Advocacy body State of Play NSW has announced an evening of five-minute microtalks for New South Wales game developers, as a means to inspire and aid networking in the local community.
Taking place on 28 May at the Burdekin Hotel in Sydney, the evening will spotlight an array of local developers sharing wins, lessons, hot takes and challenges with their fellow developers. There will also be opportunities to network for all local developers, with the event designed around connection and ‘making new friends,’ the organisers say.
State of Play NSW networking event – quick links
State of Play NSW launches Talk It Out!
This is the first ever dedicated State of Play event, although the organisation has supported other, familiar events in the past, from Waypoint to The Games Exchange, the Noble Steed WIP Night, Freeplay, ALT: Games, Beer and Pixels, and more.
The newly-established Talk It Out! program focuses on developer experiences, with organisers encouraging those in the local industry to submit ideas for talks, particularly if they have ‘a story to tell’ or if they’re just ‘fired up’ about one topic or another.
Anyone with insights to share can now apply to give a talk. The best will make the final line-up, in what will be a curated show focused on the most pressing issues facing the games industry, as well as other compelling, and perhaps more inspiring and joyous, topics.
The full line-up of talks will be announced closer to the event.
Local developers can also contribute to NSW sector survey
In addition to announcing this new networking event, State of Play NSW has also underlined the importance of all local developers filling out its 2026 NSW Independent Developer Survey.
‘The State of Play NSW Developer survey is the largest, most comprehensive study of independent game developers in NSW,’ organisers said.
‘If you are a NSW games developer, or a game developer who has recently left the state, it’s time to make your voice heard and help shape the future of funding, mentoring and support for the local games industry.’
This survey is designed to create a complete picture of the local NSW game development community, to help the State of Play NSW team advocate for government policy changes, and more robust support, statewide.
Also on ScreenHub: State of Play opens its 2026 NSW Independent Developer Survey
State of Play, an independent organisation that aims to raise the profile of New South Wales-based video game developers, has opened submissions for its 2026 survey.
The intent of the survey is to deliver a comprehensive look at independent game developers working within NSW, highlighting the successes and challenges facing them. With enough data points, State of Play can then use survey results to advocate for better funding opportunities, and provide further support for the sector’s future growth. All NSW-based video game developers are encouraged to participate in the survey, to help gather data on the state of the local games industry, and where change is needed.
Per State of Play, local developers and development teams ‘of all sizes’ are welcome to participate, as well as developers who’ve recently left NSW for one reason or another.
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