The tectonic shifts in player behavior and more, at the GamesBeat & Facebook Gaming Summit

The absolute bonkers boom in the gaming industry is old news at this point, though the numbers are still stunning. The industry was worth $178.73 billion in 2021, an increase of 14.4% from 2020 – and nearly double the initial predictions for the same period, initially made back in 2016.

The pandemic couldn’t have been predicted, of course. But understanding how consumer behavior has changed, and will keep changing, during the years of uncertainty and isolation is absolutely essential for professionals across the industry in order to unlock new growth and monetization opportunities.

That’s why player behavior is one of the big themes of the 2nd Annual GamesBeat and Facebook Gaming Summit, along with other future gaming markets and trends. Lights go up on the digital event on January 25, 2022, for a day of gaming industry leaders digging deep into the most essential topics facing developers and publishers.

Here’s a look at some of the panels that will explore the major changes in player behavior that are impacting the industry now, and will keep driving transformation into the future.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM PST

Audience-Driven Games

Join Meta’s Oliver Messenger, Jacob Navok, of Genvid Technologies and Matthew Ball from EpyllionCo as they talk about the newest genre of gaming: audience-driven games. Birthed from the confluence of social media, esports, and cloud gaming, these games offer more interactive experiences for fans. Titles like Genvid’s Pac-Man Community let players create their own mazes, and creators can invite followers to play, or invite the audience to participate in the game in an interactive way. Genvid has also pioneered Massive Interactive Live Events (MILEs), such as Rival Peak, which are part-game, part-TV show. The panel will talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of audience involvement, as well as the challenges and opportunities.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM PST

The Social Impact of Games: Virtual Roundtable

There’s been a growing interest in diversity and inclusion efforts in gaming, especially in wake of many alarming disclosures about what goes on behind the scenes at many studios. Right now, studios are evolving in the moment to drive real-world impact, and inspiring others to harness the world of games to inform, educate, solve, and support.

Industry leaders Simay Dinc, of Recontact Games, Susanna Pollack from Games for Change, and Cristina Amaya of Latinx in Gaming will hold a roundtable discussion to discuss the unique power of games to create community, and how those communities have the power to be platforms for social change, and the creative ways they’re pushing the gaming world to be much more than just fun and play.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 1:05 PM – 1:35 PM PST

Reaching More Players via Inclusive Game Design

Inclusive game design is good for business, good for the bottom line, and just a good strategy overall. This mix of creative experts across the industry, including Tara Voelker, Xbox Game Studios Accessibility Lead at Microsoft; Osama Dorias, Senior Game Designer of WB Games Montreal; Laura Teclemariam, Director of Product Innovation, Animation, at Netflix; and Renee Gittins, Executive Director of the IGDA will come together for an inspiring discussion about inclusion. They’ll talk about the many ways to think about, and integrate, accessibility and inclusivity into the gaming experience, and they’ll share actionable ways to engage more players and build an impassioned fanbase, from design to the developmental process.

The summit is right around the corner. Learn more about what’s on the agenda for the summit, who’s coming, and more here, and then make sure to register to reserve your spot!  

Originally appeared on: TheSpuzz