Sussex has one of the UK’s most interesting games clusters, but much of what happens inside the sector remains largely unseen by the wider tech and business community. This session opens up that world. What actually happens inside a games studio? Why can games feel separate from the rest of tech? And what do people outside the sector often misunderstand about how games businesses are built, funded and scaled? Looking across indie studios, platforms, mobile, live service, investment and wider industry trends, the panel will explore why games is far more than entertainment. From AI, data, UX and immersive technology to healthcare, education, digital twins and transmedia, games thinking is already shaping other sectors. The discussion will also look at the commercial reality behind the creativity. What does it take to turn creative ideas into commercially viable studios? Where are the funding, talent and growth challenges? And what could happen if Sussex’s games sector became more visible, better connected and more closely linked with the wider regional tech ecosystem?