[Event news] Develop:Brighton – 4J Studios announced as second keynote

This is a press release posted in addition to our usual editorial content.

The second keynote for this year’s Develop:Brighton has been announced, with 4J Studios’ Chris van der Kuyl & Joseph Garrett taking to the stage to present Powered By Players: Reforjing 4J Studios.

From its roots as a trusted development partner to becoming a studio defined by innovation and community-first thinking, 4J Studios has been shaped – at every stage – by players.

In this candid and forward-looking keynote, Joe Garrett and Chris van der Kuyl take the stage to unpack the journey of 4J Studios: from its early history and over fifteen years working on Minecraft, through its bold evolution into a creator of original technology and its new IP, Reforj.

This talk explores how 4J is building Reforj to be a modern game ecosystem – one shaped not behind closed doors, but in partnership with its community. From early experiments through to key update milestones, Joe and Chris will reveal how direct player feedback has actively informed systems, features, and design direction.

Looking ahead, they will share what’s next for Reforj, including a preview of Title Update 8 and the unique fully custom Elements Engine powering it.

Early bird ticket pricing for Develop:Brighton is available until 3 June. Find out more at www.developconference.com.