So You Went Indie: How to Survive to the Pitch

For decades we’ve seen veteran developers jump ship and start their own studios — but here in 2026, there are new challenges to face, and new strategies to employ. Join Tanya X. Short, Captain of Kitfox Games (established 2013), in learning from Clint Hocking (Build Machine Games, 2026), Kris Schoneberg (Studio Reset, 2026), and Pierre-Andre Dery (Studio Ricochet, 2026) all about the freshest hazards, risks, and rewards they’re facing in their independent journeys. Each studio is following a different path, but all approach the same fundamental problem of how to orient yourself and your team towards that first pitch meeting, with your first game. This panel will NOT discuss funding directly, but rather the logistics and minefields of independent development itself, in a funding-scarce environment.