FAQ

Indie Rodeo is a two-day conference for game makers, riding into Calgary, Alberta, September 11–12, 2026.

We bring together the people who actually make games, from developers and publishers to artists, writers, and everyone in between. This conference is a place to gather and trade stories, ideas and the lessons that never make the trailer.

No sales pitches. No corporate keynotes.
Just honest talks, real conversations and people who'd rather create than network.

Over two days, speakers from across the industry dig into the stuff that's truly hard: creativity and tech, publishing and funding, leadership, marketing and staying alive long enough to ship a finished product... and where this whole medium goes next.

This includes a straight look at AI. New tools are reshaping how games get imagined, built, and sold, like it or not. So we're making room for the honest version of that conversation. No hype, no doom.

Your pass also includes access to the Game Business Bootcamp with Calgary Games Kiln, providing a practical run through of publishing, funding, discoverability and what it takes to run a studio that lasts.

Between sessions, the Game Showcase puts playable indie games in your hands, Alberta-grown and trail-hardened, with a few from further out. Food trucks will also be on site both days to help fuel you and your creativity.

When the talks end, the community takes over at an evening Afterparty. Then, the Gamejam saddles up: assemble a posse, build something new and ride out with something to show for it.

First game or fifth studio, this is your kind of rodeo.