The annual New Zealand Game Developers Conference will return from 30 September to 3 October, with a full week of developer talks, demos, networking, showcases, and more.
Since 2004, NZGDC has become a major gathering for developers in New Zealand, with a particular focus on knowledge sharing and community growth.
This mission has grown with the success of an array of New Zealand studios, including Grinding Gear Games (Path of Exile), Black Salt Games (Dredge), Dinosaur Polo Club (Mini Motorways) and Balancing Monkey Games (Before We Leave), many of which have appeared at the conference in the past to share more of their story and elevate the local industry as a whole.
In the lead up to this year’s conference, the NZGDC team has revealed the full program for 2026, confirming a range of guest speakers and game showcases.
NZGDC 2026 highlights – quick links
Highlights from the NZGDC 2026 schedule
Several major developers and publishers are on board to present at this year’s NZGDC, including Aggro Crab (Peak), Grinding Gear Games (Path of Exile 2) and Dead Teapot (Shape Sender Deluxe).
There’s also an intriguing-sounding talk from Alfred Reynolds, a former developer at Valve who co-founded and co-developed game platform Steam, alongside talks on major, important industry issues such as generative AI, protecting studio culture, the regulation challenges around loot boxes, and the importance of art.
Here are some of the highlights from the announced NZGDC schedule.
Special Event: The Worlds We Build Through IRL Experiences (1 October)
‘In an industry often focused on what happens on-screen, it can be easy to overlook the impact of the off-screen, IRL experiences: the events that bring disciplines together, the collaborations that bridge cultures and regions, and the intentional moments that foster connection, trust, and belonging across creative communities.’
Aggro Crab: The Publisher Arc (1 October)
‘This panel will cover the recent announcement of Aggro Crab Publishing. Paige and Corey will answer questions about what Aggro Crab plans to do differently as publishers and SELF-publishers of their own games.’
Funding Opportunities for Indie Studios (2 October)
GenAI vs. Gen Z: Hearing the student voice of the AI debate (2 October)
‘While the conversation and the debate about the future of AI and the policies that would govern its use are still going on, a shift has already occurred in classrooms. This talk presents the findings of the survey we did at Media Design School at Strayer in New Zealand to gauge the students’ use and stance towards the use of AI in their education and in the gaming industry as their future profession.’
Shipping Loot Boxes into a Regulatory Storm (2 October)
‘Loot boxes are one of the most commercially significant mechanics in modern game monetisation. Yet for many New Zealand studios, the legal picture will be unclear … This session will give game developers and producers a practical legal briefing on the risk profile of loot box and randomised reward mechanics in 2026.’
Panel with the Co-Creator of Steam Alfred Reynolds (3 October)
‘Alfred Reynolds is a former developer at Valve who worked there between 2008 [and] 2018, we are blessed to have him now live in NZ to pass on some of his wisdom such as co-founding and developing Steam, managing all the technical support for Counter Strike, doing macOS and Linux ports for all of Valves games, building Steam Machine, working closely with Gabe Newell, and more.’
What to expect of NZGDC 2026
As announced, these panels and many more will be delivered throughout the week of NZGDC 2026, for a chance to learn more about the local New Zealand games industry and the folks working within it.
Beyond the panels, there will also be opportunities to connect with like-minded game developers and publishers through networking sessions, as well as to experience new game demos and first-hand presentations by developers in the Kiwi Games Zone, which is currently open for applications.
This space is an expansion of NZGDC’s core goal, of providing a space for developers and publishers to connect and collaborate.
