DICE Summit returns to Las Vegas

After a year away because of the pandemic, the DICE Summit returned to Las Vegas. The three-day conference, which began Tuesday, brings together game developers from around the world to connect and network.

The event always is a highlight for many of the attendees. This year, however, was a little more special, given how the world has changed since the pandemic began.

“If there’s one thing we’ve learned through all the zoom calls and teams meetings and Google Meets, it’s the power of video games to serve as an unimaginably positive force to bring people together socially, when they couldn’t be together physically,” Meggan Scavio, President at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, said during her opening remarks.

For many, this week is the first time since the pandemic started that they’ve attended a major industry event and gotten to see friends and colleagues in person.

“It’s genuinely awesome to see everyone,” game director Mike Bithell said. “It’s just a very nice atmosphere and I think people are very excited to be out and seeing people to be honest.”

Pre-pandemic, DICE was one event that Bithell made sure to attend as often as he could. He wasn’t alone.

“I think it’s the intimacy,” Bithell said. “It’s a very small crowd. It’s a conference where you know people and can have cool, interesting conversations. The bigger conferences, it can feel like you’re having two-minute conversations with hundreds of people. This is more like, you can sit down and have a proper chat with a friend.”

DICE continues through Thursday, culminating with the 25th DICE Awards Thursday evening. The event brings together developers both large and small, and they are excited to see what’s next for the gaming industry.

“The pandemic has shown to the rest of the world the lasting impact of games to unite us,” Scavio said during her opening speech.

“It’s one of the most powerful mediums ever created.”