Game Con Canada to Host Inaugural North American Games Industry Summit in Edmonton

Edmonton is set to become a central hub for the North American gaming industry this June with the return of Game Con Canada and the launch of the North American Games Industry Summit (NAGIS) Powered By Xsolla. The events aim to foster growth and collaboration within the $5.1 billion Canadian gaming sector [1].

What is NAGIS?

The North American Games Industry Summit (NAGIS) is a new business-to-business (B2B) event designed to connect developers, tech companies, financiers and other key partners. It will run from June 18-19, 2026, immediately preceding Game Con Canada, which takes place from June 19-21 [1], [2]. The summit intends to provide a platform for deal-making, networking, and investment opportunities, mirroring similar events like Montreal International Games Summit (MIGS) and the XP Gaming Summit in Ontario [1].

Keynote Speaker: Nolan Bushnell

Industry icon Nolan Bushnell, co-founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theater, will be the inaugural keynote speaker at NAGIS [1], [2], [4]. Bushnell’s contributions to the gaming industry, beginning with the creation of Pong in 1972, have been foundational. He has founded over 20 companies and is the subject of an upcoming biopic produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company [4].

Who Should Attend NAGIS?

NAGIS is designed for a diverse range of industry professionals, including:

• Game studios and publishers (AAA to indie)
• Independent developers and small studios seeking partners and publishers
• XR, spatial computing, and emerging technology companies
• Platform and hardware partners
• Investment and economic development organizations
• Service providers supporting production, marketing, and distribution [2].

Game Con Canada Expansion

Alongside NAGIS, Game Con Canada is expected to grow, building on the success of welcoming over 40,000 attendees in 2025 [1]. The consumer-focused show will feature playable game booths, tabletop experiences, celebrity guests, and cosplay shows. Exhibitors at the 2025 event included EB Games Canada, Asus, Intel, Devolver Digital, and Warhammer [1].

Advisory Board

NAGIS is being developed with the support of an advisory board including Brent Bushnell (CEO & Co-Founder of Two Bit Circus), Mark Darrah (former lead on Dragon Age), Bob Cooney (Founder of LEXRA), Luke Azevedo (CEO of Edmonton Screen), and Berkley Egenes (Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla) [2].

Full programming details for both NAGIS and Game Con Canada will be released in the coming months.