For two vibrant days, Shawnee State University was abuzz with the energy of game development. The 2025 Shawnee Game Conference brought together students, alumni, educators, and industry professionals for a weekend dedicated to creativity, skill-building, and community connection.

A Keynote of Dreams

The conference began with a powerful and reflective keynote from industry veteran José Araiza. He built upon a thoughtful analysis of the industry to deliver a message that spoke directly to the soul of the audience. In a world increasingly focused on AI, José brought the conversation back to the most essential ingredient, the human spirit. His poignant reminder that "you are playing someone's dream" became a guiding mantra for the entire weekend. This idea grounded every technical and artistic discussion in the profound truth that games are, at their core, an act of shared imagination.

A Hub of Imagination and Discovery

From the moment attendees walked in, the Morris University Center was alive with play. The main floor offered a welcoming atmosphere of gaming, setting the stage for the weekend. A bustling tabletop space in the lobby filled with the sounds of strategy and laughter as attendees gathered to roll dice and trade cards. The energy continued in the nearby game room, where pool tables, table tennis, and arcade cabinets provided spaces for casual competition and connection.

The journey continued upstairs where the entire second floor transformed into a vibrant hub of activity. At the top of the stairs, attendees found themselves at the crossroads of the conference, with breakout rooms to one side and the entrance to the Expo ahead. A central booth welcomed attendees to the popular Side Quest, an interactive scavenger hunt that encouraged exploration of the various booths and demonstrations, with collected tickets redeemable for exclusive Shawnee Game Conference merchandise.

Passing the Side Quest booth, the path unfolded into the vibrant corridor of the Artist Alley. Attendees found themselves walking a gauntlet of inspiration, lined with stunning artwork and creative goods that sparked countless conversations between creators and their new fans. The journey of discovery then culminated as the space opened into the main ballroom, the epicenter of interactive fun. This vast space buzzed with energy, featuring student game demos, indie studios, innovative tech demonstrations, and vendor tables filled with comics, collectibles, and tabletop games.

Together, these connected spaces created a continuous flow of inspiration, showcasing the incredible talent and collaborative spirit that defines the SSUGames community.

Learning from Industry Voices

The heart of the Shawnee Game Conference has always been its people, the creators, mentors, and students who bring their dreams to life. This year's conference was built upon the strong foundation of its returning community. The excitement was palpable in welcoming back accomplished alumni like Samuel Bushman, Yuzhi "Steven" Zhu, and Lily Gresham, whose journeys vividly chart the path from student to industry professional. Their presence, along with other returning alumni, created a powerful, supportive network and reinforced the enduring community spirit that defines the conference.

Beyond the foundational alumni network, the conference benefits immensely from its long-term relationships with established industry professionals. The return of veterans like George Ziets provides a unique value, creating a thread of consistent mentorship and a deep, trusted link to the professional world. Together, these returning voices, both alumni and industry veterans, form a powerful, supportive network that reinforces the enduring community spirit defining the Shawnee Game Conference.

This year also marked a significant expansion of that community, with a vibrant cohort of new voices joining the conversation. First time speakers like Carrie Drovdlic, Jaron Johnson, Conner Rush, and Mark Fitzpatrick brought fresh perspectives that energized attendees and broadened the specialties represented at the Shawnee Game Conference.

The debut of new Narrative and Performance tracks provided the perfect platform for these creative avenues, and the response was overwhelming. Breakout rooms were consistently full, demonstrating a strong appetite for specialized crafts and proving that the Shawnee Game Conference community is growing in both size and creative scope.

Until Next Time: Save the Date for Our 25th Anniversary!

As the 2025 Shawnee Game Conference came to a close, the feeling was one of renewed inspiration and strengthened bonds. The conference proved that every line of code, every brushstroke, and every sound effect is a building block for a new dream.

The next Shawnee Game Conference is already scheduled for November 2026. This will be a landmark event as everyone celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the conference, reflecting on its journey from a small game art conference in 2001 to the established event it is today.