After four years, the Game Developers Conference is closer to normal. Officials said they expect nearly 30,000 attendees in downtown San Francisco and exhibitors are on track to return. The gathering arrives at a time when publishers have announced layoffs and the tech industry is facing several changes.
With all the upheaval and changes ahead, Stephenie Hawkins, director of event productions, said GDC is taking a look back. “GDC last year about looking at the future,” she said. “This year, it’s about the history of game development.” To that end, the organizers partnered with the Video Game History Foundation to highlight and celebrate lesser-known developers with the interactive Game History Gallery.
The move also highlights the importance game preservation. Hawkins said even titles from 2010 have been lost over time. GDC itself has preserved hours of talks and documents from its decades of conferences. She said the vault of information is some of their most popular assets with burgeoning developers.
That’s partly what makes GDC different from other video game gatherings. This isn’t a show that hypes the next big games. It’s mainly focused on how games are made because it’s where developers exchange ideas and network. It’s also not open to the public save for a $149 expo pass on Friday. It’s meant for professionals or students who want to break in the industry. Hawkins said it’s where some careers are launched, saying conference associates who help attendees often return as advisory board members after making their way in the industry.
A LOOK AT A FEW SESSIONS
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When it comes to big GDC talks, “Prince of Persia” creator Jordan Mechner will detail the creation of his classic game “Karateka” in a post-mortem discussion. The conference will also address artificial intelligence, and it’s implications to games, including sessions about ethics and business challenges.
One of the highlight sessions focuses on “Tetris” creator Alexy Pajitnov. He talks with Croatian game developer Vedran Klanac about a lost prototype of the legendary puzzle game. Interestingly, it was created through “remote correspondence,” according to the GDC website.
That remote work and collaboration is something that the industry went through during the pandemic, and it has influenced several projects and studios, including the recently announced developers Giant Skull and emptyvessel.
That’s another reason why the conference is focused on examining the past, said Ashley Corrigan, senior conference producer. There are tidbits of knowledge or ideas ahead of their time that didn’t catch on but suddenly do. For example, she pointed to the QR code. It was a novelty in the beginning but became more prevalent during the pandemic at restaurants and bars. “You can see how things change and how it fits a lot better in a different environment,” she said.
Along with the talks, GDC is also a space, where companies show off technology that pushes gaming to the edge. The conference was when Sony unveiled Project Morpheus, which ended up being PlayStation VR. It’s also where several services that focused on streaming games were announced. (OnLive and Stadia are just a few.)
GDC is also adapting to a world where COVID isn’t as prevalent. Hawkins said there are no COVID restrictions this year. GDC 2024 doesn’t have a vaccine requirement and masks won’t be required indoors but are strongly encouraged. Face masks and hand sanitizers will be available throughout the facility and enhanced cleaning measures are in effect.