GDC

GDC, or the Game Developers Conference, is the world's largest professional event devoted to the creation of video games. It brings together game developers, publishers, hardware makers, and educators to share knowledge, showcase new technology, and explore business opportunities. The conference covers a wide range of topics, including programming, game design, art and audio, production, marketing, and business practices.

The conference is held annually in San Francisco, California, typically at the Moscone Convention Center, and usually takes place in March. It features hundreds of sessions, tutorials, and roundtables led by industry professionals. A core component is the expo floor, where companies demonstrate tools, engines, and services for game development. The event also hosts the Independent Games Festival (IGF), a competition recognizing notable indie games and their developers during the conference.

Organized by Informa Tech (the former UBM/CMP lineage that now operates under Informa), GDC has historically served as a primary hub for announcements, skill-sharing, and networking within the gaming industry. The conference has influenced industry trends and provided a platform for developers to showcase work, recruit talent, and forge partnerships.

In response to global events, the format of GDC has shifted in certain years, with 2020 seeing the cancellation of the in-person event due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent digital or hybrid editions in following years. Despite these changes, GDC remains a central, ongoing gathering in the game development community, with ongoing editions and related events expanding its reach to international audiences and online formats.