XDS 2026
It’s great to be back at XDS!
We’re proud to showcase some of our experts who will be taking to the 'Keywords Studios Stage' this year to share their frontline perspectives.
From dissecting the current state of the external development market to navigating the evolution of back-end services in the age of AI, our team is ready to dive into the industry's most pressing topics.
Jonathan Zweig
Our line up:
- Ben Oldroyd: Can We Predict The Future of Games?
- Phil Rogers: Build, Buy, Co-Dev or AI - 30 Years of Backend Evolution Through a Veteran's Eyes
- Travis Gibson: What Needs To Change in the Co-Dev Industry?
- Margarita Bogdanova: Fair Rates, Safe Conversations: Negotiating Sustainable Deals in Game Development
And if you're after a power pack to keep you Supercharged at XDS 2027, swing by and ask Patrizia Barkley at our booth.
Ben Oldroyd
Session Title: Can We Predict The Future of Games?
The games industry has never had more data, yet predicting commercial success, investment needs, and market shifts remains one of its greatest challenges.
This session explores how modern data science techniques are reshaping game market intelligence. From forecasting development trends to understanding investment patterns and market movements, we’ll look at how predictive modelling can help organizations make better informed decisions in an increasingly competitive landscape.
We’ll examine how probabilistic thinking and advanced analytics can help industry leaders navigate uncertainty, assess risk, and uncover opportunities that traditional approaches may miss
In my talk I'll be addressing:
- How has risk and risk aversion shaped the gaming industry?
- What are some of the current metrics used to look at games, and what are their limitations?
- What can be done differently to think about/ measure game performance, player engagement and the trends in the industry?
Developers are becoming increasingly risk averse given the complex issues facing the industry. Predicting the future of games is big business, and good data is at the heart of this. As part of our work as a Data Science team at the centre of core gaming, we’ll explore the future of gaming, and how we might be able to predict trends in the industry
Information:
- September 10th, 16:00 - 16:30
- Keywords Studios Main Stage
Phil Rogers
Session Title: Build, Buy, Co-Dev or AI - 30 Years of Backend Evolution Through a Veteran's Eyes
As backend delivery has evolved from build to buy, co-development and AI, studios have more options than ever.
This session explores how specialist partners, including MPG and the wider Keywords Studios network, can add capability and delivery experience while studios retain ownership and accountability
In my talk I'll be addressing:
- The evolution of game backend services, from dial-up to cloud and AI
- When to build, buy or co-develop backend capability
- How specialist partners can complement internal teams
- What studios should expect from a co-development partner beyond implementation capacity
- Where AI accelerates backend engineering, and why expert guidance remains essential
The right partner is not simply additional capacity. They bring the right specialist capability at the right point, while helping the studio stay in control of the outcome.
Information:
- September 9th, 15:00 - 15:30
- Keywords Studios Main Stage
Travis Gibson
Session Title: What Needs To Change in the Co-Dev Industry?
Has Ex-development grown faster than the industry’s ability to support it sustainably? Has the pendulum swung too far in either direction than we'd all have liked?
This topic asks a really important question: What exactly needs to change in the Ex-Development sector of the industry. The goal is not to complain, but to identify realistic shifts in behavior, process, and expectation that would improve the industry.
In my talk I'll be addressing:
- Legacy thinking in modern co-development
- Communication breakdowns across organizations
- Misaligned incentives between studios and service providers
- What healthier incentive models could look like
- Which changes feel achievable versus aspirational
- The role of leadership in setting the tone
As an industry, we're constantly solving massive problems, so why not this? Let's talk about what actually needs to change in Ex-Dev, and leave here with one thing we can start doing today. By having the uncomfortable conversation as a starting point we're preparing to make changes when we see them live.
Information:
- September 10th, 15:30 - 17:00
- Room 221 (2nd Floor)
Margarita Bogdanova
Session Title: Fair Rates, Safe Conversations: Negotiating Sustainable Deals in Game Development
External development is facing complex pressures today, and conversations about rates and scope have become increasingly sensitive.
This panel convenes experienced external development managers and senior service-provider leaders to clarify best practices for pricing, handling change orders and negotiating diplomatically in the current market.
In my talk I'll be addressing:
- A clear overview of today’s external development landscape and market dynamics
- Practical frameworks for setting and communicating rates without damaging client relationships
- Strategies for structuring and managing change orders to protect margins and project health
- Proven, tactful negotiation techniques that preserve partnerships and minimize conflict
- Real-world case studies and a moderated Q&A providing actionable takeaways while respecting confidentiality
Why this matters: Attendees will leave with pragmatic, sustainable approaches they can implement immediately to improve commercial outcomes, reduce risk, and strengthen long-term client partnerships.
Information:
- September 11th, 13:30 - 15:00
- Room 211 (2nd Floor)
Grab a free powerbank
We'll be giving out Keywords Studios branded power banks, so you can stay plugged into the action all day.
Just show this to the team at the Keywords Studios booth to claim yours.
(Subject to availability)
And if you've got a project you'd like to talk about, or just want to learn a little more about Keywords Studios' variety of services, book in a meeting via the form below.
Or feel free to give Trizi a shout on the day - she'll be on hand to answer all of your Keywords Studios & XDS related questions.
Patrizia 'Trizi' Barkley
