MAGWest 2026

Closed for planned rehearsals

This panel explores how skills and perspectives from other disciplines, including music, on-camera acting, visual arts, academia, and retail, can translate into becoming a stronger voice actor. Elisa Meléndez will share lessons and experiences from across these fields, along with how she has applied them to her voice acting career. After a brief presentation, the floor will open for a Q&A about 30 minutes in.

The 2008 global recession forced the gaming industry into radical reinvention, leading to the gaming renaissance. Between 2010 and today, gaming transformed from a niche hobby into one of the most dominant cultural forces on the planet, weaving itself into music, film, sports, and fashion along the way.

This panel takes a hard, empirically grounded look at where the industry goes from here. I focus on socioeconomic analysis and market data to map out two potential futures: one where games become less accessible due to an intersectional collective of reasons including socioeconomics, and one where games continue to innovate to strive to make sure everyone can experience games.

Let's have an honest conversation about what's at stake, what the data is already telling us, and what the industry, creators, and communities can do to ensure the next chapter of gaming is one worth playing.

Panelists:
Tamerlane Barak [Game Economy Designer, https://tamerlanedevportfolio.com/]

What happens when a geographer and someone with a Pokemon hyperfixation get together? The geographer begins connecting to the geography in the Pokemon! From animals that inspire pokemon, fauna that inspired berries, cities that inspired landmarks in the game! So come discover the real life regions of Japan that inspired the first 4 generations of Pokemon!

Panelists: Natalie Uvon [Teacher, Geographer, Artist] | Antho Loc [Student]

Come one, come all to the Dragon Quest Grand Casino! Take a break from your weary adventures brave heroes and come have some fun in Tantegel’s newest traveling attraction! There’s a marvelous matching game, tricky trivia, and the lucky chance lottery! Will you win it big, or Frizzle out? Let’s all have a Goo-reat time!

It's Taboo! Gaming Edition! In this game show, the goal is to get your teammates to guess gaming-related terms without using any of the associated "taboo" words. Teams of 2-4 will compete to see who can get the most points by guessing the most words. Think fast, test your pro gamer knowledge, and rack your brain for any clues you can give to score your team points! Glory and prizes are in store for winners!

Come join us for an exciting game show all about rhythm games! Jack-of-all-trades? Song savant? Too much into the lore? Whether you're a walking Remywiki, a J-Core and Vocaloid superfan, or even a light purveyor, this quiz will be entertaining, informative, and accessible for all!

Panelists:
Starrodkirby86 [Guy Who Raised $1M for Charity Playing maimai DX]

"Mazes & Monsters is a far-out game"--and an even more far-out story.

The Satanic gaming and pop culture enthusiasts at Black Mass Appeal bring you the complete, dramatic, and embarrassing tale of the anti-devil worship panic that almost ruined everyone's favorite TTRPG in the 1980s, culminating in a hit exploitation paperback from the least likely author and a TV movie that subjected Tom Hanks' career to its most painful Saving Throws.

We've got the whole sordid story for you--including the long lost rules of Mazes & Monsters itself.

Panelists:
Daniel Walker [Podcaster, BlackMassAppeal.com]
Tabitha Slander
Simone Lasher