POLARIS
A YEARLY WEEKEND RETREAT
FOR GAME DESIGN PROFESSIONALS
SOLVING
THE TOUGHEST
PROBLEMS IN GAMES
FAQ
What is Polaris Game Design Retreat?
Polaris Game Design Retreat is a think-tank style conference inviting the industry’s top designers to solve the toughest problems in games.
Polaris offers a retreat experience that’s uniquely inspiring and instructive for senior- or lead-level game designers, patterned after the now-retired Project Horseshoe. Our event, our attendees, and our resulting research leads the world in the art and science of game design through collaboration, courage, and curiosity.
Attendees stay for 3 nights at a comfortable location and work together on solving those tough problems together for 48 hours. Afterwards, written reports on their learnings are shared with the broader industry, to benefit all game designers.
Polaris combines effective, proven workgroup techniques with the beauty of the Québec countryside for a unique career opportunity.
What do you do?
You will choose a topic of game design that keenly interests you and a few other attendees. You will work on this problem together, collaboratively, and prepare a presentation to share your findings with the other Polaris attendees.
If your group feels they have discovered something worth sharing with the broader world, you may choose to prepare a Polaris report together, to last the ages. For an example of past similar reports, as inspiration for the kinds of topics and discoveries this “think-tank” approach might reveal, browse the Project Horseshoe report archive.
Who can attend?
What are your event policies?
You can click the following links to read our full policies, including our Code of Conduct, Returns Policy and Covid-19 Policy.
What are you doing about Covid-19?
We take Covid precautions very seriously. All invitees are required to provide a negative Covid test prior to attendance, and additional Rapid Tests will be provided during the event.
For more details please see our full Covid-19 Policy.
How do I pay?
Polaris handles ticket payments via Eventbrite. If you are invited you will receive your private link via email upon confirmation.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
"Everyone seemed friendly, welcoming, and thoughtful. No posturing."
"Almost every conversation I had injected me with some creative electricity, but one conversation in particular [...] *also* provided me with invaluable business advice that will likely net our studio several material opportunities."
"Polaris was two dozen thoughtful, accomplished designers at the height of their game gathered under one roof and dedicated to the goal of creating something tangible that will be of use to everyone in our industry."
"Polaris was a uniquely impactful experience [...] a rare opportunity to get meaningful time to work with some of the brightest pros I could ever hope to share space with."