NG26 Executive Summit Announced: “Rethinking the Game Studio for 2026”
One of the longest-standing and most respected traditions at Nordic Game, the Executive Summit, returns on Tuesday, 26 May 2026—the opening day of NG26 Spring (26–29 May) at Slagthuset in Malmö. Are you a game exec? Sign up here.
As a true cornerstone of the conference for many years, the Exec Summit gathers some of the most successful and influential executives from the Nordic region and beyond. It provides an exclusive, moderated space for candid, high-level discussions on the biggest challenges, emerging trends, and strategic opportunities facing the games industry today.
Hosted by Nordic Game and expertly moderated by two industry experts —Sonja Ängeslevä, CEO & Co-founder of Phantom Gamelabs, and Tove Oldebäck, Co-founder & CEO of Recommended By (a leading HR and recruitment agency specialized in games)—this year’s summit promises even deeper insights and more impactful conversations. The central theme for 2026: Rethinking the Game Studio for 2026.
Attendees will dive into presentations followed by intimate small-group discussions exploring critical shifts in studio operations, talent acquisition and hiring, the integration of AI, evolving business models, and more. It’s a rare chance for leaders to step away from daily operations, challenge assumptions, exchange real-world experiences in a trusted, confidential environment, and return with actionable ideas to strengthen their teams and companies.
Tove Oldebäck captured the unique value of the summit: “An executive should attend to step out of day-to-day thinking and get challenged by fresh perspectives—through high-quality networking, candid peer conversations, and inspiring talks. It’s a chance to sharpen leadership, bring back ideas that elevate your team, and pressure-test assumptions against what other leaders are seeing. You’ll gain forward-looking insights on industry trends and shifts—so you can make better decisions today while staying relevant tomorrow.”
Sonja Ängeslevä added her perspective: “The Exec Summit is a trusted space where games industry leaders can openly exchange experiences, learn from each other, and discover new ways to build stronger businesses and grow as leaders.”
A very warm thank you to curators Tove and Sonja—their outstanding performance at last year’s summit drew sublime feedback from attendees, along with more than a few emotional moments and teardrops. Their facilitation created genuine connection and inspiration, and this year’s edition will be even stronger.
Who should attend?
If you’re a senior executive or decision-maker in the games industry attending NG26 Spring, the Executive Summit is designed specifically for you. Participation is exclusive: only one person per organization, and it requires an NG26 Spring pass.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/gAETUerEdhBFLHYS9
Purchase your NG26 Spring pass at: nordicgame.com/registration. Join the conversation that shapes the future of game studios!
Join our exhibitors, sponsors and partners
Nordic Game would not be gathering the games industry in Malmö each spring without the enthusiastic participation of thousands of talented game developers from the Nordic region and across the globe for over two decades. Thank you!
We’re also tremendously grateful for the unwavering support of our exhibitors, sponsors and partners. Many of them have already signed-up for our upcoming show, but we’re always ready to welcome new partnerships.
Contact us here for some great opportunities on exhibitor, sponsor, group and partner packages for our next event and beyond.
About the Nordic Game conference
Nordic Game is the leading games conference in Europe. Gathering thousands of industry professionals in the spring each year, Nordic Game is the one and only “home turf” meeting place for the highly successful game developers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
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