Housemarque and Bithell Games join Game Republic New Horizons speaker lineup, Nintendo to host open session for developers and publishers

GamesIndustry.biz says Game Republic New Horizons has expanded its 2026 speaker lineup with Housemarque, Bithell Games, and an open Nintendo session for developers and publishers. The additions broaden the event’s appeal beyond general networking into concrete production and platform topics that matter to teams planning their next project.

Housemarque VFX lead Robbert Groenendijk will cover the design and technical implementation of visual effects in Saros, which should be especially relevant for rendering and technical art teams. Bithell Games director Mike Bithell will join Knowledge editor Patrick Garratt for a fireside chat about Vampirium: 1997, adding a studio-level perspective on upcoming game development.

Nintendo will also host a breakfast session on October 15 from 8:30 to 9:30 am, focused on working with Nintendo, developing tools, publishing opportunities, and support resources. Attendees do not need to be registered Nintendo developers or publishers, though a GR New Horizons ticket is required; Game Republic later said the session is fully subscribed.

The event runs October 14 to 16 at Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough and also includes a keynote from Ken Kutaragi, an AI-in-games panel, investor-focused sessions, and talks on narrative design and Steam page building. For developers, the mix suggests a strong emphasis on practical production knowledge, platform relationships, and funding pathways.