Having taken place for two decades, Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP) is Australia’s premier professional development and networking event for the game development industry, catering to a range of disciplines.
One of the first official events as part of Melbourne International Games Week (MIGW), GCAP is an industry-based business-to-business conference, focused on up-skilling and connecting the local game development industry. GCAP offers lectures, practical workshops, networking events and exhibitions aimed toward mid to advanced level practitioners with a focus on education, knowledge sharing and the provision of extended personal and business connections.
As of 2026 in the hands of IGEA, GCAP now caters to over 1200 delegates yearly, and continues to upskill, grow, and support the Australian Games industry.
Since 2020, GCAP has been run by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) – the peak industry association representing the voice of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video games industry.
The first GCAP was announced in 2005, at the final Australian Game Developers Conference (AGDC).
At the closing keynote, AGDC organisers announced that that they would be handing over the premier industry conference event to the Game Developers Association of Australia (GDAA).
Graciously taking the reins in 2006, the GDAA with Evelyn Richardson as the president, launched Games Connect: Asia Pacific, with the new focus to support New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region, in addition to Australia.
GCAP 2006 was held in Brisbane to an audience of over 300 delegates, and included developers, publishers, games distributors and telco carriers.
Between 2006 – 2021, GCAP would undergo a number of changes, including the addition of GCAP Loading, which was a student track, GCAP Assist to provide financial support to emerging developers and GCAP Invest to focus on Investment and pitching opportunities.
Bouncing between Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Melbourne, GCAP has been held at The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) since 2011.
GCAP 09 – Create, Innovate, Thrive, Melbourne.
GCAP 10 – The Player Experience, Gold Coast.
GCAP 11 – The Journey, Melbourne.
GCAP 12 – Inspire, Melbourne.
GCAP 13 – Stories, Melbourne.
GCAP 14 – Shakespeare Wrote Hits, Melbourne.
GCAP 15 – Loving the Craft, Melbourne.
GCAP 16 – The Shoulders of Giants, Melbourne.
GCAP 17 – The Ripple Effect, Melbourne.
GCAP 18 – The Walls We’ve Built Ourselves, Melbourne.
GCAP 19 – Lighting the Way, Melbourne.
GCAP 20 – Pathways to Connect, Held Virtually.
GCAP 21 – Raising the Bar, Held Virtually.
GCAP 22 – Ambition, Melbourne.
GCAP 23 – Empower, Melbourne.
GCAP 24 – No Theme, Melbourne.
GCAP 25 – No Theme, Melbourne.
IGEA (Interactive Games & Entertainment Association) is the peak industry association representing the voice of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video games industry. IGEA supports the business and public policy interests of the games industry, through advocacy, research and education programs. We work with many stakeholders including all levels of government, agencies, media and other trade associations.
IGEA advocates on behalf of our members, who range from one-person studio startups to larger multinational developers, publishers, platform holders and digital storefronts. IGEA’s role is to help our members and the wider industry more effectively create, distribute and sell interactive games, entertainment content and related hardware.
Through the provision of consistent and frequent industry research and data, along with communications programs, IGEA promotes the interactive games industry both locally and abroad.
IGEA is a team of 7, led by the CEO Ron Curry and is administered by a Board of Directors comprising of senior executives from interactive games and entertainment companies.
Your GCAP team is the COO, Raelene Knowles, Manager of Events, Content and Communication, Sav Wolfe, Events Manager, Molly Campbell and Jens Schroeder, Director of Industry and Member Relations.
