AGENDA
All Guest Sessions
-
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Lobby.
-
9:15 - 9:20 Culinary Arts (E3), Hall B
Dr. Marcia Wilson - Dean of Academic Affairs, LATTC
Dr. Narineh Makijan - Assistant Vice President and Chair, LARC
Dr. Sobia Khan - Vice President Academic Affairs, LACC
-
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Eric T. Elder - Project Lead, LA Game Con - Edu
-
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Luis Cataldi - Academic Advisor, Epic Games
-
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
-
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Hall B
Breakout Sessions
Student Tracks
-
12:00 PM - 12:50 PM - Student Track 1 - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Hall B.
Jackson Clayton - Technical Designer, Future Trash
Presented by Jackson Clayton, an early pioneer in Fortnite Creative and UEFN development, this session explores the rapidly evolving creator ecosystem within Fortnite. Topics include discoverability, monetization, current genre trends, algorithm-driven visibility, community building, and strategies for creating successful islands in 2025. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how independent creators are building careers and businesses through Fortnite Creative and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).
-
1:00 PM - 1:50 PM - Student Track 2 - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Hall B.
Charles Babb - Producer, Meta
Dr. iAsia Brown - Founder, TechPicasso, LLC
Tim Stanton-Davis - Cultural Technical Game Designer
Industry professionals from across game development discuss their careers and pathways into the video game industry, including roles in art, design, programming, and production. Attendees will gain practical advice on the training, skills, and portfolio development needed to enter this highly competitive field, along with insights into networking, internships, strategies for launching sustainable careers in games, and the current state of the industry.
-
1:00 PM - 1:50 PM - Student Track 2 - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Hall B.
Tyler Kesinger - President, LACCD Games Alliance
Sophie Boucher - President, WLAC Esports Club
Valentine - President, LATTC Esports Club
Student leaders from game development clubs, esports programs, and creative communities across the LARC system’s 19 campuses discuss how they are building culture, organizing events, leading teams, and creating opportunities on their campuses. This session highlights the next generation of leaders shaping the future of gaming, esports, and interactive media.
Professional Tracks
-
12:00 PM - 12:50 PM - Professional Track 1 - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Room 205.
Joe McAllister - Esports Specialist, Insight
Alan Zack - President, Lollipop Labs
Adam Lopez - Higher Education Esports Consultant
Alvaro Brito - EdTech Innovator Coordinator, LACOE
A discussion on the rapidly evolving world of scholastic esports, including league development, coaching strategies, career pathways, community building, and the integration of esports into education. Panelists will explore how schools and colleges are using esports to drive student engagement and workforce development.
-
1:00 PM - 1:50 PM - Professional Track 1 - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Room 205.
Gemma Busoni - CEO, DISCOVR
Vince Argentine - CTO & Founder, Rouge Studios
Juan Carlos - Realtime Character TD
Jeff Morphy - Producer & CEO, Quest Pacifica
Dive into modern character production workflows using motion capture and MetaHumans in Unreal Engine. This session explores real-time animation pipelines, performance capture, virtual production techniques, and how emerging tools are transforming character creation for games, film, and immersive experiences. Join a panel of industry veterans working with the latest tools and production methodologies to create the stunning characters and cinematic experiences seen across today’s gaming and animation industries.
-
2:00 PM - 2:50 PM - Professional Track 1 - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Room 205.
Eric T. Elder - LA Game Con Project Lead
Discover how AI-powered tools are transforming animation, storytelling, and immersive world creation. This presentation explores new production pipelines, rapid visualization techniques, cinematic worldbuilding, and strategies for combining traditional creative fundamentals with next-generation AI workflows to build compelling transmedia experiences. Join animation industry veteran of 30+ years and conference director Eric T. Elder for this special presentation on the future of AI-driven content creation.
Cosplay & After Party
-
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Hall B.
-
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Culinary Arts (E3) Building, Hall B.
Join us for the LA Game Con - Edu 2026 After Party, where attendees can relax, network, and celebrate an exciting day of gaming and innovation. Enjoy live DJ music, social activities, and a fun atmosphere alongside gaming enthusiasts. The after party is the perfect opportunity to continue conversations, make new connections, and end the event with great energy and entertainment.