XDS 2026: WHERE THE FUTURE OF EXTERNAL GAME DEVELOPMENT TAKES THE STAGE
T
he external development world is about to converge on Vancouver, and the first wave of speakers has just been revealed. If you build games — or help others build them —
XDS 2026 is the room you need to be in this September. XDS gathers hundreds of international attendees from over
55 countries to advance the practice of external development for the games industry with four days of structured networking in Vancouver, Canada, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s a professionals-only event, which means the conversations happen at a level you won’t find anywhere else.
MEET THE FIRST BATCH OF EXPERTS We’ve carefully curated the minds shaping the future of external game development. Here’s an early look at who’s taking the stage.
KEYNOTE Gilles Langourieux, CEO & Founder of Virtuos, opens the event. As the head of one of the world’s largest independent video game development companies, Gilles has a vantage point on the industry that few can match — and he’s bringing it to the XDS stage.
FEATURED SESSIONS The featured lineup tackles the questions external development teams are actually wrestling with right now: • Summer O’Brien, Director of Game Production at Riot Games, leads AI in External Development: Policy, Risk, and Reality — a clear-eyed look at how AI is reshaping outsourcing, and what it means for your studio’s policies and exposure. • Maria Kraieva, Executive Producer at Team from Earth, presents Beyond Hourly Rates: How to Evaluate True Vendor Cost Before Starting Cooperation — essential listening for anyone tired of budget surprises halfway through a project. • Becky Jackson, Studio Director at Atomhawk, explores Innovation, Trust, and the Developer–Outsourcer Relationship — the human side of partnerships that make or break delivery. • Michael Paul, External Development Manager at The Coalition, joins the featured roster with hard-won lessons from the front lines of managing external teams. And this is just the beginning. Many more speakers are already revealed on our website, with more to come.
WHY XDS IS DIFFERENT From the first keynote to the final remarks, XDS focuses on four core values: Knowledge Sharing, B2B Networking, Collaboration, and Industry Stewardship. Every session, every meeting, and every hallway conversation is built around them. What does that mean for Developers in practice? You walk away with
frameworks you can apply on Monday morning — how to evaluate a vendor’s true cost, how to build AI policy that holds up under pressure, how to turn an outsourcing relationship into a genuine partnership. You meet the decision-makers who can become your next client
or your next collaborator. And you do it in four days of structured networking designed to put the right people in front of each other, not leave it to chance. The expertise on this stage represents decades of combined experience
at the studios defining the industry. That knowledge is the reason to be there — and the reason a ticket pays for itself.
DEVELOPERS SAVE 20% ON YOUR XDS 2026 TICKET Ready to join the room where external development moves forward?
Use code XDS26_DEV_EXCLUSIVE-MCV at checkout to save 20% on your ticket. Vancouver, BC. September 2026. Secure your spot today.
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