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Tara Mustapha: Shaping the Future of Game Development at Develop:Brighton 2025
Tara Mustapha, a prominent figure in the game development industry, has been announced as a keynote speaker at Develop:Brighton 2025. This event, scheduled to take place from July 8-10, 2025, at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, is a key gathering for game developers in the UK, attracting a diverse range of professionals from global superstars to indie developers. Mustapha’s participation underscores the conference’s focus on innovation, inclusion, and sustainability within the gaming sector. Her keynote is eagerly anticipated, given her extensive experience and commitment to reshaping the industry.
An Industry Veteran and Advocate for Change
Tara Mustapha’s career spans over two decades, marked by her involvement in both AAA titles and pioneering indie projects. Her resume includes work on the “Skate” franchise and leadership roles at various renowned game development studios. She is celebrated for her strategic insight, bold leadership, and dedication to fostering creative excellence within the gaming world.
Mustapha’s influence extends beyond traditional game development. She is the founder and CEO of Code Coven, a global accelerator and academy focused on supporting marginalized game developers. Code Coven provides education, mentorship, and business acceleration to help underrepresented developers thrive in the industry. Through Code Coven, Mustapha has collaborated with major industry players like Netflix, Epic Games, Riot, and Meta, raising over £1 million to create opportunities and access for diverse talent.
Her efforts have earned her recognition as an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the video game industry. She actively promotes the idea that the gaming world should reflect the diversity of its players, and she works tirelessly to break down barriers that prevent talented individuals from marginalized communities from succeeding.
Keynote Focus: Rethinking Studio Sustainability
At Develop:Brighton 2025, Mustapha will deliver a keynote address titled “Build What You Have: Rethinking Studio Sustainability in 2025.” This session will explore how studios can achieve long-term success by embracing creative resilience, strategic thinking, and cultural leadership. Drawing from her experiences at Code Coven, she will share insights on building sustainable and inclusive studios during times of economic pressure and creative uncertainty.
The keynote will address several critical themes:
- Resourceful Thinking: Mustapha will emphasize the importance of experimental and resourceful thinking in guiding studio strategy. She will encourage studio leaders to adopt the mindset of early game developers who experimented with available tools to create innovative experiences.
- Sustainable and Inclusive Practices: The session will outline what sustainable, inclusive studios look like in practice. Mustapha will provide practical frameworks for lean hiring, long-term KPIs, and community-driven development.
- Funding Opportunities: Mustapha will identify real funding opportunities and discuss how to access them, offering guidance for indie founders navigating their first fundraise and veterans rethinking their team’s future.
- Inclusion as a Competitive Advantage: The keynote will argue that inclusion is not just a matter of social responsibility but also a competitive advantage in an unstable industry. Mustapha will explain how diverse teams can drive innovation and resilience.
Develop:Brighton 2025: A Hub for Innovation and Collaboration
Develop:Brighton is more than just a conference; it’s a gathering that unites the entire game development community. From global superstars to micro indies, the event provides a platform for professionals to learn, share ideas, network, and conduct business. With 13 tracks covering every discipline of game making, including a new performance track, the conference offers something for everyone.
The event aims to provide practical takeaways and vocational content to help attendees improve their skills and advance their careers. In addition to speaker sessions, Develop:Brighton features roundtables, an Indie BootCamp, and the Develop:Star Awards, which celebrate the best games and talent in the industry.
This year’s conference will feature speakers from a wide range of companies, including Housemarque, Keywords Studios, Frontier Developments, Ubisoft, Google, and Insomniac Games. Topics to be addressed include performance in games, voice acting, intimacy coordination, and mental health in neurodiverse teams.
Mustapha’s Broader Impact on the Gaming Industry
Tara Mustapha’s influence extends beyond her work at Code Coven and her speaking engagements. She is a sought-after advisor and thought leader, known for her insights on diversity and inclusion in technology. She has been recognized by The Game Awards: Future Class, Women in Games Global Awards, and MCV/Develop Awards.
Her commitment to creating opportunities for marginalized communities has led to partnerships with major studios and organizations. Code Coven has received support from Meta, Riot, Netflix, Square Enix, and Niantic, among others. These collaborations have not only provided resources for Code Coven participants but have also helped to set a new standard for inclusivity in the tech and gaming sectors.
Mustapha’s journey in the gaming industry began after she dropped out of university and started working at Backbone Entertainment in 2005. She has since worked as a game designer and producer for companies including Electronic Arts and Microsoft Game Studios. In 2018, she co-founded Glow Up Games and founded Code Coven, marking a pivotal moment in her career as she shifted her focus to supporting underrepresented developers.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Tara Mustapha’s keynote at Develop:Brighton 2025 is a call to action for the gaming industry. It challenges studios to rethink their approach to sustainability, embrace inclusion, and foster creative resilience. By sharing her experiences and insights, Mustapha aims to inspire a new generation of game developers to build studios that are not only successful but also equitable and reflective of the diverse world we live in. Her message is clear: the future of gaming depends on our ability to create a more inclusive and sustainable industry.