Bay Area Games and XR Industry Symposium 2026

Welcome to the Games and XR Industry Symposium!

Join us at Northeastern University in Oakland for a day filled with exciting presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities in the gaming and XR industry. Whether you're a seasoned professional, faculty or a student, this event is perfect for anyone looking to dive deeper into the world of gaming and extended reality.

You will hear from industry and acadamia experts, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and challenges shaping the future of gaming, XR and AI. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to learn, grow, and connect!

Agenda (see speakers bios and talks below):

10:30 AM – Room opens
11:00AM – Welcome / Opening Remarks - NU Oakland campus & CAMD representatives
11:10AM – Nathalie Mathe, CAMD – Highlights of the M.S., Game Science & Design program and XR program at Northeastern University
11:30AM – Rosemary Lokhorst, Badass Studios – Keynote speaker on "AR for live sports events”
12:20PM – Lunch Break – networking
1:00PM – Industry Panel
2:00PM – Julia Scott, Gambit Labs – Talk on “Games for teens mental health”
2:30PM – TBC speaker
3:00PM – Concluding Remarks – Opportunities for partnerships on the Oakland campus - Carrie Maultsby-Lute, NU Oakland Head of Partnerships
3:30PM to 5:00PM – Afternoon Reception – networking – demos/visit at the VRLab

Info: Dr. Nathalie Mathe is a Professor of the Practice, Master in Game Science and Design, at Northeastern University, Oakland. She previously taught XR/Immersive Media at Drexel University, Philadelphia, and at University of the Arts, San Francisco.
Nathalie Mathe is an award-winning Virtual Reality creator. She is the founder of NativeVR, a VR studio crafting unique experiences celebrating diversity. Over the past 10 years she contributed to dozens of VR projects for World Vision, Google, Chevrolet, USPS, Jaunt. In 2017, she created UTURN, an interactive 360 comedy raising awareness on the gender gap in the tech industry, presented at Cannes, VRTO, AWE, IVRPA and multiple international festivals. In 2022, she produced The FriendVR with artist John Sanborn, an interactive VR experience exhibited at the ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, Germany. For twelve years, she created visual effects on feature films like Fast & Furious 6, Skyfall and Dark Knight Rises.

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Host or Publisher College of Arts, Media and Design at Northeastern