For the first time in many years Game Developers Conference (GDC) is undergoing a major content and pricing review that will shape the future of the event. Today, GDC, owned by game developer parent company Informa, unveiled a new “refreshed” conference known as the “GDC Festival of Gaming,” which will see a redesign of the event structure designed to “fit with today's broader, interconnected gaming industry.”
A key component of this transformation is a simplified pass structure that ensures equal access to sessions and networking events for all participants. A new event pass starts at $649, although indie companies, startups and academics can apply for discounts that lower the price by another $200 to $300.
In this new form, the event aims to serve game developers “at every stage of the game lifecycle” and debuts with a special focus on providing gaming industry professionals with new online experiences, updated conference content, improved pass prices and more.
Conference organizers say the changes are “informed and inspired by community feedback.” In a statement, GDC executive director of innovation and growth Mark DeLura said the transformation comes at a “time of great change” in the video game industry.
“We can build walls or we can build bridges, and the games industry has always thrived when we come together,” DeLura says.
GDC “All Access” is now 45 percent cheaper.
As mentioned above, the new “Festival Pass” replaces the All-Access pass from previous years and costs 45 percent less than its predecessor, starting at $649 and providing access to the entire program of core event content.
This means that all attendees with a festival pass will have equal access to the GDC exhibit floor (now called “Festival Hall”) and content programming throughout the week, which differs from previous GDC events where access to core conference content was segmented by pass type, track, or day of the week.
According to the announcement, GDC also plans to offer support to aspiring indie developers, startups, and members of the academic community through programs that will further reduce the price of the Festival Pass by $200 to $300.
The new festival pass is one of three types of passes announced today by GDC. One of them, the new “Digital Pass”, allows developers not traveling to San Francisco to access online networks during GDC and GDC Storage content for $799.
Another new type of pass, the Game Changer Pass, starts at $1,699 and includes everything the Festival Pass has to offer, plus access to all new show features and more. These include the “GamePlan” meeting program, an invitation-only arrangement promising pre-scheduled meetings with key industry stakeholders, as well as the all-new “Luminary Speaker Series,” an executive content program held at the Blue Shield of California Theater at the YBCA near the Moscone Center.
Meeting “today's broader and more connected” industry
Going beyond just pricing, today's Festival of Games announcement gives developers a closer look at what to expect from the revamped event. According to organizers, the GDC Festival of Gaming aims to serve what they call the “global B2B gaming ecosystem,” which includes “game developers, publishers, distributors, investors, founders, technologists, tool makers, marketers, educators and media.”
A reimagined approach to sessions”[goes] In addition to discipline-specific training for game developers,” with lectures, panels, master classes and other events designed for industry professionals of all stripes. This “One Content Program” covers all five days of GDC and is available to anyone with a Festival Pass. Mainstream events such as showdowns and technical sessions are now complemented by “interactive content” designed to bridge the gap between industry disciplines.
A similar spirit is fueled by the return of GDC Nights and the renovated Expo Hall, now known as the Festival Hall. These spaces offer developers the opportunity to connect through demos, micro-sessions, and social spaces built around the themes of game development, future tech, indie and education, international collaboration, monetization, and player engagement.
In a statement, GDC President Nina Brown described the new event as “a celebration of the vital connection between the creators, leaders and partners who move the industry forward.”
“This new era is based on dialogue with our community,” she continued. “And this is just the beginning.”
The game developer and GDC are sister organizations within Informa Festivals..
