The Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2024 is underway and the five-day event looks to tackle what has been hanging over the game industry for more than a year now: the layoffs. Read on to learn more about the event and comments from its representatives.
GDC 2024 Restores a Sense of Normalcy Amid Game Industry Mass Layoffs
Combating Industry Layoff Trend
As reported by The Mercury News, The Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2024 is poised to welcome nearly 30,000 attendees in downtown San Francisco, California today. The conference event takes place at a time when the game industry is grappling with layoffs and technological shifts - topics the event looks to tackle.
Director of Event Productions Stephenie Hawkins stated that there will be sessions dedicated to career development and portfolio reviews, as well as assisting attendees in navigating career transitions. The conference also facilitates networking sessions and offers platforms for exhibitors to showcase job opportunities.
Hawkins told news outlet Variety, "We have the Game Developer Job Board on our website, where you can post jobs, if you’re looking to hire, or if you’re looking for a job you can go there, and we will have a printed version of the job board on site." Among the companies participating in the job showcase sessions include Amazon Web Services, Google, Meta, Nintendo, Roblox, Samsung, King, and Playtika.
"This is a huge emphasis for us this year, really creating opportunities and pathways for people to come together and have those business meetings, collaborate with each other, find a potential business partner," GDC conference manager and head of content Ashley Corrigan said.
"We’ve created a few spaces on site where people can schedule meetings to really help facilitate bringing people together, trying to figure out their next move and just moving the industry forward through what’s going on right now."
Celebrating Game Development
Moreover, partnering with the Video Game History Foundation, the conference aims to celebrate lesser-known developers and the significance of game preservation. Reflecting on the evolving landscape of gaming, Hawkins stated that there will be a retrospective theme for this year's GDC.
"GDC last year [was] about looking at the future," she said. "This year, it’s about the history of game development." Talk sessions about the history of game development and its advancements will also be held. Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner will offer a post-mortem discussion on his classic game Karateka, and provide insights into its creation and enduring legacy.
Tetris creator Alexy Pajitnov is expected to host a talk session that will delve into a lost prototype of the iconic puzzle game. Additionally, the conference will tackle the implications of AI in gaming, with sessions addressing ethics and business challenges, and emerging concepts in the evolving gaming industry.
"That’s another reason why the conference is focused on examining the past," said the senior conference producer. "You can see how things change and how it fits a lot better in a different environment."
Source:
Inside GDC 2024: How Annual Video Game Conference Has Pivoted Programming Amid Industrywide Layoffs
GDC is closer to normal as video game gathering looks to the past
GDC Official Website
