Game Developers Conference

When some of the most brilliant minds in the game development industry gathered in Chris Crawford’s living room 20-​odd years ago, did they ever think somewhere down the road more than tens of thousands of people will packed the Moscone Center for an entire week in their wake?
Boasted as «world’s largest and longest-​running professionals-​only game industry event,» and for roughly a grand in cash you get to be inspired by the brilliant creation from today’s leading minds and upcoming talents, networking with a few top banana in the gaming industry, and with any solid production you might even walk away with the coveted «Oscars» of GDC.
That same cash also buy you front row seats (and even hands-​on experience) of any current and upcoming titles few outside of the convention center have seen.
But is current incarnation of GDC still for inspiring game developers or for gamers who have more than some pocket change to buy an entrance? If you ask me (I know you didn’t…) At some point, that line started to blur.
GDC started as Game Developers Conference, and over the years evolving into Game (Develop)er Conference. The sessions are still great, and if you are lucky you might even learn something valuable; however more and more ‘sessions’ have started to turn into nothing more than press conferences. There are folks who will attend some major keynotes, perhaps from the likes of Sony and Harnoinx and Telltale, and then wasting the hours away on the Play floor, trying to win a Bowser plush headgear.
On the GDC Play floor this year, I saw a few tables pawning game paraphernalia, some guys selling T-​shirts near the breezeway between N and S halls, and I saw a few cosplays (and this rather cute girl wearing R2-​D2 fitted short dress.)
So if you are currently in the industry, or having serious consideration of leaving your current day job and becoming a developer, it’s a great place to be inspired.
P. S. There is one very particular new thing I noticed this year you might want to experience, the so called «unconference.» I saw them this year at an «undisclosed» location… (psst… it was the lawn in Yerba Buena)

The Game Developers Conference has always been my favorite gaming-​related event of the year. E3 is all fine and dandy, but its massive booths with life-​sized replicas from the games can’t compare with GDC’s tightknit sessions with developers, describing everything that went into their work. It’s a much more personal experience, and seeing these minds open up to the world is unlike anything else.
Plus, it’s also an amazing place to network.

GDC is great, although I always found that the sessions varied widely in quality. However, I’m not in the industry anymore, so I no longer attend.
I mostly love GDC because my widely scattered former cow-​orkers all come to town and I get to hang out and drink with them!
I have friends at both Valve and Harmonix, so seeing the Portal song played live on stage via Rock Band at the Valve party was quite the hoot this year.

Gonna agree with Kellee S here.
If you want E3, go play video games at a strip club, but only play for 5 minutes, and wait in line for 3 hours first.
GDC is a great place to learn about making games. Some of the most interesting and creative people in the industry, sharing what it is they’ve learned.
It’s not for game players, but game makers. If you’re the later, you aren’t reading this because you know you need to be at GDC. if you’re the former… well… this isn’t for you.

Woah, what? How can one even compare GDC to E3. They are, literally, so completely different. E3 (The Entertainment Electronics Expo) started as a shoot off from CES — you know, that gigantic tech conference that happens in Vegas now? It’s all about the wares.
The Game Developers Conference started in game designer Chris Crawford’s backyard, as an annual gathering of game developers to exchange ideas. Has it gotten huge? Yes. Did moving it to San Francisco from San Jose make it feel just a tad like «selling out»? Yes. Is it super expensive and they have to do something about that? Hellz yes.
But at it’s core, it’s the same conference. As a developer, it’s thrilling. Random conversations in hallways or at parties become inspirational brainstorms, playing Rock Band with the people who made it, walking into a hotel suite to find Phil Harrison and Reggie Fils-​Aime playing Wii Bowling… I always leave feeling depressed at all the awesome things other people are doing, and inspired to make even better games in the upcoming year.
As a gamer? This conference might not be interesting to you. But if you make games or want to make games, it’s a must go-​to. Volunteer, apply for an IGDA Scholarship. Do what you gotta do, but go.