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Game Designer Michelle Menard Keynotes Columbus Interactive Media Festival

COLUMBUS, GA (March 3, 2026) – Michelle Menard, Chief Creative Officer of Dragon Snacks Games, keynotes the 11th annual Columbus Interactive Media Festival (CIMFest) with a look at what game developers need to succeed in a changing world. Held March 7 at the CSU Center for Commerce and Technology, CIMFest offers anyone interested in game development the chance to build necessary skills, as well as to connect with other creators.

Menard said her 11 am keynote focuses on, “what success looks like in a post-pandemic world, and how to navigate an ever-changing media landscape.” Menard suggests developers go back to the basics and avoid falling into the trap of prescriptive solutions. She said the title of the keynote, “A Recipe for Success: Being Resourceful and not Prescriptive”, refers to 19th-century recipes and how they contrast with modern day recipes in that they are far less specific and instructive.

“It’s giving you enough that if you want to make (games), you know enough information now that you can pull from, but you can also draw on your past experiences and your unique perspective to build (something unique) instead of following someone else’s definition,” said Menard.

While Menard has worked on games like the Civilization series, Dragon Snacks’ first game, codenamed Project Ogret, targets Gen Z and Gen Alpha players who want a unique, cooperative-first multiplayer experience. The game, a social RPG and town builder with up to 16 players, features opportunities to play with selected friends, with no random matchmaking required. “The basic idea is that it’s cooperation first, not competition first. So everything you do in the game can and does benefit someone else in the town that you’re building.” Players can expect to enjoy early access to the game Q1 of 2027, with the full game later available on Nintendo Switch and Steam for PC.

Prior to the keynote speech, CIMFest also presents “Technology’s Effect on the Human Experience” at 9am, followed by “Quality Assurance in Games” at 10 am. At 12pm, lunch includes gaming tournaments run by HoloHaven. 1pm features “A Solopreneur’s Journey in Successful Game Development”; at 2pm, “Starting a Game Studio”; 3pm “Making Game Audio Great”; and finally at 4pm, “Secrets of Game Design”.

Renowned livestreamer Tygarlily hosts a Fantasy/Renaissance costume review during the festival, with anyone in costume getting in free to CIMFest. Admission for all others ranges from $5-$10, and includes lunch. More info can be found at https://www.ggda.org/events/cimfest