That's right - 5 days to go!  Don't wait - cast your vote today!

Calling all NZGDA Members!  Don't miss this opportunity to vote in the NZGDA Board Elections  🗳️  See your email for your unique Voter ID and link to the election 👍

NZGDA Members: check your email for your unique voter ID and election link

WOOT!  🏆 NZGDA Studio Members PikPok, Synty Studios & Black Salt Games are nominated in the 17th Unity Awards 🙌  Into The Dead: Our Darkest Days (Most Anticipated Game), Synty's Assets (Publisher of the Year), & Dredge (Best Mobile Game) Let's VOTE!  https://awards.unity.com/

Check out the Jobs Board for the latest from our NZGDA Studio Members!  www.nzgda.com/jobs/

Here's something fun to do!  Big Adventure are organising a playtest of Dream Team Supreme from November 6th to the 11th.  Click the link to join and download the build from the 6th November.  FUN! 🤩  https://store.steampowered.com/app/3208500/Dream_Team_Supreme/

NZGDA Board Elections start today! If you're an NZGDA Member you'll receive an email with your unique voter details. Be sure to have your say before 5pm on the 17th November 2025, and help shape the future of the NZGDA.

Ohhh - just in time for Halloween!  NZGDA Studio Member, Synty Studios, release their POLYGON Sci-Fi Horror Trailer showcasing just some of their art, animation and interface asset packs for game devs.  Check it out!

The latest NZGDA newsletter is out.  Catch up on industry news and a wrap-up of NZGDC 2025. https://nzgda.com/news/nzgda-newsletter-october-edition/

Keen to catch up with other creatives & game devs?  Wāhine Fuelled Tech are hosting their meet-up in Wellington tomorrow (Thursday) and if you're in Dunedin - head to the Polytech for the game dev meetup.  Enjoy! 🤩. Find the events on our event calendar www.nzgda.com/events/

Started jamming yet?  There's still time to join Power UP! Game Jam for Women.  Register below and catch up on the webinars, check out the resources and get to know the community before the jam starts!

Started jamming yet?  There's still time to join Power UP! Game Jam for Women.  Register below and catch up on the webinars, check out the resources and get to know the community before the jam starts!

Looking for something to do this long weekend?  How about the POWER UP! Game Jam for Women?!  Grab some friends and join as a team, or come solo and join a national OR international team and make some new connections! 🤝 Registrations are still open 🧑‍💻

The NZGDC post-event survey is only open for one more week - share your experience and provide valuable feedback today! https://forms.gle/u1TL4R6819rGoj1V7

Keen to have a say?  If you attended NZGDC, take a moment to tell us about your experience here https://forms.gle/FXWSxAqHVBUp3AdcA; OR if you're in the game dev industry & keen to share your thoughts on specific workforce topics - then this survey is for you! https://forms.gle/exH95L3Mcagesbrv6

Thank you for being a part of an amazing NZGDC this year.  We'd love to hear about your experience via our post event survey.  If you've already seen the survey via email - please take a few minutes to complete it.  If you've missed it, just click here 🙏 https://forms.gle/u1TL4R6819rGoj1V7

Another great meetup organised for Auckland this Wednesday 15th October with special guest Laetitia Laubscher who shares how to design games for people in prisons. See you at 6pm at AUT (find out more here) https://www.meetup.com/aucklandmakesgames/events/311064838/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events

Hey Dunedin! Don't miss the next game dev meetup on Thurs 23rd October with special guest Marina Cone.  Also be sure to check the location as it's changed. Bring your projects, your friends & kickstart your long weekend with a great time! https://events.humanitix.com/oct-2025-dunedin-game-dev-meetup

Our NZGDA Executive Director, Joy Keene, is over at GCAP and PAX this week advocating for Aotearoa's game dev industry, sharing our stories and successes and making amazing connections.  Here's a little peek at the NZ Stand.  Who doesn't love a human-sized Teeto!?! 🫶

Oh yes they are!  Just in time for the weekend - presentations from NZGDC 2025 are now available on the NZGDA YouTube channel.  If you were looking for a reason to stay in your pj's for a day - here it is!   Enjoy!

Registrations are now open for the POWER UP! Game Jam for Women! Just fill out this form to register as a jammer for this year's jam and join the fun from 24-28th October!

NZGDC 25 Wraps Up for Another Year

WGW events galore!  There's something for everyone - GGWP gaming convention, Card Merchant Wellington store opening with loads of TTG events, Make it Jam & the launch of Vic Uni's Games Studios Lab.  Dust off your costumes and decks and let's go! https://www.wellingtongamesweek.com/events

WGW upcoming event 🔊  Paint Night at Bea DnD Games tomorrow (1st Oct) From beginners to seasoned painters, all the paints and brushes are ready, just pick a mini from the range and Bea DND will help you turn it into a new character! https://www.wellingtongamesweek.com/events

Wellington Games Week kicked off with a massive day at the NZGDC Kiwi Games Zone and there's more to come!  Check out what's on for the rest of the week here: 

THANK YOU ALL FOR AN AMAZING NZGDC 2025! 🙏 (look closer - is that you?)

But WAIT, there’s more! The NZGDC After Party happens tonight at The Grand! 69 Courtenay Place, Wellington.

A big thank you to everyone involved with NZGDC 2025. From the attendees, to the speakers, sponsors, organisers, coordinators, and facilitators of this event - The people at the Heart of Games - THANK YOU!!!! 💛💜💛💜💛💜 See you next year!

The NZGDC Open Day is BOOMING! Great to see people of all ages enjoying kiwi made games at the Kiwi Game Zone! 🎮✨

NZGDC DAY 3 - Hope you all had a great day yesterday! Let’s DO IT AGAIN!

Good times and good talks at NZGDC today!

Meet NZGDC's fabulous Volunteer Team - they are here to help you have the best Conference experience - be kind to them - we couldn't do this without them!! 💚

NZGDC was back today with a standing-room only opening featuring the Kapa Haka group, Hiwa Crew; a ministerial address from Hon. Dr Shane Reti announcing a doubling of funding for CODE 2026 🥳 followed by David & Liam, Summerfall Studios about how we can all put people first 🫶

NZGDC DAY 2! The NZ Games Development Conference IS HAPPENING! Get ready for a day of talks, networking, and seeing what the NZ Games industry has to offer!

Don’t forget the “We’re in Games” Social happening this evening! Entrance Corner of Ballance & Featherston Street. Safe, Respectful, Alcohol Free Event!

NZGDC DAY 1 is on! Workshops are happening at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre! See you!!!!

Check out what’s just been added to the Delegate Discounts on the NZGDC App: 2-for-1 Tickets to the Word Press Photo Exhibition, hosted in the Tākina Exhibition Space!

Don’t forget to download the App for NZGDC! Details can be found in your emails!

1 Day until NZGDC ! See you on the 25th for Workshops!!

Victoria Uni is launching the VUW Game Studies Lab! 🎮 Join us Sat 4 Oct, 4pm at Te Aro for rapid-fire talks on games, culture & design with Dylan Horrocks, Emily Morris, Tuakana Metuarau & Hamish Cameron. ✨ Free + open to the public! ✨

COUNTDOWN

DELEGATE DISCOUNTS

Oh yes it is!  The Games Made in NZ Steam Sale is back for another year 🥳  Featuring 100+ games made by developers all over Aotearoa! Come on in ...... https://store.steampowered.com/sale/nzgames2025

Speaker Announcement !! ✨Jaques Smit, PikPok✨  This talk is aimed at Team Leads and Production Staff. Jaques tells the story of his work with Rival Stars Horse Racing after he was called in to help them recover from a string of live issues. https://www.nzgdc.com/

Speaker Announcement !! ✨Charlotte Stroebel, Mytona✨  In this vibrant and heartfelt talk, Charlotte Stroebel, Wellness and Administrative Manager at Mytona, shares how wellness is woven into the very fabric of her company’s culture.  https://www.nzgdc.com/

Speaker Announcement !! ✨Bart Klepka, Outerdawn Ltd✨  A deep dive into the sound design of Goblins of Elderstone - a city builder with a Goblin vibe. https://www.nzgdc.com/

Speaker Announcement !! ✨Julian Gosiengfiao✨  This is a talk that addresses the "bad things that happen by default unless you do something about it", and gives tools for how to run a tighter team that uses the maximum of their judgement. https://www.nzgdc.com/

Speaker !! ✨Alayna Cole✨  Headlines on DE&I have become fixated on the fact that these programs are ineffective. Alayna, a DE&I practitioner and consultant for over a decade, and agrees—they don't work. But that doesn't mean they can't. https://www.nzgdc.com/

Speaker Announcement !! ✨Chellew Wu, PikPok✨  This talk explores how narrative intent can elevate environment art beyond tech tools & graphics quality, focusing on the role of storytelling in creating immersive, emotionally resonant spaces. https://www.nzgdc.com/