March 17–21, 2026 · Moscone Center, San Francisco

GDC 2026

Game Developers Conference

The world's largest professional game development event returns to San Francisco. Five days of sessions, summits, tutorials, the IGF Awards, and the GDC Festival of Gaming — uniting every discipline in the industry under one roof.

Days

700+

Sessions

29K+

Attendees

100+

Countries

🎮 Official Site — gdconf.com 📍 Moscone Center, San Francisco

Event Details

Dates: March 17–21, 2026
Location: Moscone Center
San Francisco, CA
Organiser: Informa Tech
Website: gdconf.com
Annual Since: 1988
Highlights: IGF Awards · GDC Awards · Festival of Gaming

What Is GDC?

The Game Developers Conference is the world's premier professional event for video game creators. Founded in 1988, it brings together programmers, artists, designers, producers, audio engineers, and business leaders for five days of education, inspiration, and networking in San Francisco.

GDC is not a consumer expo — it is the industry talking to itself. Major studios announce engine features, indie developers debut experiments, and toolmakers compete for the attention of the people who build the games the world plays. Alongside formal sessions, the GDC Festival of Gaming opens the Expo floor to a broader audience, celebrating the art and culture of games.

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GDC 2026 Schedule

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Session Tracks

GDC covers every discipline in professional game development.

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Awards & Recognition

🏆

IGF Awards

Independent Games Festival — Since 1999

The Independent Games Festival is one of the oldest and most prestigious awards in independent gaming. Categories include the Seumas McNally Grand Prize, Excellence in Visual Art, Excellence in Narrative, Excellence in Audio, and the Audience Award.

Ceremony: Thursday, March 20, 2026

🎮

GDC Awards

Game of the Year — Voted by Developers

Unique among industry awards, the GDC Awards are voted on exclusively by game developers — making them a true reflection of peer respect. Categories include Game of the Year, Innovation Award, Best Debut, and the Ambassador Award for community contributions.

Ceremony: Friday, March 21, 2026

Public Event

GDC Festival of Gaming

The GDC Festival of Gaming transforms the Moscone Expo floor into a celebration of games and game culture open to the public. Attendees can play hundreds of titles — from AAA blockbusters to IGF-nominated indie gems — and meet the developers behind them.

Hardware manufacturers, engine vendors, and middleware companies fill the Expo with live demos, hands-on stations, and career opportunities for anyone interested in working in games.

Get Tickets at gdconf.com →

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Why GDC 2026 Is One to Watch

The 2026 edition arrives at a pivotal moment for the industry — amid rapid AI integration, major studio consolidation, and a resurgent indie scene.

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GDC 2026 Coverage

Sessions, announcements, and analysis from Moscone Center.

GDC 2026 · Programming 🔥 Trending

Clair Obscur Devs Reveal GOTY Giant Built by Just 4 Programmers

Sandfall Interactive confirmed 95% of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was scripted in Unreal Engine 5 Blueprints — by a team that started with a single programmer. The game has now surpassed Elden Ring as the most awarded title in history with 436 GOTY wins.

GDC 2026 · Hardware

Valve Outlines Steam Machine & Steam Frame Compatibility Standards

Valve confirmed 2026 launch targets for Steam Machine and Steam Frame VR, published Verified certification requirements, and blamed RAM supply-chain shortages for ongoing delays at a session attended by 450 developers.

GDC 2026 · Indie & Funding

Outersloth Rejects 100% of Generative AI Pitches

The indie fund backed by Among Us profits has processed ~3,400 submissions since 2022. Every single generative AI pitch has been turned down. Communications Director Victoria Tran: "I really like a game that has soul."

Follow ObjectWire's GDC Coverage

Live updates, announcements, and analysis throughout the conference week.

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