- 1000+ attendees from 600+ companies, 1,800+ on MeetToMatch, 59 countries represented.
- Audience included 75% game makers, 38% C-level or founders and 69% senior executives.
- 22+ hours of content, 10 tracks, 90+ expert speakers.
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The 50th global edition of Pocket Gamer Connects (PGC) San Francisco 2025 concluded on a high note, solidifying its status as one of the most important gatherings in the mobile games industry.
Held on March 17-18 at the historic Hibernia venue, it brought together over 1000 industry professionals from 600+ companies – alongside 1,800+ companies on the MeetToMatch platform. Attendees spanned the entire games ecosystem, with 75% game makers, 38% C-level or founders and 69% senior executives, representing 59 countries. The event fostered networking, knowledge sharing, and growth opportunities.
Coinciding perfectly with the renowned Game Developers Conference (GDC) week, PGC San Francisco 2025 provided attendees with a unique opportunity to engage with the mobile games sphere and the broader games community. The extended 5-day use of MeetToMatch means there were countless meetings and networking opportunities that continued beyond the Hibernias doors.
The two-day conference featured an expansive and thoughtfully curated program spread across 10 distinct content tracks, offering an impressive total of over 22 hours filled with enlightening talks, thought-provoking panels, interactive roundtables, and curated fringe events. More than 90+ industry leaders took centre stage, sharing their invaluable insights on the essential growth engines of 2025 and more.
Headlines from PGC San Francisco 2025
Our editorial team roamed the vibrant expo floor, immersing themselves in the lively atmosphere and engaging in insightful discussions to uncover the most cutting-edge insights for our audience. Here are our top standout articles from PG Connects San Francisco 2025, each brimming with the latest trends and ideas:
Highlighting the finest in indie creations.
The highly anticipated Very Big Indie Pitch competition offers a platform for talented developers to showcase their creations to seasoned industry veterans. This opportunity provided invaluable feedback, fostering growth and refinement for each project.
Marking its second appearance in San Francisco since COVID-19, this year’s competition brought together Console, PC, and Mobile pitches with a rare addition of VR entries. With over 100 submissions, only 19 standout participants were selected to compete, making it one of the most competitive editions yet.
Now, it’s time to reveal the results…
- Hawk Shaw: Private Eye by Exit 73 Games
- Purrfect Employee by Second Way Studios
- Blocks for Babies by BunkSoft Interactive
You can find more information about the 19 games that were pitched over the upcoming weeks.
The Big Indie Zone was a special part of the event, showcasing a vibrant collection of independent creators and their games. This area is designed to help people interact with indie developers, allowing them to showcase their games, art, and other creative projects. The eclectic mix of games presented drew in visitors, each highlighting the diverse perspectives and imaginative approaches that define the indie scene. The atmosphere was filled with excitement as people talked, played game demos, and looked at the latest indie projects.
A collaborative environment for growth
Our curated networking fringe events were a resounding success, attracting significant participation from industry professionals. Publisher SpeedMatch received 31 applications, of which 21 were selected, resulting in 66 productive meetings between publishers and potential partners. Meanwhile, Investor Connector received 35 applications; 12 were selected, which facilitated 360 minutes of strategic meetings between investors and promising businesses. These sessions created valuable connections and fostered new opportunities for collaboration within the industry.
PGC San Francisco 2025 created a dynamic environment where professionals from all corners of the mobile games industry came together to exchange ideas, explore emerging technologies, and forge lasting partnerships. As the industry rapidly evolves, events like these are essential in driving innovation and shaping its future.
There’s no denying that 2024 was a challenging year for many in the industry, but we were encouraged by the strong sense of optimism among attendees that aligns with our PG Connects’ goal of helping the industry ‘thrive in 2025’. This year, we collaborated with industry expert Amir Satvat to offer complimentary access passes to job seekers. This initiative provided them with invaluable resources, exclusive networking opportunities, and in-depth insights into the global games market. By equipping professionals with current industry knowledge, we helped them connect with potential employers and valuable contacts, facilitating career advancement.
A spectacular kickoff to GDC week
The Pocket Gamer Party, held on Monday, March 17, 2025, was a tremendous success, with 2,900 attendees marking a fantastic start to GDC week and the opening night of Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco 2025. Hosted at the stylish Temple Nightclub, the event brought together game developers, publishers, and industry professionals for an evening of networking, drinks, and dancing. Epic Games Store and Kwalee’s incredible support made the atmosphere electric. The party kicked off at 8:30 PM and quickly became a relaxed yet vibrant highlight of the week, providing the perfect opportunity for the games community to connect and celebrate.
A message from the team at Steel Media:
CEO Chris James said, ” So that’s a half-century in the books! PG Connects San Francisco was our 50th show and continued the trend of steady growth that we witnessed in our record breaking PGC London show.
Over 1000 delegates from c.600 companies representing 59 countries stepped foot on the glorious Hibernian floors to listen to over 90 great speakers, meet with industry colleagues and generally get business done. As usual, most were game makers (75%).
This is all the more notable when set against a background of political and industry turbulence, where it felt that fewer people were in town than usual for the week of GDC. So I’m very proud of the SM team for all their sterling efforts and extremely grateful to sponsors and delegates for all their support – especially top partners like GeeMee and BIGO Ads.
I was also exceptionally proud to be able to support job-seekers, working with the likes of the legendary Amir Satvat to offer complimentary passes for those looking for new roles.
Despite the challenges, I did sense an underlying sense of positivity, and we look forward to more positive stories and wider games industry growth throughout the year as we take our show on the road to Dubai, Barcelona, Shanghai, Helsinki and beyond. I hope you’ll join us! “
Next up: Dubai GameExpo Summit 2025, powered by PG Connects
Mark your calendars for May 7-8, 2025, as we return to the MENA region for another game-changing event! Since 2023, we’ve been proud to host the Dubai GameExpo Summit in partnership with the Dubai Economy & Tourism Department (DET)—and for 2025, we’re alongside the Dubai Esports and Games Festival.
Join a robust network of 1300+ industry leaders, innovators, and visionaries for two unmissable days of insights, networking, and collaboration in the heart of Dubai, UAE—one of the world’s most dynamic games and esports hubs. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the industry in the MENA region!
Tickets are now live.
