The Gamer’s Guide to SXSW 2025

The Gamer’s Guide to SXSW 2025

February 26, 2025

Attending SXSW 2025? So are we! SXSW is where gaming meets innovation, culture, and business. It’s the place to be if you want to follow the industry’s cutting-edge trends or network with some of gaming’s most influential professionals.

But you have to know where to look! Lucky for you, as a marketing agency rooted in the industry for 20 years, Off Base is here to help you catch all the best moments and make the most of your time. We’ll share our best tips on how to make the most of your SXSW experience, give you our panel recommendations, and highlight the most exciting interactive activations and networking opportunities.

Practical Tips for Navigating SXSW

SXSW can be overwhelming without a gameplan. We’ve got a few tips to keep you from getting Perfect KO’ed right out the gate.

Preparation is Key

As is the case for any industry professional, enthusiast, or Witcher, preparation is key! Download the official SXSW app for iOS and Android to find out where events and panels are located to plan your adventure ahead of time.

Pack the Essentials
  • Comfortable shoes: With how big the venues can be, you might feel like you’re walking across all of America. Equip your feet with the best gear so you don’t fall over!
  • Portable chargers: Devices at a festival get used up like potions in a desperate fight. Don’t rely on facility outlets, especially if you want to stay on the move! Bring your own portable charger and keep the journey going.
  • Business cards — old school or digital: Interactions at SXSW might be shorter than a chat with the nurse at a Pokémon Center. Make sure you’ve got business cards that can help you make your best impression quickly! You can also consider saving your LinkedIn QR code as the home screen on your phone so that new connections can immediately access your LinkedIn.
  • Prepare a list of questions: Have questions ready for panels you want to attend so you’re ready to ask away!
Manage Your Time Wisely

Between panels, networking, and interactive events, you might need to make some hard choices about where to invest your time. You’ll also need time to explore unexpected opportunities. Use the app to save and bookmark panels on your calendar and keep your eye on the clock to accomplish everything before the moon comes crashing down!

Why SXSW Matters for Gaming Professionals

SXSW is itself an example of the convergence of gaming, technology, and entertainment industries. Gaming first burst onto the SXSW scene when Interactive (formerly Film & Multimedia) events entered the festival in 1994. While SXSW always featured exciting gaming-related panels, it wasn’t until 2006 that the festival launched “Screenburn” as a special gaming-focused branch of Interactive. More panels soon joined the fray until finally in 2013, “Screenburn” was redubbed as SXSW Gaming. Today, the festival serves as a unique hub for professionals to network, learn, and showcase their newest technologies and innovations to help everyone plot their next quest.

Must-Attend Panels for Gaming Professionals

Panels are some of the best parts of SXSW. Level up your knowledge by learning from industry leaders and educators who are shaping the future of gaming as we know it. Here are a few of the most notable, covering a wide range of topics, from insights into emerging trends like transmedia storytelling and gamification:

Educational Gaming Opportunities

Skipping these panels would be like jumping into a game without a tutorial. Here are some insightful discussions led by some of the industry’s smartest innovators and experts:

Representation and Inclusion

As the world of gaming expands its borders further than ever before, so does the need to properly include, represent, and listen to diverse voices. Hear about it from the experts themselves, as they seek to bring not only their skills but also their minority and/or underrepresented perspectives to your HUD.

Trendsetting Panels

Want to know where the industry is headed? Catch these panels and you’ll get some much-needed waypoints!

Innovation-Centric Panels

The video game industry is constantly cooking up new tech and insights like a loyal blacksmith. Some of these have direct applications to game systems and mechanics, while others are set to yield more nuanced results.

We’d especially like to highlight our partners at Sony AI who are ready to showcase some powerful cards up their sleeves. See what cool advancements the future has in store!

Esports-Centric Panels

Esports is a fast-growing sector of not only the video game industry but also entertainment as a whole. You don’t need to be a mechanical god or a strategic mastermind to appreciate its impact and influence on the world. Just let these panels tell you!

Brand Specific Panels

Some of the industry’s giants are sharing their stories at SXSW! Get a glimpse of their backstories straight from the source!

Why These Panels Matter

Whatever your motivation, SXSW might be the place to be, but the panels are the places to stay. Use them to:

  • Stay ahead of trends
  • Understand cross-industry collaborations
  • Learn more about transmedia storytelling & gamification
  • Update & revolutionize marketing strategies
  • Gain insights from industry experts who work for industry giants
  • Access potential career and educational advancement opportunities

Lend an ear to gain the experience you need!

Gaming Expo Must-Sees

Some major names are going to be attending SXSW. Want to get the inside scoop? Put these events on your itinerary!

  • Featured Session: DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH
    • “Legendary game creator, Hideo Kojima will discuss and share new details about DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH, the upcoming sequel to the critically acclaimed DEATH STRANDING video game, coming to PlayStation®5.”
    • Mar 9, 2025, 4:00pm – 5:00pm CT
  • Featured Session: The Last of Us: Cast and Creators on Season 2
    • “The cast and creators behind HBO’s Emmy-winning series THE LAST OF US provide a glimpse into the show’s highly anticipated second season debuting this April. Panelists include Craig Mazin (Co-Showrunner/EP/Writer/Director), Neil Druckmann (Co-Showrunner/EP/Writer/Director), Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, and Young Mazino.”
    • Mar 8, 2025 4:00pm – 5:00pm CT

Immersive Experiences

As important as the talks are, gaming is meant to be played! The festival is hosting some fascinating VR/AR exhibits that blend cutting-edge technology and storytelling:

Networking Opportunities at SXSW

SXSW is an exciting place to meet the coolest, max-leveled people in gaming in both formal and informal settings! Here are some ways to connect:

Gaming-specific Meetups

There are all sorts of official gatherings at SXSW to help people fill out their friend list!

If you’re an owner, manager, or director of a creative or digital agency, one event you should scope out is The Agency Owners Meet Up. You’ll get the chance to share both the professional and personal struggles of running an agency in this business.

For the Texans attending SXSW, consider checking out the Texas Video Game Industry Meet Up. Texas is home to the third-largest video game industry in the U.S. so you’ll find plenty of ways to form connections and begin forging an exciting interactive future for the Lone Star State!

For the women in gaming, Ahna Boley, CXO of Double A Labs will be leading Connect, Share, and Level Up: Women in Gaming Meet Up, a session designed for women who want to learn best practices and make invaluable connections. Hear an impactful talk, then connect with new allies for your next journey!

Mentor Sessions

Some pros are going to be at SXSW to provide direct mentorship for people aspiring toward all kinds of gaming-related career paths. Don’t miss the chance to get the insider guide from these maestros at work:

Informal Hangouts

The SXSW festival is like a giant week-long party, which means there are plenty of opportunities to chat up industry professionals on the fly! Off Base will be roaming around all the great sessions related to gaming so if you want to schedule a quick hello with us, please ping our superstar producer Bella Flowers directly on LinkedIn. We’d love for you to join our party!

Panel Q&As and After-Panel Meetups

Many panels reserve time at the end for Q&A. Panelists are also often willing to talk with curious listeners who stay behind. If you find yourself at a panel, don’t be shy! It’s easier than joining a Discord channel!

Connect with the SXSW App

Use SXSW’s app to connect with attendees and schedule meetings in advance. There’s a lot happening at the festival, but a lot of people, fans and professionals alike, are there to meet and make connections. If you’re itching to strike up a conversation, try your hand at the app!

Conclusion: Don’t Miss SXSW 2025

No matter what you’re planning to see at SXSW 2025, just make sure to be there. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another opportunity to attain insights into future trends, hands-on experience with next-gen tech, and chances to meet the game’s biggest players. We hope that you go in with a solid plan and take our panel recommendations to heart, and above all, that you’ll save some time for Off Base!

If you can’t make it out, you might still be able to catch some great insights after the festival via video recordings on the SXSW YouTube channel and audio recordings on the SXSW online schedule. We’ll be sure to post a full recording of Greg and Geoff’s Power of Hype fireside chat here on the Off Base website!

NEWS

Need some intel?

We’re the industry’s experts, but cheat codes are meant to be shared! Join our party and you won’t have to grind for our hard-earned insights.