Now, after the initial excitement has faded, with business cards and brochures neatly gathered and our team safely back from Germany, we are thrilled to share our reflections and the most impactful highlights from the Devcom Developer Conference.
On August 18-20, our delegation attended Devcom 2024, Europe's biggest Game Developer Event, in stunning Cologne. It was stormy days when our marvellous team — Anton Yefimenko (Game Program Director) and Tetiana Avramova (Key Account Manager) — were getting to their destination. They thought they'd have to stay overnight in Munich when the flights were finally launched. "It is a victory!" – both cheered, knowing they wouldn't miss anything.
Despite the blocking circumstances, such as problematic travel trips from Ukraine and weather tricks, the guys proudly represented QATestLab in the European arena. They were glad to visit such an exceptional gathering, meet remarkable individuals, and engage in meaningful exchanges of expertise.
Devcom 2024 was full of other memorable moments. Here's what our teammates had to say:
"My favourite memory? The informal gatherings with sweet drinks and genuine smiles from all the participants. In my opinion, people are those who made this event unforgettable" – Tetiana.
"Guess what I'm holding. These are access keys for pilot games on Steam and Meta. So, you can probably imagine how my weekend will go — gaming all day and night! Let's face it; this is one of the best perks of game events.
The Devcom was fantastic, and the side events offered some of the most practical networking experiences I've ever had. By the way, I got to hear new fascinating approaches to game development. In moments like these, you realize you're not alone in handling our daily challenges" – Anton.
The event days were packed with thought-provoking presentations and insightful sessions by industry-leading experts. These offered attendees valuable knowledge and experiences, encouraged influential dialogues among participants, and sparked new ideas and collaborations.
Tanya and Anton had a unique opportunity to meet our long-standing, well-known partners, who were really happy to communicate with our team in person and discuss our future plans and the goals we can achieve together. Moreover, apart from meeting our old friends, they connected with notable game studios while discussing our potential cooperation and projects, strengthening the ties of international partnerships.
Open-minded people in a relaxed atmosphere at a series of specialized side events turned the conference into the most comfy gaming place ever. Leadership dinners, Developer Night, and the Community Clubhouse, where we've got to see over 65 great new games and practical experiences blended with the true pleasure of networking and cherishing talks, made the attendance special and memorable.
Our delegation shared the latest trends, fresh ideas, innovations shaping game development's future and thoughts on the industry's forecast for the next year. The game industry is indeed special in the field of information technologies since it is a duo of professionalism and charm.
Our team can't help but remember another remarkable moment — Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024, the big opening show of DDC, which included the launch of new outstanding games and entirely unexpected announcements.
The Devcom Game Developer Event 2024 was a resounding success for QATestLab. The connections we made, the knowledge we gained, and the game developers, designers and publishers we discovered will undoubtedly enrich our continuously evolving expertise in the gaming industry.
We are excited about the future events that DDC's exceptional organizational team will craft, confident that they will continue to surprise and inspire us with their innovation and creativity, just as they have in the past.
There is an omen when you leave something of yours behind; it ensures your return to that place. So, Anton and Tania decided to throw two coins into the fountain and make a wish – to revisit Cologne and Devcom.
We look forward to being part of this exciting journey again!