Sumo Developer Conference - What you need to know

It’s almost time! In just under a week, hundreds of our people will gather in Sheffield, UK for our first ever Sumo Developer Conference – and we cannot wait.

The two-day event promises to be engaging and insightful for our many attendees from Sumo studios near and far, but what exactly can they expect to see this year? Well, we’re here to take you through an intro to SDC – what it’s all about, who will be there, and more.

What is SDC and why is it happening?

Sumo Developer Conference (SDC) is Sumo Digital’s first ever internal Learning and Development conference, it is dedicated to sharing cutting-edge knowledge across different game development disciplines to help inspire our people. There will be over 50 talks and sessions taking place over a two-day period, each from one of the seven discipline streams.

We’re committed to the learning and development of our people, we want to give our people as many opportunities to level up and progress in their careers as possible, and that’s why we’re excited and passionate about SDC and what it will deliver – it’s a place where we can collaborate and share our skills and experience with one another.

Being an international game developer, we are fortunate to be able to showcase the breadth and depth of our talented studios across the UK, Europe and India, so what better opportunity is there than to bring the vast majority of our Sumo Digital family of studios together to share expertise and network with other passionate people from across the company.

Who will be speaking at SDC?

We have over 50 talks planned over the two days of SDC, and these sessions will cover Art, Audio, Code, Design, Personal Development, Production and QA. While a number of these talks will be behind closed doors (we’ve got some super-secret unannounced exciting projects on the go!), there are a number of open talks that you don’t want to miss.

- Visual Language and Meaning in UI Art (Presented by France Quiquere of Sumo Leamington): Why and how does visual language matter for UI artists? This session will define what semiotics is and how it can complete the mental toolbox of any UI artist with a few practical examples.

- Imposter Syndrome: What it is, how to spot it and tips to minimise it (Presented by Lee Morris): Research shows that 70% of people will experience imposter syndrome at least once in their working lives. This session will help you understand what imposter syndrome is, some of the signs and indicators, and techniques to minimise this restrictive self-limiting belief.

- The path to running your own studio: an audience with Studio Directors (Presented by (Harinder Sangha of Sumo Leamington, and Scott Kirkland of Sumo Warrington): A rare opportunity to come, listen and pose your questions to some of our Studio Directors across Sumo Digital about the route and career choices they made to running their own studio. Each Studio Director will share their unique story, challenges they faced and career advice.

- Studio Jam: Empowering your team through creativity (Presented by Ines Lagato of Lab42 Games): How can you use a studio jam to strengthen your company culture and empower your team? Ines shares her experiences running the first studio jam at Lab42 Games, from inception to completion, and how Studio Jams can empower your team creatively, building an inclusive company culture that allows everyone to grow and feel valued.

- Ahh....you want me to talk in public? Simple hacks to public speaking (Presented by Jenny Muhlwa of Sumo Group): Presenting or public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience, yet the more skilled we become the more we want to make an impact. In this talk, Jenny will take you through some simple hacks to get you presenting like a pro with practical tips that you can implement straight away.

How do I sign up for SDC talks?

The best place to keep up to date on speakers, talks and more is over on our SDC dedicated website. As well as details on the speakers presenting at SDC, you can also download a digital agenda from the site too, which displays all the fantastic talks in one place across the two-day event.

Aside from the main talks taking place, there are a number of networking opportunities at the event for people to meet other like-minded folks and chat about the world of video games, as well as roundtable discussions, art demos, and evening get-togethers to unwind with friends.

If you want to see more of #SDC22 and exciting future events, you’ll just have to join us! Visit our Sumo Digital careers page now and find your next role.