Play@Develop 2026

It's our annual charity event for SpecialEffect!

Play@Develop is happening on Wednesday 15th July at Loading Bar Brighton from 3pm-6pm. Come along and enjoy the chance to wind down, chill out and chat to some cool people after a busy day at the conference!

This year we're super excited to be partnering up with Abstraction Games & VIVERSE, so come on down and join us on the beach!

Expect drinks, competitions and loads more fun, all in aid of SpecialEffect.

The Venue

Loading Bar Brighton is a gaming cafe with consoles old & new, classic arcades and a ton of board games. Located on the beach, right next to the pier, it's a short walk from Develop Conference and a great place to spend the time between the conference and the evening awards.

Find us on the terrace catching some rays on the day!

Charity Raffle

Our annual raffle is back again, and we're excited to have an even more impressive roster of prizes on offer!

All proceeds will go directly to SpecialEffect.

Raffle tickets are available in advance through Just Giving! We will also be selling them at the event.

The Charity

SpecialEffect is a gamers charity which puts fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities by helping them to play video games. We would like to invite you to join us in trying to raise as much money and awareness as possible for this excellent cause!

There will be raffles with prizes provided by our sponsors and supporters, so plenty of opportunities to donate, contribute and win!

Your Sponsors

Skillsearch are a strategic talent partner supporting Games, Emerging Tech and Enterprise organisations globally. Combining deep sector expertise with an extensive international network, who help businesses attract, engage and retain the talent needed to drive innovation and growth.

Abstraction Games are a creative game studio, whose focus is on: game adaptation and creative co-development with the most talented AAA studios and publishers worldwide. They are also experts at game adaptation to and from 16 core game platforms.

VIVERSE is an open, web-based platform for interactive 3D content, giving creators, developers and brands the tools to build, share and monetise 3D experiences online. Compatible with major WebXR engines and formats, VIVERSE supports web games, apps, video, art and more, with a non-exclusive Partner Program that helps creators earn through engagement-based payouts.

Hope to sea you there!

2025 saw us raise the most money for SpecialEffect to date! So with your help, our aim is to beat that this year.

Feel free to fire any questions over to mail@skillsearch.com. Whether you're interested to know more about this event, or the Develop Conference itself we will be happy to assist!

Register for free here, and then come along and give your name in on the door!