UK Games Expo 2026 is a big event for the British tabletop community, and the Publisher-Designer networking event is moving to the significantly larger Toute Suite to accommodate a booming professional scene. As the industry wrestles with long-term sustainability and manufacturing viability, UKGE serves as a bridge between the raw creativity of independent designers and the logistical expertise of established publishers. Front-loading the news value for this year’s gathering, the session focuses on navigating the complex landscape of global shipping, taxes, and the rising standards of “shelf-ready” production.
Leading the charge as host is Faith Elisabeth Lilley, a veteran Chief Product Officer whose experience at the highest echelons of the industry, including D&D Beyond and Wizards of the Coast, provides a unique lens for those navigating their first professional pitches. With Panda Game Manufacturing sponsoring the session, the conversation this year centres on the physical reality of making games, ensuring that brilliant roleplaying games aren’t just designed, but successfully manufactured and brought to market. Faith’s dual perspective as both a creator and a corporate leader offers a roadmap for designers looking to build lasting relationships rather than just transactional contacts.
UK Games Expo 2026 marks a significant milestone for the UK tabletop scene. As the host of the Publisher-Designer networking event, what do you see as the “theme” of the industry’s needs this year? Is the focus shifting away from pure creativity towards more sustainable business and manufacturing viability?
You nailed it by mentioning sustainability – that encapsulates the focus of the professional industry this year, but it doesn’t mean a shift away from creativity. Creativity and imagination are the engine of tabletop games and always will be. What has changed though is people needing to pair that with a much clearer understanding of viability. More than ever, a brilliant idea just isn’t enough if you cannot manufacture it, price it, market it, ship it, support it, and explain why people should trust you with their time and money.
A lot of the pressure here comes from forces outside of the control of creators and publishers; shipping, taxes, tariffs, fulfilment, and the fact that much of the English-speaking industry is US-based. That all has a knock-on effect, even for UK & European businesses. Within the lifecycle of a Kickstarter project, the costs can spiral out of control in ways nobody could have realistically predicted.
There’s another part of it though, which is trust. Generative AI has had a huge impact on the industry and will continue to do so. Creative teams are asking hard questions about originality, ethics, labour, and transparency. More and more are choosing to make public “no AI” statements to assure their community of their ethical position with regards the use of the technology. If you lose the trust of your customers, then you lose your customers.
You have spent years at the highest levels of production with D&D Beyond and Wizards of the Coast. In what way does that “big corporate” perspective influence how you facilitate a networking event for independent designers who might be pitching their very first project?
My corporate experience starts well before D&D Beyond or Wizards of the Coast. I’ve worked in technology for several decades for some major businesses. I’ve also been part of small teams where success has to be built from the ground up. I’m also a creator myself, designing and writing, so I also understand the emotional weight people carry with them when talking about their own work.
The most important thing I communicate is that networking isn’t a pitch session. A pitch is transactional. Networking on the other hand is relational – you build strong professional connections by investing in people, listening properly, helping where you can, and becoming someone others are glad to hear from again. If you approach networking as, “How do I advance my project?” you’ll quickly discover that people feel that and back away.
That’s especially true when talking to someone who holds a leadership or executive role – never forget they’re still just a person, but know that they also meet a lot of people and may have hundreds of business cards handed to them. Don’t lead by trying to explain your game. Introduce yourself clearly, explain what you do, and give them a reason to remember you as a person rather than the seventh board game designer they’ve talked to that hour. I helped the UKGE team draft the tips and guidelines document for the event, which can be downloaded from the UKGE website.
With Panda Game Manufacturing sponsoring the event, there is a clear nod to the physical reality of making games. How has the conversation between designers and publishers changed in the last 12 months regarding “shelf-readiness” and production costs?
I mentioned the global issues with production, shipping and tariffs earlier. What that means is everything needs to be costed accurately upfront, with good research on the addressable market – how many people are going to buy it and how much will they pay? At the same time, customer expectations have increased with regards looks. Today’s games often need high-quality artwork and strong visual presentation to get attention at all, so many publishers are looking for projects that understand both sides of the equation: creative appeal and production reality. A good game still needs to be good, but viability is being addressed much sooner in the lifecycle.
You’ve previously worked extensively on digital toolsets like Cortex Prime and Tales of Xadia. During a 30-to-60-second pitch at a networking event, how much weight should a designer give to “digital readiness” versus the core mechanics of their roleplaying games?
When it comes to the elevator pitch, it’s vital to understand what the person you’re pitching to wants to know, then lead with it. If their business treats digital readiness as a first-class citizen, then you need to do so also. Much of the industry doesn’t. There’s a whole third party industry built around converting games from tabletop to digital experience and for most publishers it’s just not worth trying to tackle that themselves.
As the number of VTTs continue to proliferate, people are often asking for digital versions for their platform of choice, meaning many publishers are looking at implementing to three or more platforms. My core advice is, unless you know they specifically care, or you have a unique proposition, there are way more valuable things you could be spending your 30-60 seconds on.
The Expo guidelines mention that “networking is about building relationships, not just making contacts.” From your experience as a Chief Product Officer, how can a designer demonstrate “professional longevity” to a publisher during a brief drinks reception?
It makes me happy that you read those guidelines. I’ll flip that around though – why should professional longevity be a factor in such a setting? Tabletop games isn’t a huge industry, so industry professionals, especially those who attend conventions, tend to get to know each other on the convention floor, or in the hotel bar afterwards. When we’re talking about a networking event, which is run specifically so that less experienced creators have an opportunity to meet more established professionals, we should all be going into that with sensible expectations.
In your recent work with World Tree RPG and Evil Genius, you’ve navigated various leadership structures. For women and non-binary professionals looking to move from design into the “C-suite” of the gaming industry, is networking still the most effective “glass-ceiling” breaker?
I could write you a whole article just on this subject. For women and non-binary professionals, the frustrating reality is that talent alone is frequently insufficient. People need to know who you are, what problems you can solve, and why they should trust you to be in the room where serious decisions are being made.
With regards “C Suite” let’s also recognise that the tabletop industry isn’t the video games industry and doesn’t, with a few exceptions, have corporate structure to it. It’s usually a handful of people, all learning skills outside of their core role, to create a vision and ship it successfully. Moving into leadership in tabletop often means becoming someone who can bridge design, production, finance, marketing, community, partnerships, and people management, sometimes all at once.
I’m going to name drop the Women in Games organisation here, for whom I am an ambassador. With their help, for over a year I’ve been mentoring women in exec roles, or who are stepping up to those roles. We are held to different standards and that’s the blunt truth. We are expected to be more prepared, more emotionally controlled, more collaborative, and more visibly competent before being trusted with the same authority. The real power of networking is that it helps people understand who you are and your value before an opportunity appears. Then, when a leadership role or partnership is being discussed, someone in the room can say, “I know an amazing woman who can help.”
There is often a tension between a designer’s “artistic vision” and a publisher’s “market data.” When you are facilitating these introductions, how do you help both parties find a common language that respects the craft while acknowledging the commerce?
I’m going to challenge that premise – a designer’s vision is what gives a game its identity. Market data helps explain whether that identity can find an audience, reach that audience, and survive commercially when it gets there. When I am helping those conversations happen, it’s often about framing the need to explain the emotional promise of the game’s vision. Who is it for? What is the experience it creates at the table? What makes it distinct from all the other games? They are creative questions, but if the creator can answer them clearly, a potential publisher has something real to respond to besides look and feel.
I think both sides also need to respect what the other is protecting – designers are often protecting the heart of their work, the spark that really makes it magic, because they are afraid of others taking it. It’s genuinely hard to balance that.
Networking can be notoriously difficult for neurodivergent creators or those with social anxiety. Beyond the official tips provided by the Expo, what “quiet” strategies have you seen work for designers who want to make an impact without being “aggressive or pushy”?
I’m neurodiverse with an AuDHD diagnosis myself, so sure, I get it. While we’re all different, I’ve found that there’s a couple of pieces of advice that have helped others consistently.
First off, if you need a framework and rules to engage effectively, then don’t be afraid of putting that in place. I frequently start networking discussions by communicating my expectations and goals. It can take people by surprise, but I don’t see why this should be guesswork – it’s just efficient communication. “Hi there, I’m Faith, an experienced professional in the production side of the business. We only have five minutes, so I would love to hear who you are, rather than the details of your game.”
Secondly, do your homework in advance and take your notes with you. What questions do you want to ask? What are your answers to the questions you’re likely to be asked? Looking at notes doesn’t come across as unprofessional – it’s the opposite – people see you’ve gone into this with forethought and that’s already making an impression.
Looking back at your career, from Rules & Content Specialist to Senior Producer, was there a specific “accidental” networking moment that fundamentally changed the trajectory of your professional life?
Before I was working as Rules & Content Specialist for Fandom, it’s useful to note that I’d been lined up for a divisional director role within one of the world’s largest companies and… resigned because what I was doing wasn’t making the world a better place. I’d applied to work in a US-based video games company and was preparing to move over to the US as part of that. I’d been coding addons for video games for years, especially World of Warcraft and similar, and was talking to a contact at Curse Gaming, who mentioned some guy in the office was “working on a D&D thing” and put me in touch. That’s how I came to apply to be part of the beta team for D&D Beyond. The rest of that is history.
Amusingly, when I was at high school, I was asked at the Careers Fayre what I wanted to do for a career and teenage me said I wanted to make D&D books for a living. I was advised to adjust my expectations down. Hah.
The UKGE “Piazza Suite” session is a limited, high-pressure window. What is the one thing a designer should never do during this networking event, even if they think it will make them stand out?
The venue has switched this year to the Toute Suite, which is much larger location, indicating the growing importance and success of the whole publisher-designer track.
As for the thing never to do? Walk up to someone and start telling them all about your game. It can be tough – people have been in pitch mode for other sessions, including the speed-dating session, but just don’t do it. As I said before, networking isn’t a pitch session. I want to drop in a “must do” also – contact details. Have some form of business card you can hand out to people. It doesn’t have to be super expensive or anything, but you need to be able to give people your name and email address.
Beyond the immediate rush of the Expo, what roleplaying games or indie projects have caught your eye recently for their innovative approach to mechanics or inclusivity?
I’m wary of pretending I’ve seen everything because the Indie TTRPG space moves fast and I have multiple jobs on top of being a full-time carer for my wife. It can be hard to find time and people to play new games! What does catch my eye are games trying to solve a real design problem rather than just adding novelty. Draw Steel! is a strong example because it’s unashamedly a tactical combat game and has optimised its rules to make that experience satisfying. Matt and the team have also put a huge amount of work into accessibility and inclusivity that I hope will push others to adopt better standards.
I’d also like to shout out the Discworld TTRPG for designing narrative gameplay mechanics that reinforce the Discworld feeling, rather than just re-skinning D&D for the thousandth time. For real Indie games, go check out UK TIN at UK Games Expo – they’re a collection of creators working together to pool experience and skills and keep producing some real gems.
Finally, as we head into the end of the month, where can the community best follow your current projects, and is there a specific industry cause or charity you’d like to encourage attendees to support while they are in Birmingham?
The main project I’m working on hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s a safe guess it’ll involve a website and roleplaying games. You can follow me on BlueSky or Facebook.
With the world the way it is currently, I’d love for people to show some support for LGBTQ+ people. There’s a lot of queer people in the tabletop industry – please check out marginalised creators and buy their stuff.
The evolution of the UKGE networking track highlights a maturing industry where professional development and manufacturing foresight are no longer optional extras. For those looking to keep pace with Faith’s upcoming projects or her work as an ambassador for Women in Games, her insights provide a vital bridge between creative ambition and commercial success. In the spirit of the community focus seen in Birmingham, Faith encourages attendees to actively seek out and support marginalised and LGBTQ+ creators, ensuring the industry’s growth remains as inclusive as it is sustainable. Excellent work.
Independently covering wizards of the coast since 2009. Our archive includes 659 entries connected to this topic.
Latest entry: May 2026
