Oh great, another gaming event to add to the never-ending list of conventions, summits, and showcases. But this time, it’s in Edmonton. Because nothing screams “gaming mecca” like the frozen tundra of Alberta, right?
Game Con Canada, which apparently holds the prestigious title of Canada’s largest gaming convention (congratulations on beating out all those *other* Canadian gaming events), is back with a brand-new venture that’s sure to shake the industry to its core. Introducing the North American Games Industry Summit (NAGIS), powered by Xsolla. Because what’s a gaming event without a payment processing company as your headline sponsor? Xsolla: making sure your microtransactions are as seamless as possible while you network with industry elites.
Scheduled for June 18-19, 2026, NAGIS is described as a “B2B event” (translation: no regular gamers allowed, this is for the *big shots*). It’s all about deal-making, partnerships, and investments. You know, the kind of stuff that makes gamers everywhere roll their eyes and go, “Cool, can I play the games now?” The event will be conveniently connected to Game Con Canada, which runs from June 19-21, so you can spend two days shaking hands and exchanging business cards before finally getting to the part where you play some actual games. Efficiency at its finest.
Chris Meilleur, CEO of Game Con Canada, had this to say in a press release: “NAGIS is built to be a deal-making room for the North American games industry — and pairing it with Game Con Canada gives it immediate scale, momentum, and relevance.” Wow, Chris, that’s a lot of buzzwords in one sentence. But hey, at least you’re honest about it being a “deal-making room.” No need to sugarcoat it, right?
The event has already secured its first keynote speaker: Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari. Yes, *that* Atari. The company that brought us classics like Pong and… well, Pong. Bushnell also went on to found Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theater, because apparently, he’s a big fan of combining gaming with overpriced pizza and creepy animatronic rats. Truly a visionary.
To add some credibility, NAGIS has assembled an advisory board that includes Luke Azevedo, CEO of Edmonton Screen, and Mark Darrah, former director at BioWare on the Dragon Age franchise. Because if there’s one thing the gaming industry needs, it’s more people who worked on a game series that hasn’t released a new entry in five years.
So, who exactly is NAGIS for? According to the press release, it’s for:
– Game studios and publishers (AAA to indie) — because nothing says “inclusive” like inviting both the big dogs and the little guys.
– Independent developers and small studios seeking partners and publishers — because who doesn’t love a good pitch session?
– XR, spatial computing, and emerging technology companies — because buzzwords are the lifeblood of any industry event.
– Platform and hardware partners — because you can’t have a gaming event without someone trying to sell you a new graphics card.
– Investment and economic development organizations — because nothing says “fun” like a room full of suits talking about ROI.
– Service providers supporting production, marketing, and distribution — because someone has to handle the logistics of all those business cards.
The event promises a wide array of programming, including industry panel sessions, game dev showcase zones, curated networking, and pitch sessions. Because if there’s one thing gamers love, it’s sitting through hours of panels about the “future of gaming” while wondering when they’ll get to actually *play* something.
Tickets will be announced in the coming days, so start saving up now. Because if there’s one thing more expensive than gaming itself, it’s attending a gaming industry summit in Edmonton. But hey, at least you’ll get to experience the thrill of networking with industry professionals while surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Alberta’s summer weather. What could possibly go wrong? 🎮❄️
For more information, you can visit the official website. Just don’t forget to bring your parka.
