Pocket Gamer Connects has become one of the most densely-packed networking opportunities in the mobile and games industry. With thousands of developers, publishers, investors, and service providers converging in the same space, the sheer volume of potential connections can be overwhelming. The difference between developers who walk away with transformative partnerships and those who collect a stack of business cards they’ll never use comes down to strategy.

Here’s how to make every hour at PGC count.

Before You Even Pack Your Bag

PGC’s conference app is your most valuable tool, but most attendees treat it like a glorified schedule. Start using it 2-3 weeks before the event. Search for attendees by company, role, and interests. Your goal isn’t to connect with everyone—it’s to identify the 15-20 people whose conversations could genuinely move your business forward.

Create a tiered list:

• Tier 1 (5-7 people): Dream meetings that could lead to publishing deals, significant partnerships, or funding
• Tier 2 (8-12 people): Valuable connections for business development, knowledge sharing, or future opportunities
• Tier 3 (Open-ended): Serendipity targets—people in adjacent spaces who might lead to unexpected opportunities

For Tier 1 targets, do real research. Play their games. Read their recent announcements. Understand their challenges. Generic “I’d love to connect” messages get ignored. Specific, informed outreach gets responses.

Craft Your 30-Second Pitch (But Make It a Conversation Starter)

You need a crisp answer to “What do you do?” but the goal isn’t to recite a elevator pitch—it’s to spark a two-way conversation. The best format: Problem → Your Solution → Traction (if you have it).

Example: “We’re building a tactical RPG that combines the strategic depth of XCOM with the narrative choice system of Telltale games. We’ve hit 50K wishlists in three months, and we’re here looking for publishing partners who understand core strategy audiences.”

Notice what this does: It gives context (genre, comparable games), demonstrates momentum (wishlists), and creates a clear next step (publishing discussions). The person you’re talking to immediately knows if they can help you or introduce you to someone who can.

Block Your Calendar Strategically

Don’t try to attend every session. PGC’s real value is in the hallway conversations, not the conference rooms. Block out:

• Morning slots (9-11 AM): Pre-scheduled meetings with Tier 1 targets
• Lunch (12-2 PM): Flexible networking time—this is when everyone’s guard is down
• Afternoon slots (2-4 PM): Attend 1-2 sessions in areas where you need knowledge, sit in the back, and be ready to leave if a networking opportunity emerges
• Evening (6-10 PM): After-parties and sponsored events—this is where real relationships form

Day-Of Execution

Arrive at registration 30 minutes before official start time. Early arrivals are often the most serious attendees, and there’s natural camaraderie in the “we got here early” crowd. Strike up conversations in the registration line. Exchange contact info before you even get your badge.

Once you’re inside, don’t beeline for the coffee table and then hide in the corner scrolling your phone. Plant yourself in high-traffic areas: near the entrance to main halls, at the junction between exhibition floors, or near sponsor booths of companies you’re interested in. Make eye contact. Smile. Ask people if this is their first PGC.

Master the Art of the Productive 10-Minute Conversation

At PGC, you’ll have dozens of brief conversations. Most people waste them with small talk that goes nowhere. Here’s a better framework:

1. Exchange context (30 seconds each): Quick intros
2. Find the value match (2-3 minutes): Identify if there’s a reason to stay connected
3. Go deep on one thing (4-5 minutes): If there’s mutual value, dive into one specific topic rather than surface-level overviews
4. Set next steps (1 minute): Exchange details with a specific follow-up plan

Example: If you meet a UA manager from a successful studio, don’t ask generic questions about their acquisition strategy. Instead: “We’re seeing 15% D1 retention on our puzzle game but struggling to find profitable UA channels beyond Facebook. What’s been your experience with TikTok for casual titles?” This gets you actionable intelligence, not platitudes.

Use the Meetings System Aggressively

PGC‘s meeting scheduler is underutilized. Most attendees wait for others to request meetings. Don’t be passive. Send 3-5 meeting requests per day during the conference to people who show up in the app as “interested in the same sessions” as you or who match your target profile.

Navigate the Social Complexity

The conference floor is transactional. After-parties are where people relax, have real conversations, and form genuine connections. But they’re also intimidating for introverts and easy to waste. Strategy for making after-parties productive:

• Arrive in the first 30 minutes: Events are most approachable when they’re still ramping up
• Use the buddy system: Go with one colleague and work the room separately, then regroup every 30-45 minutes to share intros
• Target the edges: Don’t try to break into established conversation circles. Look for people standing alone or groups of 2-3 that are easier to join
• Have an exit strategy: Don’t get trapped in dead-end conversations. “It was great meeting you—I promised my colleague I’d introduce them to someone, but let’s connect tomorrow” is your escape hatch

The Sponsor Booth Paradox

Walking past sponsor booths collecting swag makes you look like a tourist. But sponsor companies often have decision-makers on-site who are more accessible than they’d ever be otherwise. Approach sponsor booths with specific questions. “I’m evaluating analytics platforms for a mid-core mobile title. How does your event tracking handle custom parameters compared to Firebase?” gets you into a real conversation with someone senior. “What do you guys do?” gets you a brochure.

Volunteer or Speak If You Can

If you have the opportunity to be on a panel, give a talk, or volunteer at the event, take it. Speakers and organizers get elevated status and extended networks. Even a 20-minute talk positions you as an authority and gives people a reason to approach you.

The Follow-Up That Actually Matters

At the end of each conference day, spend 15 minutes adding context notes to every business card and contact you collected. Don’t just write their name and company—note:

• What you talked about
• What they need
• What you promised to send them
• When you’ll follow up

“Sarah – King – looking for monetization options for web games, interested in rewarded video, follow up Tuesday with case study” is infinitely more valuable than a business card with a name on it.

The 48-Hour Window

Follow up within 48 hours while the event is still fresh in everyone’s mind. Waiting a week means you’re competing with 200 other people who also “met someone great at PGC.”

Your follow-up email template:

• Subject: “Following up from PGC – [Specific Topic]”
• Remind them of your conversation context
• Deliver the thing you promised (intro, resource, case study)
• Suggest a specific next step with a timeframe

Example: “Hi Marco, Great connecting at the PGC after-party about your studio’s expansion into web platforms. As promised, here’s the case study showing how a similar strategy game increased LTV by 35% after implementing rewarded video on web. Would you be open to a 30-minute call next week to discuss how this might apply to your roadmap?”

Create a Post-Event Engagement Plan

Not everyone needs immediate follow-up. Categorize your contacts:

• Hot leads: Follow up within 48 hours with specific next steps
• Warm connections: Add to LinkedIn, engage with their content, reach out in 2-4 weeks with something valuable
• Long-term network: Quarterly check-ins, sharing relevant articles or intros

The goal is building relationships, not collecting contacts.

Special Situations

If You’re Fundraising

Don’t pitch investors on the show floor. Use PGC to build relationships. Ask for advice instead of money. “We’re raising a seed round in Q2. What metrics do you look for in mobile games at this stage?” positions you as thoughtful and creates a natural reason to follow up when you’re actually raising.

If You’re Launching Soon

Conference buzz can translate to wishlists and launch momentum. Bring demo devices. Have QR codes that link directly to your Steam page or pre-registration. Set up times to demo your game in quieter areas (hotel lobbies, coffee shops nearby). But don’t be pushy—let people discover your game through conversation, not interruption.

If You’re Looking for Partners or Publishers

Come with a one-pager that includes: game concept, target audience, current traction, what you’re looking for, and timeline. Don’t hand it out randomly, but have it ready when someone says “Send me more details.” Include clear contact info and one screenshot that captures your game’s appeal.

The Mindset Shift

The biggest mistake developers make at PGC is treating it like a transaction factory. “I need to meet 50 people” becomes the goal, and quality suffers.

Flip the script: Your goal is to have 10 meaningful conversations that could lead somewhere, not to collect 100 business cards. Your goal is to learn 5 things that change how you think about your business, not to attend every session. Your goal is to build 3-4 genuine relationships with people you’d want to work with, not to maximize your LinkedIn connections.

PGC is exhausting. You’ll feel pressure to be “on” for 12 hours a day. Build in downtime. Skip the evening event if you’re burned out. Have lunch alone and recharge. A focused, energized 6 hours is more valuable than a scattered, exhausted 12.

The Real ROI

The partnerships, deals, and opportunities that emerge from PGC rarely happen during the event itself. They unfold over the following 3-6 months as you nurture the connections you made. The developers who succeed aren’t the ones who “worked the room” the hardest—they’re the ones who identified the right people, built genuine rapport, and followed through consistently afterward.

Treat PGC as the beginning of relationships, not the end. The conference is your chance to plant seeds. The real work—and the real value—comes in how you tend to them after everyone goes home.