The full return of GDC

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GDC 2022 was an unusual affair. It was the first time the annual developer conference had returned to San Francisco since the pandemic began, and the industry wasn't quite sure what to expect. Plenty of companies and individuals were still wary of travel, especially as outbreaks of COVID-19 were still occurring around some large events.

While there was a contingent of developers happy to return to the Moscone Center last year, it wasn't quite on the scale that has come to be expected of GDC. This year, however, senior conference manager Ashley Corrigan is confident the event will be more in line with past years.

"2022 was our first year back in person, but this year really feels like the full return of GDC and I want to do what we do really, really well," she tells GamesIndustry.biz. "Obviously we need to do new things to keep it interesting and fresh, so we do have to strike a balance to ensure we're not biting off more than we can chew.

"But as long as we do what we do best and what we're known for, we can build on that and innovate. We get one shot every year, so it has to be good."

Corrigan is one of two people presented as the new faces of GDC. After former leader Katie Stern departed in April 2022, the responsibility for GDC 2023 fell to Corrigan and director of event production Stephanie Hawkins, supported by other members of the Informa team.

Corrigan has been working on GDC for seven years now, originally as a coordinator on the content team, while Hawkins has spent ten years at the event's parent company, working on various events (including GDC) but now focused primarily on the renowned developer conference.

This year, in