Sheridans Games Masterclass 2026

About the event

Sheridans is delighted to announce that the Games Masterclass is returning on Thursday 5th November 2026, and we would love for you to join us.

Taking place between 10 am and 4:15 pm at Events@No6 in East London (with post-event drinks to follow at a nearby venue), you’ll have the opportunity to listen to talks featuring leading industry experts, participate in roundtable discussions about issues shaping the sector and network with industry peers to develop your understanding of the commercial, regulatory and legal practices shaping the industry.

The agenda

10:00-10:25: Registration and welcome

Join us at our venue, grab your name badge and a hot drink in preparation for the morning's sessions.

10:30-11:00: Fast Travel Unlocked: a rapid review of the video game regulatory landscape

What are the big legal and regulatory issues shaping the video game industry today? In this talk, the Sheridans team will set the scene for the Video Game Masterclass by showing you the shape of the legal landscape around games, the challenges facing games businesses, and what companies need to be aware of in 2027.

Alex Tutty, Partner and Head of Interactive and Creative Media, Sheridans

Stefano Debolini, Sheridans

10:30-11:00: Panel - Playing it safe? Making games work in a tightly regulated online world

Video game companies have never been under more pressure to create safe online worlds. Laws like the Online Safety Act and Digital Services Act have handed companies sweeping responsibilities to keep players safe, while new responsibilities emerge under a wave of social media 'bans.' In this session, our panellists discuss the practicalities of creating safe-by-design online game experiences, how to comply with law, and best practices for creating community norms that keep people safe from the outset.

Luc Delany, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, k-ID

Erica Thornton, Chief Executive, The Breck Foundation

Sofia Gkiousou, Director of Public Policy for Europe, Roblox

James Brunger, Sheridans (Moderator)

11:30-12:00: Panel - The state of AI governance in games: from law to development floor

The video game industry has a long history of using artificial intelligence. But the emergence of easy-to-access large language models, AI-coding tools, and agentic services has created an urgent need for game businesses to define how rapidly evolving AI technologies should be used across their businesses. In this session, our panellists discuss how to build an AI governance framework that aligns with law, how to encourage its rollout across the team and how to ensure its ethical deployment in all relevant aspects of work.

Dr Tommy Thompson, Founder, AI and Games

Henry Adams, Director of Trust and Safety, Resolver

Daniele Schmidt-Fischer, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Ukie

Anna Poulter-Jones, Sheridans (Moderator)

12:00-12:15: Break

A short break before the second half of talks begin.

12:15-12:45: Panel: Show me the virtual money: making currencies, in-game economies and storefronts thrive in a new consumer landscape

Consumer and competition law has changed how game companies do business. The tightening of PEGI age ratings, enforcement actions by the Advertising Standards Authority regarding loot boxes, and incoming regulation like the Digital Fairness Act and EU KIDS Act is imposing significant pressure on businesses running in-game economies, while competition rules like the Digital Markets Act have opened up new sources of revenue through direct-to-consumer channels. Our panellists will explore how to navigate this changing monetisation landscape, identifying opportunities and challenges for companies to overcome.

Simone Casadei Pastorino, Partner, Milltown Partners

Richard Burnham, Principal Legal Counsel, Everplay Group

George E. Osborn, Editor, Video Games Industry Memo

Antonia Gold, Sheridans (Moderator)

12:45-13:15: Fractional gains: building successful, flexible games businesses in a maturing market

The games industry is restructuring. Game businesses are increasingly mirroring models seen in other creative industries such as film and television, where small core teams scale up with fractional employees, co-dev partners, or through relevant publishing support. But how do companies maximise the value of their work, while managing the practicalities of working with freelancers and contractors? Our guests will explore how companies are adapting to a new commercial normal, asking what this means for the future of the sector at large.

Nick Button-Brown, Chair, UK Video Games Council

Chris Bain, Founder, Player One Consulting

Cassia Curran, Founder, Curran Games

Jamie Smith, Sheridans

13:15-14:15: Lunch

We break for a complimentary networking lunch.

14:15-15:00: Roundtable sessions: first half

The afternoon of the video game masterclass will be dedicated to six interactive roundtable topics aligned to our agenda. 

Representatives from the Sheridans' teams will moderate conversations related to artificial intelligence, user-generated content, monetisation, online safety, running a business in a maturing market, and the public policy landscape. 

Attendees will be invited to switch tables after the break to allow them to contribute to two topics.

15:00-15:15: Break

We will have a short break to allow attendees to switch tables.

15:15-16:00: Roundtable sessions: second half

The roundtable sessions will resume, allowing attendees to switch tables to contribute to another topic area.

16:00-16:10: Roundtable feedback

Our host, George E. Osborn, will provide some feedback from our roundtable hosts about the talking points that shaped their sessions.

16:10-16:15: Event closes

The Video Games Masterclass concludes. The Sheridans team will then invite attendess to join them for a post-event drink, with details confirmed nearer to the time.

Registering to attend

The Sheridans Games Masterclass is free to attend. If you’d like to join the event, please sign up for a ticket on this page.

You will receive a confirmation email once our team has processed and confirmed your attendance. 

Please note: the Sheridans team reserves all rights to accept or refuse registrations.