Today I’m happy to share that the Game Industry Events app, the official Events for Gamers companion app, has entered open beta. It’s early access: the app is live, free to use, and ready for you to try, while we keep refining it ahead of a full release in the iPhone and Android stores.
If you’ve ever stood in a hallway at a game industry conference wondering which session to catch, who else from your world was in town, or what the next big event on the calendar even was, this app was built for you. We’ve spent a long time on it, and wanted the people it’s meant to serve to be the first to use it.
Over the coming weeks you’ll see it promoted here on the site and across our social channels, in a limited, deliberate way. We’d rather grow this with real feedback from real attendees than rush it out the door.
What the app does
Game Industry Events puts the Events for Gamers calendar in your pocket, with alerts you control and networking tools for when you’re at the show. Hundreds of cons, summits and meetups are searchable in one place.
The idea is simple: browse events, get alerts, connect with peers.
- Industry event calendar. Browse upcoming and recently added events, sort by latest added or run date, and open full details on the website in one tap.
- Search and filter. Find events by keyword, type and region: a city, show name, topic or company.
- Going and Saved. When you sign in, mark events you’re attending or saving and find them together under My Events.
- Alerts you control. Set watch keywords like GDC, VR or indie, choose a daily summary, keyword-only or broader updates, and add optional advance reminders. Turn them off anytime.
- Who’s going. Tap an attendee count to see who’s marked as going, including people you follow. Each member’s privacy choices are respected.
No account is needed to browse, and guest alerts are saved on your device. Signing in syncs your preferences across phones and unlocks Going, Saved and the networking features. Your account and settings will carry over to the official launch.
For industry professionals
If you work in games, events are where careers and deals move, and your calendar is crowded. The app is designed to keep you ahead of it.
- Search worldwide by keyword, type and region to find the events worth your travel budget.
- Keep one running list of the shows you’re attending (Going) or considering (Saved).
- Set watch keywords for your niche and let alerts find relevant events for you.
- See how many members are attending or have saved an event, then explore who’s going when you’re ready to connect.
- Build a profile with your bio, job title, employer and links, with privacy controls over what others can see.
- Spot which of your connections are headed to the same show.
For developers, publishers, recruiters and service providers, that means better planning and fewer missed chances to meet the people you hoped to see.
For casual convention attendees
You don’t have to work in the industry to love these events. Plenty of people go to conventions simply because they love games, and the hardest part is often knowing what’s out there.
The app makes discovery easy. Search by city, show name or topic, mark the events that catch your eye as Saved, and let alerts remind you as dates approach. No account is needed to start exploring, so you can open it, look around and decide if it’s for you.
Networking at and around events
Conferences are as much about the people as the programming. In the app you can follow other members, scan a QR code at an event, or add someone by member number. Connections are mutual, so both people choose to connect.
Your Following and Followers lists keep your network in one place, and you can share on social that you’re attending an event. Each member controls what others can see on their profile, so you decide how visible you want to be.
This part gets better as more join, which is one more reason we’re inviting you in now.
What open beta means, and how to join
Open beta means the app is working and public, but not quite finished. You may run into minor issues, and you may not see an expected feature. Please use the in-game feedback tool to report these findings.
Your account and settings will carry over when the app launches officially in the stores. The app is free.
To get started, visit eventsforgamers.com/app. The App Store and Google Play buttons there currently lead to the open test versions, which is normal during beta, and the page walks you through the steps.
To help shape it, tell us what’s working, what’s confusing and what’s missing. Bug reports, feature ideas and plain honest reactions are all welcome, and they will directly decide what gets built before launch.
Thank you for being part of the earliest chapter of the new app. I can’t wait to see where we take it together.
Mathew Anderson
Founder and CEO, Events for Gamers
