Agenda
Level 50+: Navigating Game Careers Beyond Midlife
Tulay McNally Tetiker (Sr. Director Product Inclusion, Scopely)
Bob de Schutter (Professor Game Design, Northeastern University)
Pass Type:
Academic Pass, Festival Pass, Game Changer Pass, Indie Pass, Start-Up Pass -
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Track:
Career, Culture & Sustainability
Audience Level:
Advanced
Format:
Forum
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: Advanced
Building on the conversation begun at GDC 2026, this participatory roundtable will explore the many ways experienced game professionals can shape what comes next: sustaining a current path, pivoting into something new, or even preparing for retirement.
Together, we'll discuss practical and personal questions around energy, health, purpose, financial realities, visibility, ageism, and staying connected in an industry that continues to change. We'll also look beyond individual career decisions to consider how professionals in their 50s and beyond can create forums to share advice with colleagues in their 40s and help make longer, more sustainable careers possible.
The session will also introduce the idea of an online community where these conversations, connections, and support can continue beyond GDC. Participants will help identify the needs, topics, and principles that could shape this ongoing online community.
Together, we'll discuss practical and personal questions around energy, health, purpose, financial realities, visibility, ageism, and staying connected in an industry that continues to change. We'll also look beyond individual career decisions to consider how professionals in their 50s and beyond can create forums to share advice with colleagues in their 40s and help make longer, more sustainable careers possible.
The session will also introduce the idea of an online community where these conversations, connections, and support can continue beyond GDC. Participants will help identify the needs, topics, and principles that could shape this ongoing online community.
Takeaway
Gain practical ideas for maintaining energy, purpose, relevance, and resilience over the long term.
Learn ways to share experience through mentorship and peer support.
Connect with others navigating similar career questions and help shape a continuing online community.
Leave with a clearer sense of what possible next steps for their own careers could be.
Learn ways to share experience through mentorship and peer support.
Connect with others navigating similar career questions and help shape a continuing online community.
Leave with a clearer sense of what possible next steps for their own careers could be.
Intended Audience
This roundtable is intended for game professionals aged 50 and above to build community. It is also for professionals in their 40s who want to plan for a sustainable long-term career, as well as managers, mentors, and industry leaders interested in supporting multigenerational teams and retaining experienced talent. The discussion is open to mid- to late-stage career developers, who are interested in career longevity, reinvention, knowledge-sharing, and age-inclusive practices in the games industry.