Game Developers Conference
Game Developers Conference Rebrands as GDC Festival of Gaming
Highlights
- GDC will be renamed GDC Festival of Gaming in 2026, aiming to unify the evolving game industry with “more connection, opportunity, and relevance.”
- The March 2026 event at San Francisco’s Moscone Center introduces a new pass with expanded access and affordable pricing, eliminating trade-offs for attendees.
- Last year’s GDC drew nearly 30,000 attendees, featuring over 750 sessions and 1,000+ speakers, with growth in exhibitors and popular after-hours events.
The Game Developers Conference (GDC), the largest annual gathering for game industry professionals, is rebranding as the GDC Festival of Gaming for its 2026 edition. Scheduled for March 9-13 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, the festival reflects the shifting dynamics of game development, with tighter budgets, fragmented attention, and new technologies reshaping creators’ world. Organizers say the new format focuses on uniting the entire industry at a pivotal moment, fostering connections and relevance for all stakeholders. It offers a broader, more accessible experience catering to developers, publishers, academics, and startups.
GDC To Focus on “Community Connections” Between Developers
The rebranded GDC Festival of Gaming aims to transcend traditional conference expectations by acting as a comprehensive, year-start industry catalyst. Organizers acknowledge that the game development landscape is rapidly evolving, with emerging technologies democratizing creation and economic pressures tightening budgets. Discovery is “harder than ever,” making community connection and broad access critical pillars for the festival.
Replacing GDC’s traditional pass system, the new Festival Pass introduces universal baseline access to key programming at a dramatically lowered price point. This restructuring is designed to remove financial and logistical barriers, enabling wider participation from startup founders, students, and global industry professionals. Start-up and academic discounts further emphasize the commitment to inclusivity.
The 2025 GDC event demonstrated the industry’s fervor, hosting nearly 30,000 attendees and a rising number of exhibitors, now topping 400 companies showcasing tools, platforms, and services vital to game creation. Over 1,000 speakers participated across 750 curated sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities covering topics from programming and design to business and visual arts. New initiatives like the GDC Nights after-hours events attracted more than 6,000 attendees, underlining demand for community engagement beyond daytime hours.
As the GDC Festival of Gaming prepares to launch, it promises to blend educational sessions, industry keynote presentations, celebrations of innovation, and networking all within the redefined context of today’s game ecosystem. The festival aims to be not just a conference but a comprehensive journey for game makers, driving discovery, partnership, and growth in a moment that truly matters.
Author
Abhimannu Das is a web journalist at Outlook India with a focus on Indian pop culture, gaming, and esports. He has over 10 years of journalistic experience and over 3,500 articles that include industry deep dives, interviews, and SEO content. He has worked on a myriad of games and their ecosystems, including Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends.
Abhimannu Das is a web journalist at Outlook India with a focus on Indian pop culture, gaming, and esports. He has over 10 years of journalistic experience and over 3,500 articles that include industry deep dives, interviews, and SEO content. He has worked on a myriad of games and their ecosystems, including Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends.
