From September 2–5, the L3D Studio team took part in the External Development Summit (XDS) 2025 — the leading international conference for game outsourcing and co-development. This was our fourth year in a row attending, and every time the event opens up new opportunities for dialogue and partnership.

A Challenging Balance — but a Valuable Experience

Heading to Vancouver this year, we had our doubts. The ratio of service providers to developers had reached 3:1 (and possibly 4:1). Many developers we reached out to with carefully prepared meeting requests either didn’t respond at all or marked themselves as “fully booked” from the start.
And we get it: when the balance isn’t there, the bandwidth simply isn’t either.

Veterans of XDS recalled that there once was an unspoken “golden rule”: keep a 1:1 ratio to preserve the value and flow of conversations. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case.

Still, we chose to go. Because we believe in showing up, staying open, and making the most of what’s available.

The Real Value: Human Connections

And it paid off. Joining multiple roundtables, table topics, and sessions turned out to be incredibly valuable. Not only for the insights shared but also for the informal, spontaneous connections made along the way. Interestingly, even with developers who hadn’t responded to our meeting invites, we ended up having great conversations — just because we found ourselves at the same table.

As a result, XDS 2025 turned out to be far more positive than expected. We had several excellent meetings, and we genuinely hope they will grow into new partnerships in the near future.

From Work Relationships to Friendships

Another important takeaway: after attending XDS four years in a row, we’ve seen how some professional relationships evolve into something more personal. It’s a gift to meet the same people again and again across different events and years — and to feel those connections deepen into true friendships.
This year, we’re especially grateful for the honest, open conversations we had. They reminded us once again that behind every company are real people and real stories.

Looking Ahead

Yes, the industry is still navigating uncertainty. But at XDS, we sensed the first quiet signs of recovery and a shared determination to move forward. We’ll keep doing our part.

A huge thank you to the XDS organizers for the welcoming atmosphere, the well-curated program, and the excellent side events. And also to the sponsors, who made it easier to stay energized, refreshed, caffeinated, and occasionally… lightly buzzed 😄. Smoothies, great coffee, cocktails — every detail helped keep the mood high and the conversations flowing.