WAGIC Connect
Description
Build the Business Behind Your Game
Making a great game is only half the challenge. Building a sustainable studio, finding the right opportunities, securing funding, and connecting with the people who can help your project succeed are equally important.
Western Australia's games industry continues to grow, but opportunities for developers to learn directly from funders, advisers, experienced studio leaders and industry partners remain limited. WAGIC Connect was created to bring those people, conversations and opportunities together in one place.
This inaugural one-day event is WAGIC's dedicated business-to-business event for the Western Australian games industry for the year, bringing together experienced founders, funders, advisers and industry leaders for a focused day of practical business knowledge, meaningful conversations and valuable networking. Held in the Perth CBD immediately before Pixel Expo Perth, WAGIC Connect is designed to help developers make better business decisions, build stronger industry connections and create more sustainable careers in games.
WAGIC Connect is proudly supported by the WA Government and the City of Perth as our civic partner.
What You'll Walk Away With
Reach the Right Audience - Learn how to identify your players, build an audience, and create marketing strategies that support your game's long-term success.
Build Strong Business Foundations - Understand company structures, financial systems, cashflow management and the practical decisions that help creative projects become sustainable businesses.
Navigate Funding Opportunities - Hear directly from Screenwest and local developers about funding applications, project delivery, reporting requirements and lessons learned.
Protect Your Work - Gain practical insights into intellectual property, contracts and legal considerations before approaching publishers, investors or commercial partners.
Expand Your Network - Connect with fellow developers, founders, funders and professional advisers from across Western Australia's growing games sector.
Learn directly from industry experts including Luke Henry (LDB Accounting), Andrea Alford (Cam Rogers Legal) and Anthony Sweet (Screenwest), alongside marketing discussions and developer panels featuring studios that have successfully secured funding and grown their businesses.
Catering
WAGIC Connect is a catered event, with lunch and afternoon tea provided during the day. Please include any dietary requirements when registering so we can plan accordingly.
Event Details
Thursday, 13 August 2026
9:00am to 5:00pm
City of Perth Library Auditorium
573 Hay Street, Perth
Networking Drinks
The day concludes with informal networking drinks at Little Creatures Perth, giving attendees an opportunity to continue conversations with speakers, panelists, industry partners and fellow developers.
Schedule
- 9:00 am
Doors Open
Doors open, welcome coffee/tea
- 10:00 am
Welcome To WAGIC Connect
- 10:30 am
Panel 1: Find And Understand Your Audience
Marketing begins well before launch. This panel brings together practitioners with different perspectives on audience research, positioning, community-building, campaign planning and the practical work required to help the right players discover a game.
- 11:30 am
Talk 1: Build The Business Behind The Game - Luke Henry - LDB
A practical introduction to the financial and operational foundations that help a studio grow. The session will cover the systems developers should understand early in their transition from creative project to sustainable businesses.
- 12:00 pm
Break - Lunch And Open Networking
- 1:00 pm
Panel 2: What Funding Looks Like From The Developer's Side
Developers who have worked through different funding pathways share what they learned from application, assessment and delivery. The panel will explore preparation, budgeting, communication, reporting, setbacks and what they would do differently next time.
- 2:00 pm
Talk 2: Screenwest: Funding Opportunities For The Year Ahead - Anthony Sweet - Screenwest
A practical overview of current Screenwest games funding, the opportunities expected over the coming months and the preparation that helps developers become funding-ready. The session will focus on useful next steps, including the legwork teams can do before an application opens.
- 2:30 pm
Break - Afternoon Tea
- 3:00 pm
Talk 3: Protect The Work You Are Building - Andrea Alford - Cam Rogers Legal
An accessible legal-readiness session for game developers covering intellectual property, ownership, contracts and the early decisions that can become expensive problems later. The session will help studios understand when to seek advice and what to have in place before working with collaborators, contractors, publishers or investors.
- 3:45 pm
Talk 4: The Business of Being Easy to Work With: 10 lessons for building a reputation people want to work with - Kate Hall - PlayIndies
The games industry is built on relationships, and being good at what you do is only part of the equation. Drawing on 10+ years working across different sides of the games industry, Kate shares 10 practical lessons for being someone people genuinely want to work with, building trust, reducing friction, and creating the kind of reputation that leads to lasting relationships and new opportunities.
- 4:30 pm
Closing Remarks And Networking
- 5:00 pm
Post Event Networking - Little Creatures Perth
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
