East Coast Game Conference 2023 Recap

We wanted to share our experience at the East Coast Game Conference 2023 (ECGC) with you all! Our team at mudstack had an amazing time and we're excited to tell you about it.

The conference was held from April 18-20, 2023 and was hosted by Triangle Game Initiative, which is dedicated to supporting and promoting the video game industry in the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina. They did an amazing job of recruiting premier speakers and sponsors, making 2023 the largest event ever. There were more international speakers, a larger group of seasoned developers, emerging indies, and more students looking to break into the game industry.

Connecting with Colleges and Universities

Our team had a lot of great interactions with colleges and universities at ECGC. We spoke with representatives from High Point University, East Tennessee State University, George Mason University, and Wake Tech Community College, and reconnected with old friends from SCAD. It was really inspiring to see so many students at the conference who were passionate about game development and looking to get their foot in the door.

It’s very exciting to see so many students who want to pursue a career in the game industry. It became clear from our talks with students and educators alike that the storage and management of their assets can be a huge problem - a problem that our team is in a great position to help them solve.

Mudstack provides educators and their students with a powerful and intuitive tool to store, manage, and collaborate on art assets. Its user-friendly interface, intelligent tagging system, and built-in collaboration and review features make it a perfect fit for classrooms. Mudstack is also free for artists, making it accessible to all students without an additional and unnecessary burden of expense.

Insights from Industry Leaders

ECGC 2023 also featured several industry leaders who shared their expertise. Keisha Howard, CEO and Founder of Sugar Gamers delivered a keynote speech on how gaming can save the world and has the potential to transcend socioeconomic barriers to bring people together. Howard's passion for video games and technology extends beyond entertainment, and she sees their potential as a tool for inspiration and positive change. We found her speech and enthusiasm infectious, and her positive outlook on the future of the industry an inspiration.

We also had some great conversations with companies like Insomniac and FunCom. We spoke with the Lead Outsource Artist at Insomniac, Diego Teran, and it was interesting to hear their perspective and see how far they have come in the industry. We’re always inspired by artists finding success and want to learn more about how mudstack could improve art asset production pipelines. Outsourcing at game studios is becoming increasingly common and creating more opportunities for artists who want to position themselves for a successful career in the game industry.

Our favorite game at ECGC

Have you heard of Metal: Hellsinger? FunCom released the addictive rhythmic FPS last year, but it's packed with side challenges and leaderboards to keep you engaged. The game's story is campy and has fallen angels and giant skeletons, but what makes it special is the genuine connection to the heavy metal genre that's felt throughout. Playing this game is like being transported to a personal concert that will have you head-banging in your living room. So if you love heavy metal and want to experience a game that embodies the genre's spirit, give Metal: Hellsinger a try!

We had an amazing time at ECGC 2023 and can't wait to see what's next in store for the vibrant gaming community on the East Coast. It was inspiring to see so many people come together to celebrate the world of game development and we're grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it.

Mudstack is the only asset management and collaboration platform custom-built for game studios and digital artists.

Mudstack is dedicated to improving asset management and collaboration together. You can join our Discord channel to speak directly with our product team or schedule a demo to show us your art production pipeline and see our software in action.