A new Croatian development conference is aiming to fill the gap left by the recently-deceased and much-cherished Reboot Develop, which ended this year with the organiser being served with a bankruptcy order. The “no-stress” Splitscreen, which takes place in the Croatian capital on April 20–22, 2027, has been created by a new team, but seeks to capture the same spirit that made its forebear a popular destination for the global industry.
The key ingredients: an international audience, an old town, a seafront hotel in which indies can rub shoulders (and raise cocktails) with AAA veterans – and no meeting app. The latter was the “most-requested feature” of the people consulted on the event’s founding, according to director and co-founder Hrvoje Mitic, leading to a focus on social interaction rather than the ubiquitous Meet2Match.
“The spirit we want to keep is that half-holiday, half-work feeling: industry friends getting together by the Adriatic, in a hotel next to the beach, to recharge, connect, and build real relationships,” he tells GamesIndustry.biz. “You have great talks and meetings, but some of the best conversations happen over lunch, on a boat or just hanging out.”
“You get to know each other properly. People leave with real relationships. That’s what makes it special.”
The hotel is the Radisson Blu in Split, which will host a familiar mix of talks and workshops alongside an “evolved” game showcase in place of Reboot’s slightly chaotic collection of PCs in a hotel lobby, with a competition system awarding sponsored packages for developers to help get themselves and their games to the event. The speaker lineup will represent developers from across the globe: the first confirmed sessions including Landfall’s Rebecca Lautner, Housemarque co-founder Ilari Kuittinen, and Panache Digital’s Patrice Désilets, with more to follow.
“Alongside big names from North America, we’re making a real push into Asia, particularly China, Korea, and Japan, and reaching out to people from across the globe too,” says Mitic. “We want to bring a really international crowd together, and the Adriatic setting is a big part of the appeal. There’s a bit of an international film festival feeling we’d love to capture: great talent from around the world, all getting together in a special place.”
“Our goal is to create a place where people from across the industry, from AAA teams to tiny indies and the next generation of creators, can connect, share knowledge, and collaborate. We bring people together through shared experiences, with the time and space to get to know each other, exchange ideas, and have conversations that matter right now.”
The founders’ experience at previous events is that conversations at beachfront hotels “lead to business and collaborations that last,” says Mitic, and the organisers are paying a lot of attention to “hospitality and shared experiences.” The move from Dubrovnik provides a “fresh start”, and he’s effusive about Split’s potential. “It’s lively, full of character, and a little bit wild, with streets winding through and around the 1,700-year-old Diocletian’s Palace. There are amazing cafés, bars, and restaurants, and it’s a place where getting a little lost is part of the appeal.”
“You get to know each other properly. People leave with real relationships. That’s what makes it special”
Besides luring the international set – which includes, yes, Rami Ismail, confirming that this is indeed a games industry event – Splitscreen will also showcase the Croatian development scene, which Mitic says has expanded rapidly in recent years with annual revenue doubling since 2019. Key studios have consolidated and international publishers have established offices, he says, reflecting wider industry growth across Eastern Europe.
“We’ve also had our share of layoffs and closures, just like the global industry,” he says. “But a new wave of creators is emerging, including in unexpected spaces like UEFN and Roblox. Croatia’s MM Games, behind Crazy Red vs Blue in Fortnite, is a great example of success coming from a different space.”
The announcement this week represents the culmination of months of work, begun when it became apparent that Reboot Develop was not returning, and Mitic says the early response has been “super positive”. “The last few years have been draining for a lot of creative people in the industry, but there’s also some fresh optimism coming through. We want to build on that.”
The hope is to build a lasting spot on the global industry calendar, which by Mitic’s count now holds over 300 events. He says the team are accumulating ideas for a hoped-for year two. “For year one, success is people going home saying, ‘That was worth the trip. I’m coming back.'”