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When is the Game Developers Conference 2025 and why is it so interesting?

(Image credit: GDC)

Of all the gaming conferences and industry events on the calendar, the Game Developers Conference, otherwise known as GDC, can sometimes fly under the radar. It doesn’t necessarily have the hype of SGF or Gamescom since Geoff Keighley doesn’t show up with a scissor reel of world premiere trailers. Instead, this is a conference focused on the incredible people who make games.

GDC 2025 is taking place from March 17-21, and as always it’ll feature workshops, talks, and presentations from notable figures in the games industry. More than most gaming conventions, GDC is geared toward developers rather than fans and players. It's where the creators of your favorite titles go to network, learn from one another, and otherwise have the conversations you’ve always wanted to be a fly on the wall for.

Game developers gather around giant GDC letters outside the Moscone Centre in San Francisco — (Image credit: The Game Developers Conference)

That’s not to say nothing “new” gets announced at GDC each year. There’s usually a keynote presentation or two to showcase some big new reveals - never forget that this was where Google revealed Stadia in 2019, for example. GDC is also home to the Game Developers Choice Awards, an evening event that will fall on Wednesday, March 19 this year. This is another Oscars-like celebration of the previous year in gaming, where awards like “best indie”, “best debut”, and “Game of the Year” are handed out.

The conference takes place at the Moscone Centre in downtown San Francisco, and this year, it’s said to play host to 750 sessions over a 5-day period. Some standout presentations from this year’s event will be a Level Design Summit talk from Anna Oporska-Szybisz, who will discuss “The Mystery of the Remake” after her experiences working on the Silent Hill 2 Remake at Bloober Team. Also appearing is Arrowhead’s Johan Pilestedt, who will give a lecture about Helldivers 2 titled “Capturing Lightning in a Bottle”. Remi Boutin from Ubisoft will also be in attendance and will discuss blending modern Metroidvania elements with challenge and reward after their work on Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

Attendees congregating outside the Game Developers Conference — (Image credit: Getty Images)

There are loads of amazing and insightful events taking place at GDC this year, and if you don’t believe me, just look at the packed schedule. It’s where the voices of developers really get to be heard, and knowledge can be shared between studios that otherwise wouldn’t get the chance to meet. Given the last year in the games industry, there’s bound to be some interesting chat about the use of AI, layoffs, and live service models.

While attendance at GDC is both expensive and usually reserved for people who actually make games, the incredible GDC Vault is an unrivaled way for fans to get more insight into how their favorite games are crafted. Talks are added to it every year, so if you want to learn more about this unique medium, that might be a wallet-free way to start.

One of my earliest memories is playing SuperMario64 and wondering why the controller I held had three grips, but I only had two hands. Ever since I've been in love with video games and their technology. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship at Expert Reviews. Over the last decade, I’ve been managing my own YouTube channel about my love of games too. These days, I'm one of the resident hardware nerds at GamesRadar+, and I take the lead on our coverage of gaming PCs, VR, controllers, gaming chairs, and content creation gear. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.