Tone Brennan

(he/him)

Tone Brennan

MAG Interactive

Head of Studio

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Tone Brennan is Head of Studio at MAG Interactive, where he leads the Brighton studio and oversees puzzle game development across multiple locations. With more than 25 years’ experience across media, technology and games, he has built and led creative and production teams across console, mobile, digital media and publishing. Tone has held senior production roles at Outplay Entertainment, Channel 4’s All 4 Games, Oberon Media and Bizarre Creations, working on globally recognised games and licensed IP including Angry Birds Pop! and Disney’s Treasure Planet. His experience spans creative direction, production, live operations, publishing and studio leadership, with a strong focus on player experience and team collaboration.

Sessions

Samantha Harland

Sam Roach

Joanna Haslam

Sam Collins

Tone Brennan

16:00

-

16:40

Panel

Builders Stage

Behind the Blacked-Out Windows: Why Sussex Games Is a Hidden Tech Powerhouse

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?

Samantha Harland

Sam Roach

Joanna Haslam

Sam Collins

Tone Brennan

16:00

-

16:40

Panel

Builders Stage

Behind the Blacked-Out Windows: Why Sussex Games Is a Hidden Tech Powerhouse

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?