If you have ever wondered what it actually takes to ship a game, GameDev Connect 26 is built exactly for you. The event runs on October 17 and 18, 2026 in Pavilion A1 of the Brno Exhibition Centre, and across two days it mixes talks, panel discussions and direct contact with people who make games for a living.
What the program covers
The lineup is aimed at both curious players and people who are seriously considering a career in the industry. Topics range from game testing and the very first steps in development all the way to making cinematics, so you get both the entry-level view and a look at specialized craft.
- Talks and discussions with experienced developers
- A chance to meet representatives of Czech game studios
- Space dedicated to studying and building a career in games
- An informal Saturday meetup for the developer community
That Saturday get-together is worth noting on its own – it is the kind of low-pressure setting where networking actually happens, rather than a stage with a microphone.
Game Showcase with 20 new titles
One of the biggest draws is the Game Showcase, which puts roughly twenty new indie and student games on the floor. You can sit down and play them right there, meet the people behind them and ask directly what the road from a first idea to a playable build looks like. If you like discovering smaller projects before they blow up, we cover plenty of them too – see for example our piece on Glasshouse.
Studios and job opportunities
Representatives of studios such as Hangar 13 and Giants Software will be on site with a behind-the-scenes look at professional development, plus information about open positions. For anyone weighing a move into the industry, that combination of portfolio feedback and real hiring info is the practical part of the weekend. The wider business side of games is a recurring topic for us as well, from studio layoffs to a survey on cheating and what it costs developers.
And a second gaming weekend in November
One gaming weekend in Brno may not be enough. The Life! festival returns to the same exhibition grounds on November 20–22. Autumn in Brno therefore offers two separate occasions to meet up around games: October is mainly about creators and the developer community at GameDev Connect, and a month later the season continues at Life!.
Tickets and details
More information and tickets are available on game-connect.cz. If you want to keep an eye on what else is happening in games in the meantime, our gaming articles hub collects everything in one place.
FAQ
On October 17 and 18, 2026, in Pavilion A1 of the Brno Exhibition Centre.
Attend talks and discussions with experienced developers, meet representatives of Czech game studios, explore options for studying or working in games, try out new indie and student titles, and drop by the informal Saturday community meetup.
Around twenty new indie and student games, all playable on site, with their authors available to talk to.
Representatives of studios including Hangar 13 and Giants Software, who will share insight into professional development and information about job opportunities.
Tickets and full details are on the official site game-connect.cz.