Enthusiast Gaming's Pocket Gamer Connects Hosts Impactful Debut in Shanghai
New Summit format brings together over 630 attendees from across the globe for high-impact networking and collaboration ahead of ChinaJoy
Key sponsors included Amazon Web Services, Xsolla, MStars.ai, Thinking Data, Appharbr, Aghanim, eJade, Crackle, FastSpring
TORONTO, Aug. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (“Enthusiast Gaming” or the “Company”) (TSX: EGLX), a digital publisher focused on building tools, platforms, and experiences for gamers, today announced the successful launch of Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai 2025. The one-day gathering welcomed over 630 senior games industry professionals from 31 countries and delivered significant networking and business development opportunities ahead of ChinaJoy.
Held at the Pudong Shangri-La hotel in partnership with MyGamez, Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai offered a focused, bilingual conference experience, showcasing:
- 630+ attendees representing 315 companies from 31 countries
- 62% senior decision-makers, with over 71% of attendees being game-makers
- 500+ scheduled meetings via the MeetToMatch platform, with many more informal conversations and networking throughout the venue
- 5 dedicated content tracks with 8 hours of expert-led talks from 37 international speakers, covering monetization, global expansion, market trends, and cross-border strategy
- A buzzing Big Indie Zone featuring Chinese indie developers and emerging talent presenting their latest projects to publishers, investors, and platform holders
Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai included key sponsors such as Amazon Web Services, Xsolla, MStars.ai, Thinking Data, Appharbr, Aghanim, eJade, Crackle, FastSpring, as well as notable participants including Tencent, NetEase, Mattel163, Neopets, and many other leading regional and global brands. The event served as a strategic bridge between East and West, with extensive government and industry support reinforcing China’s vital role in the global gaming ecosystem.
“Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai was a truly momentous occasion, both for Pocket Gamer Connects and the wider games industry,” said Chris James, CEO of Steel Media, a division of Enthusiast Gaming. “This was our first major event in Asia since 2019, and it more than delivered on its promise to connect companies across cultures and borders. Despite typhoon warnings outside, the tone inside the venue was overwhelmingly positive and full of promise. This event proved not only the value of our Summit format, but also the massive opportunity ahead in Asia-Pacific.”
The Summit marked the beginning of a new series of agile, regionally focused Pocket Gamer Connects Summits, which complement the brand’s larger flagship shows. Following the Shanghai debut, the series continues in South Korea with Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea on October 31st. Meanwhile, the next flagship events in the calendar include Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki (October 7–8), Pocket Gamer Connect Aqaba (November 7–8), and Pocket Gamer Connects London 2026 (January 19–20).
For more information on the Pocket Gamer Connects conference series, visit .
About Pocket Gamer Connects
Pocket Gamer Connects (PGC) is the leading independent B2B conference series for the global games industry, owned and operated by Enthusiast Gaming. Since its inception in 2014, the global PGC series has hosted over 50 conferences and welcomed over 60,000 delegates, creating a venue for over $1.5 billion in deals. Despite a strong mobile focus, the conference series routinely covers all gaming formats from PC/console to web3 and XR and includes multiple content tracks covering critical issues for game professionals, from the latest industry trends and technical insights, to new ways to monetize and future growth opportunities. Attendees represent every segment of the industry from investors and independent developers to publishers, platform holders, and service providers.
About Enthusiast Gaming
Enthusiast Gaming builds tools, platforms, and experiences that gamers use every day. Its portfolio of owned and operated digital properties includes some of the most recognizable names in gaming, such as U.GG, Icy-Veins, TheSimsResource, PocketGamer, Addicting Games, and Fantasy Football Scout, as well as the global B2B event series PocketGamer Connects. Through these assets, Enthusiast Gaming generates revenue from programmatic advertising, subscriptions, and events, and is focused on expanding its owned IP and deepening direct engagement with its audience.
Contacts
Enthusiast Gaming: Alex Macdonald, Chief Executive Officer
Investors: Media:
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