Why Local Conferences Are Growth Engines

Recently, I sat down with Jason Lepine, Founder and CEO of XP Gaming, to talk about MIGS, his journey into the industry, and why local events are critical to gaming’s future.

The Origins of XP Gaming: From TELUS to Community Builder

Jason’s story does not start in gaming. It starts at TELUS, where he worked as an engineer monitoring Canada’s cellular networks. But like many of us, his passion was always video games. In his late twenties, he began exploring how to break into the industry.

The turning point came when he attended a Nintendo fan meetup in Toronto. That small local event sparked the idea of building something bigger. Jason co-created EGLX, which grew into a 30,000 person gaming expo before the pandemic. From there, he realized there was a gap. Developers wanted more than fan expos. They wanted a place to connect, share knowledge, and make deals.

That realization led to the founding of XP Gaming and the XP Game Summit, now Canada’s second largest gaming conference.

MIGS: Canada’s Global Stage with Local Roots

MIGS has been around for over 20 years, but when XP Gaming took over in 2023, they brought it back to its roots. Instead of trying to be all things — part fan event, part industry show — Jason and his team focused on what they do best: connecting people and driving business deals.

Under XP Gaming, MIGS has grown into the second largest game conference in North America, behind only GDC. This year, MIGS is expanding again with four content tracks:

• Business: publishing, marketing, and funding insights

• Game Development: technical talks and knowledge sharing

• Audio: thanks to a new partnership with Audiokinetic

• Community and Industry: how to build sustainable ecosystems

Jason calls it the most ambitious MIGS yet, and it is a clear signal of how local events can evolve while staying true to their communities.

Why Local Events Matter

So why should developers, publishers, or vendors care about local conferences like MIGS or the XP Game Summit? Jason laid out a few powerful reasons:

1. Belonging and Connection
   Local events give people a sense of community. After years of remote work and global layoffs, many developers crave in-person belonging. These events deliver that.

2. Access and Opportunity
   Not everyone can afford to fly to San Francisco for GDC or Cologne for Gamescom. Local conferences make networking and knowledge sharing more accessible.

3. Career Growth
   Jason shared a story of an attendee at the XP Summit in Toronto who was laid off, nearly broke, and expecting his first child. He invested in a ticket, networked with the right person, and landed a job that changed his life. That is the power of local events.

4. Community Driven Identity
   Every city has its own flavor. MIGS feels different than Gamescom because it reflects Montreal’s unique game development hub. XP Summit feels different in Toronto. Even smaller gatherings of 200 people in Prince Edward Island build identity and impact.

5. Smaller Scale, Bigger Impact
   Local conferences are not about volume. They are about intimacy. Jason calls it intentional intimacy, creating spaces under 2,000 people where genuine relationships and long-term deals happen.

Community Stories That Stick

Some of the best parts of our conversation were not just stats or strategies but the stories.

• The Introvert Lounge at MIGS: A side Smash Bros setup at a happy hour turned into the hottest networking spot of the night. People bonded naturally over gaming, and Jason realized this was the perfect way to help introverts connect. Now he is replicating it at other events.

• The Wall of Wins: Jason keeps stories of attendees who made life changing connections at his events. One developer got a job at a crucial moment. Another closed a deal months later and reached out to thank him. These wins remind him why he does this work. Not for money, but for impact.

These stories highlight something bigger. Gaming is a business, but it is also powered by passion and people. Local events amplify both.

The Future of MIGS and XP Gaming

Looking ahead, Jason is already thinking about 2026. XP Gaming is expanding its footprint with events across Canada in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Prince Edward Island. But the vision does not stop at Canada. The long-term goal is global: building meaningful connections wherever the industry needs them.

And that is the lesson for all of us. The health of the gaming industry is not just decided on global stages. It is built in local rooms, where people connect, share, and build communities together.

Closing Thought

If you are a developer, vendor, or publisher wondering if a local event is worth your time, the answer is yes. These are not just networking mixers. They are where careers are saved, deals are made, and communities are built.

In Jason’s words: Local events are not just networking opportunities. They are growth engines for the entire industry.