✨THIS MONTH✨

We're at Mission To Seafarers Victoria as usual! If it's your first time heading there, directions and venue details are listed further down.

THIS MONTH'S TALK: How a game dev got a job in something that’s almost videogames (and liked it)

We are living through a difficult time in the games industry. We’ve heard it all a million times: thousands of layoffs and extremely hard to make a start as a junior. This means that we need to be practical if we are going to create videogames and still be able to self sustain. This talk is going to address one possible path developers can take in case of struggle finding a job: a Game Adjacent Career.

A Game Adjacent Career is a job with high overlap in skills with a role in the games industry, but in a different sector. In this talk, Ioni will break down the exact process that led him to get hired as a Junior Sports Motion Graphics Designer at Champion Data (eventually evolving into a Technical Artist) right after graduating university, and will show how this has benefitted his journey as a game developer without killing his dreams of working in videogames full time.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Ioni is a Technical Artist working in sports broadcasting at Champion Data, with ample experience implementing TV and in-venue graphics internationally for Liv Golf, AFL, Tennis Australia, Fox Footy, Channel 7, and more. He is an advocate for the modernisation of broadcast technologies, using his knowledge as a game developer to integrate game engines into live sport productions. He develops indie games in his spare time along with his peers, currently working on an unannounced horror game. Outside of work, Ioni enjoys learning languages, reading, bouldering, playing boardgames and videogames, playing guitar, and a myriad of other hobbies.

🕒 DURATION / VENUE AREAS

Meetup schedule is as follows:

• 6.30pm- Meetup starts: bar is open, games are ready to play in the Dome.
• 7.00pm- Talk begins
• 7.30pm- Talk concludes - return to mingling!
• 8.30pm onwards- Games Showcase begins to wind down. Bar service will continue until the venue closes between 9.30pm ~ 10.30pm

For the evening we will have access to the Main Hall, Beer Garden (courtyard/rear garden) and Dome (showcase space), but please be respectful of any other patrons who are sharing the space.

Accessible bathrooms can be found past the bar toward ‘The Dome’.

Smokers/vapers please abide by any venue signage in place.

🍔 FOOD / DRINK

MtSV does not serve food, but welcomes BYO meals and allows you to order food to the venue. The bar has affordable beer, spirits, wine and non-alcoholic options - eg. $10 for a pint of Coopers.

Your ticket includes a drink token which you can redeem at the bar; please check your ticket type and have it ready to scan at the front entrance on arrival.

Note: Please be respectful and clear any takeaway containers/mess into a bin after you've finished.

🗺️ HOW TO GET THERE

Mission to Seafarers Victoria building.

Address: 717 Flinders Street, Docklands

Nearby Public Transport:

• Stop 124 - Batman Park/Spencer St - Tram Routes: 12, 96, 109 (Wheelchair accessible)
• Stop D5 - South Wharf/Wurundjeri Way - Trams Routes: 70, 75, 30 (Wheelchair accessible)
• Southern Cross Station/Collins St bus stop (Bus Route: 235)

Walking Options:

• 7 -10 minute walk from Southern Cross (via Collins St & Batman Hill Dr OR Spencer & Flinders Sts)
• 20 minute walk down Flinders St from Flinders Street station

Parking:

• Care Park, 671 Siddeley St, Docklands - $14 p/hr

Map view of a possible tram/walking route from Southern Cross station.

Map view of tram/walking route from Flinders Street station.

🚪 VENUE ENTRANCES

Front - Main entrance steps via Docklands Hwy / State Route 30

Side - Accessible entrance via Siddeley Street side gate, past the garden. If using this entrance, please head to the foyer near the front to get your ticket scanned.

Map view of the two entrances to Mission to Seafarers Victoria.

📝 SHOWCASE SIGNUP

Want to add your game to our monthly showcase?
Fill out the 2026 form here. 

The Showcase is a great way to get playtesting feedback and advice from other devs and practice sharing your game in a safe space. Use the time to ask for advice, solve problems, practice presenting or just stress-test your game!)

We love to receive submissions for anything of the following in development:

• Prototypes
• Alpha builds 
• Vertical slices
• Paper prototypes
• Board/card/TTRPGs, social games

We share news & updates on our Discord or our newsletter, so make sure to sign up to keep an eye on upcoming games, changes or important announcements. 

If you have any questions, reach out to showcase@igdamelbourne.au, or in the general chat on the IGDAM Discord.

❓ QUESTIONS

If you have any questions or feedback feel free to reach out to us on the IGDAM Discord server, or if you have specific questions on the following, email us at:

hello@igdamelbourne.au - General enquiries
showcase@igdamelbourne.au - Showcase-related questions/feedback
venue@igdamelbourne.au - Venue-specific questions & meetup info
talk@igdamelbourne.au - Submit your talks here

Or chat to one of the volunteers at the event!

We look forward to seeing you there. 💜

A friendly reminder, please do not attend the event if you feel unwell, and mask up where you can for the safety of other patrons.

Please respect the health and safety of our community.

Join our newsletter, check out our website or jump into the Discord server to stay updated on news and events.

Contact Event Organiser