Future Fest Connect

Future Fest Connect is an introductory gaming and technology experience designed for school-aged students, college learners, and early-career individuals interested in exploring opportunities in game development and the broader digital economy. The event leverages the power of gaming to engage young people through a medium they already know and enjoy, using that connection to inspire interest in STEM/STEAM education pathways and future-ready careers. As emerging technologies and artificial intelligence continue to reshape industries, Future Fest Connect aims to help prepare attendees for the evolving workforce by providing direct exposure to professionals working in gaming, technology, art, design, storytelling, and interactive media. Participants will have opportunities to connect with developers, creatives, and industry veterans responsible for creating the games they play, gaining insight into career journeys, creative processes, technical skills, and professional development. Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to attend to better understand the wide range of educational, creative, and career opportunities available within the gaming and technology sectors. Future Fest Connect also offers access to career development resources, including resume support, portfolio reviews, mentorship opportunities, and practical guidance to help attendees pursue their chosen career paths. A major component of the event is the showcase of independent developers and creators, demonstrating what is possible through innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. By highlighting emerging talent and locally developed projects, Future Fest Connect not only inspires future creators but also showcases the region’s growing workforce potential to businesses, studios, and technology companies considering expansion or relocation. Future Fest Connect is more than a convention — it is a platform connecting education, creativity, workforce development, and the future of gaming and technology. Schedule Main Stage 9:30am Welcome 10:00am - 11:00am‍ ‍Ed Fleming and 1:00pm - 2:00pm The Science of CLOCK STRIKER 2:00pm - 3:00pm‍ ‍Tanya DePass “My journey was one of right time, right place and right moment. Driven further by wanting to do the best I can with what I have access to.” 3:00pm - 4:00pm‍ ‍Toiya Kristen Finley “Don't limit your ideas or what you can do. You never know what kind of opportunities will come to you. I always wanted to be a storyteller growing up, but I had no idea what kind of stories I would be creating now.” 4:00pm - 5:00pm BLACK IN GAMING: Saturday BATTLE MANGA and black-led videogames 5:00pm -6:00pm‍ ‍Heather Chirtea "The future doesn't belong to the cautious, it belongs to anyone courageous enough to build it." Esports Tournament Final 7:00pm - 9:00pm‍ ‍Defending Durham Community Fundraiser Final EPIC Games Learning Lab 9:00am - 3:00pm‍ ‍Builder Mode: Learning Inside the Simulation We keep talking about preparing students for the future, but if you spend time with them, you see something different. They are already building inside it. Across platforms like Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite, alongside AI-supported tools, students are designing worlds, solving problems, collaborating, and creating systems that look a lot more like real work than most classroom assignments. These spaces are often dismissed as distractions, yet they function as environments where learning happens through iteration, experimentation, and ownership. This session explores what changes when we stop treating learning as something delivered and start designing for participation. Drawing from real implementations through Metaversal Learning and , I’ll share what we’ve seen work, where it breaks, and how learners respond when they are given the opportunity to build inside systems they care about. This is not a new tool or a passing trend. It is a shift in where and how learning takes place. The question is not whether it’s happening. It’s who is willing to design for it. Sunday August 9th Main Stage 9:30am Welcome 10:00am - 11:00am‍ ‍Unreal Futures: Preparing Students for Careers in Interactive 3D with Steve Isaacs There’s never been a more exciting and empowering time to be a creator. Jobs are changing and new careers are emerging in every industry, powered by new technological advancements. Real-time technology is one of the innovations set to transform the world we live in. Interactive 3D powers the games we play, the movies we watch, and the virtual worlds we spend our time in. The tools that drive Fortnite also help architects visualize buildings before they’re built and surgeons simulate a difficult procedure before they ever touch a patient. With Unreal Futures, students will get access to real-life projects created by industry leaders in advertising, fashion design, and animation using Unreal Engine. This learning series will prepare students for the new world and provide them with projects for their portfolios. 11:00am - 12:00pm‍ ‍ Susan Caldwell 12:00pm - 12:30pm‍ ‍Michael Holden 1:00pm - 2:00pm “Start Small, Grow Loud: How to Build a Game Community from Scratch” - Janie Hughes (Bingo Bard), Steph Briles (TIAC), Ashley Breazeale (IGDA NC), Michael Mato (Too Much Tomato), and Karen Stritzinger (Waves of Jeju) “We’re moving toward a future where anyone can build worlds, tell stories, and shape technology. The more diverse those voices are, the better those worlds will be.” 2:00pm - 3:00pm‍ ‍Brandon Huffman "Every dev has a story. Too many of them have a legal chapter they wish they could rewrite. That chapter is avoidable." 4:00pm - 5:00pm‍ ‍Creighton Blackwell Giveaway Winners 5:00pm - 5:30pm Giveaways Durham Game Awards 6:00pm - 7:30pm‍ ‍Durham Games Awards EPIC Games Learning Lab 9:00am - 4:00pm‍ ‍EPIC Games programming