A survey conducted by Devcom reflects varied perspectives on artificial intelligence among speakers

The Devcom speaker survey indicates that 33% of respondents aim to minimize AI usage, whereas 32% recognize the potential of AI in coding and production roles.

Only 11% favor AI application in art and animation. Fewer respondents support its use in marketing and communication, with a mere 3% endorsing it for narrative design purposes.

In terms of the most pressing issues in the gaming sector, 56 participants highlighted economic and political instability as a primary concern. Market oversaturation followed closely behind with 53 votes, while the escalation of development expenses garnered 44 votes.

A notable 46% of those surveyed anticipate a shift by at least one major platform toward cloud and digital services in the near future. Moreover, 59% of speakers tend to purchase games digitally, with 22% reserving physical purchases for collector's editions.

This year's Devcom event is set to take place in Cologne, Germany, from August 17 to 19, featuring over 350 speakers and more than 200 sessions. According to Devcom's senior PR and partnership manager, Robin Hartmann, this year introduces a roundtable stage, which was highly requested due to their interactive nature.

Hartmann emphasizes that the event will also feature an extensive expo stage, promising an experience comparable to Gamescom. The expo floor is open for attendees to watch the main stage sessions, which includes keynotes and expanded content offerings.

Hartmann is particularly enthused about a session with Minh Le, the mind behind Counter-Strike, who will discuss game development challenges over the past 25 years.

The agenda also includes a keynote from the STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl creators, Ievgen and Mariia Grygorovych, tackling the hurdles faced during development, especially amidst the Ukrainian conflict.

Additional speakers include Michel Nohra, Zeke Virant, and representatives from Arrowhead Game Studios, Gearbox Montreal, and Avalanche Studios, who will share insights from their game development experiences.

David Fox, an early Lucasfilm Games employee, will reflect on the making of Rescue on Fractalus!, a pioneering real-time 3D game from 1985 using fractals.

New features at Devcom include 'Viva La Game Dev: How a YouTube Empire Became Indie Game Gold' and the 'Mario Kart World: Beat the Pros' challenge, giving attendees a chance to win tickets for Devcom 2026 by competing against experts.

For further information, visit the Devcom website.