviate those interview jitters through "Play & Learn the Basics Through Roleplay." Milla Pennanen of Game Makers of Finland helped talents analyze and manifest an ideal, functional company in "Creating the Best Game Country Together," and expert lawyer Maria Jauhianen joined her for another round of legal advice at the "Legal Employment Clinic."
While we had to close our online part of the day early for onsite networking with studios, our online Chat Roulette proved to be super popular. This means all the lovely folks participating digitally want to carry the good mood on to Friday evening, which we will be planning for next time.
The Art of Sound Design Workshop - Host: Rob Carr | Redhill Games
Creating the Best Game Country Together Workshop - Host: Milla Penannen | Game Makers of Finland
Play and Learn the Basics through an Interview Roleplay - Host: Arja Martikainen | Games Jobs Finland
As for the conclusion of the onsite day, there's no Friday in Finland without pizza, and HypeHype delivered on "Pizza perjantai" and then some! It was another great Hybrid Day at Espoo's Innopoli 2 campus and another great Afterparty by HypeHype, who also ran a super fun HypeHype challenge. Participants were asked to use the HypeHype app to play a Games Job Fair-themed game, and compete for the Top 3 places on the leaderboard to win prizes. It was a fierce race that even fired up the challenger spirit within our own team's ranks, and led to some wholesome friendly competition.
Between what is going on in the world and our very own industry, there is plenty to be sad and fearful about. We all need to take care of our well-being, but we also need to remember that better days always come. Game development professionals are a resilient, passionate group of people. We believe in you, and we want you to believe in yourselves as well.
Games Job Fair Autumn 2023 was a chance to tell you this very important thing; Don't give up. Rest and recharge, get your ducks in a row, keep learning and growing. This industry will embrace you whether you decide to keep going now, or whether you return to it later. Opportunities are out there, and yours will come eventually as well. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we hope you all feel stronger and rejuvenated to keep running with us.
Games Job Fair Autumn 2023 was a chance to tell you this very important thing; Don't give up. Rest and recharge, get your ducks in a row, keep learning and growing. This industry will embrace you whether you decide to keep going now, or whether you return to it later. Opportunities are out there, and yours will come eventually as well. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we hope you all feel stronger and rejuvenated to keep running with us.
"It's always a great experience to see the passion and creativity in our industry. Games Job Fair is an excellent platform for connecting with new talent and discovering fresh perspectives. We were thrilled to see the enthusiasm of the job seekers this autumn."
Oleg Paliy
CEO / Games Job Fairs organizer
Participating Studios
The next hybrid Games Job Fair!
Our next hybrid Games Job Fair will be held in the Spring of 2024! So we urge you to connect with us on our social networks and we look forward to seeing you again in a few months. Until then, we wish you success in finding your dream job and stay safe!
Our next hybrid Games Job Fair will be held in the Spring of 2024! So we urge you to connect with us on our social networks and we look forward to seeing you again in a few months. Until then, we wish you success in finding your dream job and stay safe!