The devcom Developer Conference (#ddc2024) kicked off in style in Cologne, Germany, on August 19, 2024, standing out as one of the leading events for knowledge sharing in the gaming industry. With more than 350 renowned speakers, the conference opened with the prestigious Speaker & VIP Networking Dinner at the historic Wolkenburg, an exclusive dinner that brought industry leaders together in an inspiring setting.

One of the most anticipated moments of the evening was the devcom Indie Awards, which celebrated the creativity and innovation of the best indie games showcased at the conference. From over 270 submissions, 35 projects were selected, with 20 showcased on-site and 15 in the virtual exhibition. "The atmosphere was filled with excitement as the winners were announced," commented a representative of the organization. The award was divided into four categories, highlighting games such as Dungeons of Dreadrock, The Dead King's Secret and Zombie Rollerz: The Last Ship.

In addition to celebrating indie games, devcom also revealed the results of the highly anticipated Speaker Survey, a survey conducted with 100 speakers that addressed crucial issues for the future of the game development industry. Among the key insights, there is a growing interest in the use of AI in game development, with 31% of speakers preferring minimal AI usage, but 21% indicating the importance of AI for coding and production, as well as marketing and communication.

Another relevant point from the survey was the discussion on business models, where digital and physical premium games emerged as the preferred option, with 65% of respondents supporting this approach. In contrast, the Free-to-Play model with ads was the least popular. Regarding the financial viability of AAA games, 89% of participants believe that these games can be successful solely with the Buy-to-Play model.

Finally, the survey also addressed industry layoffs, with 57% of speakers predicting that the pace of layoffs will continue or increase in the next 12 months, while 43% believe that layoffs will decrease or that more professionals will be rehired. devcom 2024 not only celebrates the present of the gaming industry but also sheds light on the challenges and opportunities that will shape its future.