The Game Developers Conference is back — and with it, more than 24,000 people who build and design video games have descended on San Francisco's Moscone Center in a crowd that rivals those of pre-pandemic conferences.
Sunday, on the eve of the first conference sessions, the line for badge pickup stretched around three sides of the block, and at once point reached nearly half a mile long.
"This year, we're fully focusing on the in-person experience," said event production director Stephenie Hawkins, noting that last year's smaller in-person event had offered many sessions as part of a virtual program. "We'll have over 330 exhibitors here at Moscone, which is the most we've ever had."
This is the 37th GDC — an annual event that began in a San Jose living room in 1988. The conference is "for game developers, by game developers" — including all of the artistic and technical disciplines that go into making games.
"The creative energy at GDC is fantastic," Hawkins said. "You'll see people walking around with different-colored hair, and all kinds of funky outfits."
The 5-day event is a place to learn and network, but also a place to reunite with old friends and colleagues.
"I get to see friends who I only get to see once a year, at the Game Developers Conference," said Ashley Corrigan, the conference's senior producer.
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Corrigan said among the topics sure to be discussed at the conference is the buzz swirling around generative artificial intelligence — the kind of AI used in chatbots like ChatGPT. Other bots using the technology can create images based on a user request.
"Generative AI is a big topic right now, especially with everything that's going on with the relationship between artists and AI," she said. "I think that we can expect to see AI in the game industry, and used as a tool. But what's important is figuring out how to use it in an ethical and inclusive way."
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Aside from the talk of AI, the conference has three "official" themes, Corrigan said: community, jobs and accessibility. The focus on jobs is especially key for universities bringing delegations of students to the conference with their games and art portfolios.
"We have 13 students traveling with us right now," said Heather Cole, an instructor in the game development program at West Virginia University. "Getting to see that, hey, this is a career — and look at all these other people who are also here as part of their career. Because back in West Virginia, you don't always think that (building video games) is a career."
For those students, and for professionals, Hawkins said the in-person networking experience at the conference is one that can't be found anywhere else.
"I'm so excited," she said. "I'm ready for everyone to get here and experience the GDC magic."
