A survival guide to GDC 2023

gamesindustry.biz:

GDC is back at the Moscone Convention Center next week.

A staple among games industry events, GDC 2023 is expected to gather around 24,000 people in San Francisco, organisers said in January.

Officially running from March 20 to 24, the event extends well beyond the boundaries of these days and of the convention centre's walls. Games industry professionals from all walks of life have started gathering already and will be taking over San Francisco for meet ups within the next two weeks.

For newcomers, GDC can be overwhelming – big event, big city, thousands of people, hundreds of talks, almost as many networking opportunities... how do you make the most of this mammoth event?

Well, we've got you covered! Below you'll find advice for a dozen industry professionals about how to plan your GDC 2023, how to network, where to meet people, what food joint you should go to, and simply how to survive.

Included in this guide are (in alphabetical order):

For more GDC and San Francisco tips, it's worth noting that the Games Industry Gathering also has a brilliant GDC guide that you can find on this page.

Also keep an eye for our interview with GDC director of event production Stephenie Hawkins and senior conference manager Ashley Corrigan, to be published on Thursday.

Now without further ado, here's our survival guide to GDC 2023.

TL;DR:

Nazih Fares: Like every major conference, it’s about your own personal goal. Assess your own priorities. Do you want to meet new people, share your work, or hear about the latest advancements in your field? While most conferences allow you to accomplish all three technically, having some priorities will help you decide to focus on… Or you’ll end up burning out running from one end to the