About the quiet ones: How Introverts (and Extroverts) Show Up at Big Events

We have a multinational team at Embersail Studios, and one thing we've noticed is that not everyone moves through a big event the same way. A full and empty social battery feels different for all of us.

Last time, we talked to Caghan about her experience on the global stage, and somewhere in the middle of putting that together, we got curious about the rest of the team. What does showing up to these spaces actually feel like?

So we asked a few of them: Mars our Studio Director, Marshall our Director for IP Narratives, and Arma our Associate Producer and Project Manager for Comics Immersion. Between them, they've walked floors at the Game Developers Conference, WebSummit, GameCon Canada, and beyond. People with real years in this industry, who just happened to land on different ends of the energy spectrum.

Before we get into it, introversion and extroversion come down to one thing: where your energy comes from. Where do you recharge? What wears you down? That difference becomes a lot more visible when you put people in a room with hundreds of strangers and a packed two-day agenda.

Mars told us the week before a big event comes with a familiar feeling. "A bit of anxiety, just knowing I have to talk to a lot of people and step out of my comfort zone." Twenty years in the industry and that feeling still shows up. He prepares anyway. His approach is practical: block time for scheduled meetings, then dedicate a separate stretch to walk the expo floor and talk to exhibitors. Structure first, and room for whatever else comes up.

Arma approaches it similarly. "I usually plan my schedule and have a general idea of the event beforehand, but I also leave a lot of room for improvisation and spontaneity." She brought up something worth sitting with: taking time before jumping into a conversation comes from more than personality. "In some networking cultures, people are expected to be very outgoing and immediately self-promotional, while I naturally tend to approach interactions more carefully." Culture shapes how we show up in these rooms, and that often goes unacknowledged.

Across our conversations, one thing was consistent: the outcomes are the same. The path to getting there looks different. Someone who recharges in social settings moves across the floor quickly, touches a lot of conversations, and follows up later. Someone who recharges alone goes deep with two or three people and leaves already knowing the next step. The results land in the same place.

Mars put it plainly: "Making connections actually go a long way, even post-event." He's in it for what comes after. "Getting into discussions of how they're shaping the world, and then feeling inspired to do the same afterwards." That's the part that keeps him coming back. Marshall had a different read on the whole thing. The week before a big event, he feels excited. "I care a lot about Embersail and want to see it succeed, so these events are opportunities to make that happen." He maps his schedule but keeps space open for what he calls side-quests. His way into a conversation is finding common ground. "Most of the events and people I come across are centred around nerds like myself, so I try to find some common ground in the types of interests we may have in video games, film, TV, books, or something similar." The professional conversation follows from there. He walks away from most events with three or four connections he'd call meaningful. His standard is high: mutual professional interest, or a genuine new friend.

A few things the team keeps coming back to, regardless of where they land:

Know what you came for. Mars blocks his calendar for specific meetings before he even looks at the floor. Marshall maps his agenda and protects space for spontaneity. Arriving with anchors makes the floor easier to move through.

Use the schedule. Sessions, workshops, and showcases give everyone a low-pressure reason to be in the room. Conversations that happen right after a talk tend to be warmer and more specific than anything starting from scratch.

Lead with what you're building. Marshall said it well: "People respond very well to passion. If you can display and talk about something you're proud and passionate about, it'll open up the conversation." Mars added that talking about a shared problem or a gameplay mechanic often gets things going before the deeper pitch even lands.

The shift our team described goes beyond tactics, but knowing yourself in those spaces. Being part of a minority at industry events has pushed Mars to work harder at how he presents himself and the Studio. That extra effort is built into the work he does every time he walks into a room. Arma said she connects more naturally through structured formats. She'd rather host a short presentation or speak on a panel than work a room cold. Knowing where you do your best work and leaning into it makes a difference! It also makes your stay at every event more enjoyable for you.

At Embersail Studios, we're still finding our footing in these spaces, and we think that's okay. We want to show up as a team that's genuinely present and curious about the people around us. Some of us will talk to everyone. Some of us will talk to three people very well. Like Caghan said, at the end of the day, if you arrive and communicate with intention and sincerity, people will see that and you'll build connections worth keeping.

The quiet ones in the room aren't behind, they're simply playing a longer game.

Have a story about navigating big events as an introvert or an extrovert? We'd love to hear it!