The American South has a thriving game industry that’s been growing exponentially in the last few years. And every October since 2007, developers and other members of that rapidly expanding sector have flocked to Atlanta, Georgia for SIEGE— the largest professional game development conference in the Southern US. This weekend, they’ll be doing it again.
This year’s SIEGE starts tomorrow, October 7, and will run through October 9. GameSkinny will be in attendance, of course, and taking an active role in the event. Our founder — Stephen Johnston Jr and Chairman–Stephen Johnston, Sr. — will be participating as judges in the Investment Conference panel.
The SIEGE Investment Conference offers both established and startup development companies the chance to pitch their games (or other interactive media) to a panel of industry veterans and investors. The team (or individual) who is judged to have the “best pitch by a startup” will receive a cash prize and other benefits, while the top 3 pitches overall will have the chance to spend a 1-2 hour lunch with some of the best copyright lawyers in the country.
As experienced industry vets who have successfully turned their own startups into thriving businesses , both Stephen Sr. and Stephen Jr. have lots of insight to offer to those just starting out. And taking part in the investment panel will allow them to do just that. While this will be Stephen Jr.’s first time participating as a judge, it’s a return trip for Stephen Sr., who was a judge at last year’s conference.
In addition to the Investment Conference, there are lots of other events and panels happening at SIEGE. From meet-and-greets and seminars to technical demos and crash courses, attendees will have plenty of opportunities to learn. They can also check out sessions/panels in a variety of tracks, like college-oriented and leadership tracks or game design, programming, art, business, and more. Throughout the convention, professional and amateurs alike will have the opportunity to network and get advice from some of the most knowledgeable figures in the industry.
Tickets for SiegeCon are still available, starting at $60-80 for students and $90-140 for professionals, but they can’t be purchased online. They must be bought on-site at the event starting Friday, October 7 at 2pm. However, attendance at the Investment Conference is free and open to the public. So you can stop by the Atlanta Marriott NW at Galleria tomorrow if you want to see the presentations for yourself. Just be sure to say hi to our Stephens if you do!
