As part of the UTS Tech Festival 2025, Waypoint Presents: Pitch – Real Talk, No Stakes flipped the typical pitch night on its head. Hosted on July 2 in UTS Building 11, the event invited students to pitch their original games to a panel of seasoned professionals—playing the role of fictional publishers. The catch? None of the offers were real, but the feedback absolutely was.

What unfolded was a dynamic, high-stakes simulation of the game publishing world, blending satire with strategy and offering students a rare opportunity to test their skills in front of a live audience.

Spotlight on Student Creativity

Three UTS student teams were selected to pitch their projects live:

• Racoon Riot – A chaotic multiplayer title that recently won Best Game at the UTS Student Games Showcase (July 1). The team followed up their win with a polished and energetic pitch.

• 9toFight – A satirical, office-themed brawler that mixed sharp humor with engaging visual design and mechanics.

• Pascal’s Requiem – Developed by over 40 students from the Playmakers Development Team, this narrative-rich game made a big announcement: it's set to launch on Steam in the coming weeks, marking an impressive achievement for a student-led project.

Fictional Deals, Real-World Lessons

Each team was presented with mock publishing deals modeled on real-world contracts—complete with exclusivity traps, revenue splits, and IP clauses. The panelists challenged students to negotiate, stand their ground, or compromise. The result was a fun but highly educational experience that mirrored the realities of game publishing.

This format allowed students to:

• Practice pitching under pressure

• Defend creative decisions while navigating commercial pressures

• Receive actionable feedback from industry experts

Meet the Panel

The judging panel featured leading voices from across the Australian games and cultural industries:

• Simon Slee – Regional VP ANZ at Xsolla, specializing in game financing and distribution

• Nico King – Executive Creative Director at Chaos Theory Games, a leader in purposeful, impact-driven games

• Gemma Driscoll – Presenter, writer, and reviewer covering games across online platforms and national TV

• Chloe Appleby – Program Curator – Strategic Projects (Games) at the Powerhouse Museum, bringing a curatorial and cultural lens to the discussion

Their fictional personas may have been light-hearted, but their critiques and industry insights were as real as it gets.

More Than Just a Pitch Night

Beyond the pitches, the event created space for students to connect with each other and the wider game dev community. Conversations continued after the event at Fortress Sydney, offering informal networking and the chance for students to get career advice directly from professionals.

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Huge credit goes to Ryan Penning and Liezel Ronquillo of Waypoint Events, the creative force behind the event. Their curation, attention to detail, and deep connection with the industry transformed a student pitch night into an immersive, entertaining, and genuinely educational experience.

Waypoint Presents: Pitch – Real Talk, No Stakes wasn’t just a tech festival sideshow—it was a career-shaping experience for UTS students, and a bold reminder that the future of games in Australia is already being built in our classrooms.

Media Gallery

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