10:15am: "Welcome to IMPACT! Indie Games 2025!"

Why I'm here, why you're all here & general event housekeeping!

Ash Gwinnell // Founder, IMPRESS.GAMES & Co-organiser, IMPACT! Indie Games

10:30am: "Routes for Indie Game Publishing in 2025"

A dive into what publishers are looking for beyond your pitch deck. But wait, is publishing even right for you? What options are there for self-publishing? And can self-publishing at the start possibly help you land a publishing deal later down the line? Or not? This session will help you figure out what's right for you.

Claire is an experienced production, publishing and game development leader, spanning the indie, AA and AAA space for companies including Astra Logical and Secret Mode. Claire has nearly a decade of studio, portfolio and strategic management, successfully launching games across multiple platforms.

Claire Barilla // Publishing Producer, Freelance

11:00am: "Telling Your Story Through Video"

In a crowded marketplace, making your game is half the battle. Getting your game seen will determine how successful you are. This talk explores the critical role video plays across every stage of an indie game's journey, from crowd funding pitches and teaser trailers to behind-the-scenes dev diaries, launch assets, and building an audience. Whether you're a solo dev or a small team, learn how to plan, produce, and leverage video content that not only grabs attention but builds a lasting community around your game.

Gareth Wild // Production Director, Fourth Floor

12:00pm: "How to TikTok – how to market your game on That One Video App"

Join Future Friends TikTok specialist Abi as she discusses all things TikTok! Marketing your game is hard enough, but breaking it down into short-form video content can feel even harder. In this session, Abi will talk about finding your tone and unique style on the app, as well as best practices for reaching a larger audience whilst also finding your own voice on both TikTok and other video app alternatives such as YouTube Shorts and Threads.

Abi is a marketing specialist at Future Friends Games, an indie game agency and publisher, and has now been in the games industry for 2 years. Her role at Future Friends has seen her work on games such as Vampire Survivors, The Cabin Factory, Summerhouse, and so much more! She loves working with smaller devs on their projects by helping introduce them to the world via social media and marketing. From trailer edits and asset designs all the way to viral TikToks - she has seen it all! By night, Abi is otherwise known as Opal Ink Cosplay, and is a cosplayer of over 10 years that has frequently worked with gaming brands on promotional content - most notably PlayStation and Santa Monica Studio on the God of War franchise. With a following of over 100k across all of her socials, she is certainly no stranger to the ins and outs of all major social media platforms!

Abi Le Guilcher // Marketing Specialist, Future Friends Games

12:30pm: "A Deep Dive Into 2D Animated Trailers: Are They Worthwhile?"

Senior video editor Owen Trett is going to break down the creative process for creating eye-catching 2D animated trailers. Looking into the DLC launch trailers for Vampire Survivors, they will showcase the best practices for working with animation teams and enhancing a trailer value with dazzling visuals. This session will look into the pre-production, scripting, and feedback processes when working with an animation team, and how you can synergise your games' essence into a stunning trailer.

Owen Trett is the Senior Video Editor at Vampire Survivors developer, Poncle. He has created video, trailers and gameplay capture which has been showcased at the PC Gaming Show, Nintendo Direct, Day of the Devs and Triple-I Initiative Showcase. He was selected as one of MCV/DEVELOP's 30 under 30 award for 2024, and previously created viral trailers for indie games such as Rusty's Retirement, The Cabin Factory, and Gourdlets.

Owen Trett // Senior Video Editor, Poncle

2:00pm: "Revealing the Secrets of Your Games Steam Page"

Everyone knows their games Steam Page is important. Steve believes it is probably the single most important marketing asset you have when releasing a game on Steam. What is Steam Page Optimisation? Why is everyone so obsessed with Wishlists, and do they really matter? When should I make my Steam Page live? Do I need a demo? This session will provide answers to these common questions and more, delivering practical advice on how to plan your release schedule, how to make your game page work harder for you, and how to evaluate your chances of success, measure the results, and take appropriate action.

Steve has over 20 years of project management and product development experience; balancing technical innovation, artistic expression and financial success. He has lead work-for-hire projects for some of the worlds most recognisable IP, founded an award-winning Indie Studio, and published multimillion dollar indie hits. Steve now spends his time helping studios and publishers with production and commercial strategy, while mentoring the next generation of creative leaders.

Steve Stopps // Development & Production Director, Excalibur Games

2:30pm: "Avoiding the ‘Post-Launch Ghost Town’: Keeping Your Community Engaged After Release"

In this session, Jarvs will explore ways to keep player interest high using events, updates, and meaningful social interaction, while emphasizing the value of building a studio brand that encourages long-term loyalty. With insights into fostering an inviting community culture on platforms like Discord and examples of studios who have succeeded, Jarvs will show how well-engaged players can become key champions of not just one game, but future releases as well!

Jarvs is the Head of Communications at Happy Volcano, the indie studio behind You Suck at Parking and the upcoming factory builder Modulus. With a background in community marketing, accessibility consulting, and content creation, she has worked across multiple indie titles, helping developers connect with players in meaningful ways. Passionate about fostering inclusive game communities, she previously drove community efforts at Raw Fury, working on titles such as Dome Keeper, Sable, Moonstone Island and the upcoming Blue Prince, and has been a driving force in industry-wide accessibility initiatives.

Jarvs Tasker // Head of Communications, Happy Volcano

3:00pm: "No budget, big impact?"

In this session, Claire will explore how indie devs can set themselves up for marketing their games with limited to no budget. Looking at festivals/showcases, making Steam work for you, how to grab press/creator attention, telling your story and more!

Claire is an award-winning and BAFTA-nominated Head of Brands, PR, and Marketing, with extensive experience leading strategies for both indie and AAA game studios. A native Irish speaker and remote work advocate, Claire is celebrated for building impactful brands, dynamic campaigns, and supportive teams across the games and media industries. She currently heads PR at Team17 Digital and consults through her agency, Sharkbit.

Claire Sharkey // Head of Public Relations, Team 17

4:00pm: "Lightning post-mortems: The Ouroboros Express, and Dungeon Golf!"

Two indie studios who have recently launched their titles will share their experiences of launching, the lessons learned from their productions, and what they would do differently next time!

Najmah Salam // Director, Small Loan Studio & Freelance Marketing Alchemist

Tony Gowland // Founder, Ant Workshop

4:30pm: "From Discovery to Signing – Balatro & Abiotic Factor"

Many developers wonder how publishers discover the next big game. What makes them say “yes” to one pitch and “no” to another. Patrick Johnson, Head of Discovery at Playstack, will take the audience for a look behind the curtain at the publishing journey from discovery to launch. Patrick will share the human touch behind scouting – the paradoxes, the “maybes,” and the crystal ball moments that shape a publisher’s decisions. Attendees will hear how intuition, experience, and market insights come together to identify potential hits. With real-world examples from popular games like Balatro and Abiotic Factor, attendees will gain valuable insights into how publishers assess projects, and what they’re likely to pursue in the future. This will be an honest, behind the scenes talk about scouting and what it was like to find games like Balatro and Abiotic Factor.

Patrick is the Head of Discovery at Playstack, an award winning publisher with a mission to embrace the diversity of brilliant ideas. Playstack publishes fearless, delightful games to their fullest potential with dedication, expertise and extensive planning. Patrick’s first two signed games for Playstack were Balatro and Abiotic Factor – he combines his previous experience in freelance journalism with his deep knowledge of indie games in order to seek out and support potential development partners. When not chatting with devs he can usually be found playing PS1-era JRPGs.

Patrick Johnson // Head of Discovery, Playstack

5:00pm: "Surviving 2025? The State of the indie games industry"

Join Dan Thomas as he discusses the current state of the indie games industry, and asks our panelists for advice on surviving 2025 (and beyond)!

Ash Gwinnell // Founder, IMPRESS.GAMES & Co-organiser, IMPACT! Indie Games

James Parker // Founder, GroundShatter

Claire Barilla // Publishing Producer, Freelance

Claire Sharkey // Head of Public Relations, Team 17