Hello Austin Developers and out-of-town guests!

We are excited for another fun and frenzied SXSW/SXSW Gaming! Want to come be with your people? Come join us at the Black Star Co op Pub & Brewery for some drinks and great company. No format here, we’ll just decompress, meet old friends, and make new ones. Wear something green, cause it’s also St. Patrick’s Day!

If you need a place to be after the expo floor closes, this is it. Please rsvp and help us prepare Black Star for required reserved space.

We’ll see you all there!

Black Star Co-op is located at Midtown Commons, right by the Crestview train station. We strongly recommend taking the train or bus to the event, as parking can can fill up quickly.

Come join the Austin Game Developers Association (IGDA Affiliate) for an evening of fun and networking at Mr. Tramps. We’ll review the events we held in 2016 and talk about our plans for 2017. Future events include: the second annual Austin Game Showcase, a potential return of the Game Dev Picnic, an upcoming workshop by an AMLAW 200 firm to help indie devs with their legal needs, our plans for SXSW and more.

6:30 PM – Doors Open / Networking
7:00 – 8:00 PM – Presentation by Austin Game Devs (2016 Retrspective / 2017 Plan)
8:00 – 9:00 PM – Q&A / Networking

What we’re looking for help with this year from volunteers:

* Website coordinator
* Event content writer
* Event planner / manager
* Fundraising coordinator
* Organization outreach
* Austin Game Showcase
* SXSW Booth
* AGD Picnic
* Member, Steering Committee

First round is on us!

Austin Game Devs is a volunteer run and donation supported organization focused on helping great game developers make great game companies. We hold monthly high-impact events on the biggest topics facing indie studio heads. Last year we held events on strategic planning, financial management, game production and marketing among others. Everyone is welcome to attend and our events are 100% free.

– EVENT –

In today’s age of digital publishing, video game developers are no longer required to partner with publishers to get their games to customers. That said, successfully bringing a game to market requires a LOT of work that is outside of game development, which is why a number of independently-funded developers still choose to work with publishers. This session will discuss the publisher/developer relationship, what makes those relationships work and what each party can bring to the table in order to launch and promote games to their fullest potential.

– PRESENTERS –

• Elizabeth Howard :: VP of Publishing at Aspyr Media
• Kellen Kincaid :: Business Analyst
• Michael Blair :: Sales Manager

– HOW TO GET THERE –

• The event will take place at WeWork University Park on the 7th floor of the building in the Lounge area
• Free parking is available via the parking garage attached to the east side of the building
• Enter through the building’s 1st floor lobby, take the elevator to the 7th floor, and sign in at the Lounge area just past the elevator landing

Austin Game Devs, your local IGDA affiliate, is excited to bring a panel event that impacts all aspects of game development: AGD’s Marketing Panel: Breaking Through the Noise and Building Loyal fans!

Some people just want to make games- others want to make great games that actually make it to the hands of customers. Learn what it takes to market your game, brand your studio, acquire a fanbase, foster loyalty, and garner media and industry attention. We’ll talk about how to differentiate your game from the competition and what you need to know to break through the noise. We’ll also discuss how your audience is your most powerful asset in generating buzz and what simple things you can do (starting tomorrow) to get paying customers on board to play (and pay) for your game!

Bring a pad and paper, because we’re going to have a lot of great tips and tools you won’t want to miss out on!

Free parking is available at The Domain; we recommend the Macy’s parking lot!

Our panel of experts in game development and advertising include:

Yvonne Tocquigny – Yvonne Tocquigny Branding Group
Yvonne is the founder of Tocquigny, an internationally recognized digital marketing firm located in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Tocquigny was purchased. Today, Yvonne runs a new brand consultancy for emerging companies called Yvonne Tocquigny Branding Group. This firm helps companies that want to grow to create differentiating messages, go to market strategies, and memorable brand images. Yvonne Tocquigny is an investor and mentor for startups. She is a Founding Partner and lead mentor with the Capital Factory, an Austin incubator for companies that draws business talent from across the country. She is also an investor and mentor with the ATX fund. Yvonne can be reached at ytocquigny@gmail.com.

Autumn Taylor – Phaser Lock Int.
Autumn Taylor is the Media Director for Phaser Lock Interactive, an Austin-based virtual reality video game development company. The company recently launched their first game, Final Approach, for the HTC Vive and plans to release the game for Oculus Touch and Playstation VR. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Public Relations and concentration in Advertising with Texas Media. She has worked with a broad range of technology clients and found her place in the virtual reality industry through her involvement with personal game development and the Austin indie game community. In addition to her work with Phaser Lock Interactive, she is also an organizer for VR Austin and contributes to local VR community-building efforts, advocating for women and diversity in the video game and virtual reality industries.

Deborah Beckman – Certain Affinity
Deborah Beckman is the Marketing & PR Director at game developer, Certain Affinity. Deborah’s 10+ years of experience in marketing various forms of entertainment, including cable network (G4TV), TV shows (American Horror Story, X-Play, American Ninja Warrior), films (The Wolverine, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty), comic books and games. Her experience runs from digital / social, grassroots, fully integrated campaigns, events and paid media. She has fantastic insight in how game studios can promote their brand/studio/product when you may not be able to discuss the product specifically. She is no stranger to working with influencers and partnering with top consumer brands/publications for cross promotion!

Cy Wise – Owlchemy Labs
Cy Wise is a games industry generalist, consultant, and sociologist residing in Austin, TX. A ten-year games industry veteran, she has worked on multiple VR titles including Owlchemy Labs’ multi-platform, room-scale title, Job Simulator as well as award-winning AAA MMO games. A graduate of UT Austin, she studied Sociology with a specialization in video game communities, and digital tribes. When she is not professionally managing VR communities, she is casually managing VR communities as a co-organizer of VR Austin. She is currently Owlchemy Labs’ multi-hat-wearing designer, marketer, writer, and community wrangler, colloquially called “Owlmancer.”

Seraphina Brennan – Trion Worlds
Perpetually surrounded by games of all types, Seraphina Brennan is the Senior Community Manager of Trion Worlds’ Austin, TX office. Armed with a psychology degree and a passion for gaming, Seraphina has been involved in a variety of titles in her career including The Lord of the Rings Online, Batman: Arkham City, the F.E.A.R. Franchise, and her current love, ArcheAge. Her work has spanned community management, creative writing, game design, in-game event coordination, livestream production, and more. Seraphina has been turning heads and helping define best practices in leading large web communities through engagement and retention campaigns through social media, community forums, and in-game community activities.