cormack12
Gold Member
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is the world's largest professional game industry event. GDC brings together 28,000 attendees to exchange ideas and shape the future of the industry with five days of education, inspiration, and networking at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.
Attendees include programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business decision-makers and others involved in the development of interactive games and immersive experiences.
GDC attendees can relax, play inventive and innovative games, and meet new people throughout the week at interactive spaces, themed areas for indie games, retro games, alternative controllers, and more. This year marked the debut of the GDC Film Festival, one of the first ever documentary & narrative film fests focused on the art and culture of video games.
GDC hosts two award ceremonies recognizing the creativity, artistry and technical genius of the finest developers and games. The Game Developers Choice Awards are the leading peer-based video game awards show celebrating the industry’s top games and developers. The Independent Games Festival honor the most innovative and exemplary projects in indie game development.
Where can I get the talks/presentations
Videos should appear on the official GDC youtube channel, presentations can be sourced from blogs and sites after the event or maybe here. There will be a short delay until they are publicly available.
Presentations/talks
Full list
Highlights/Broad appeal
'MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN' AI POSTMORTEM
ADVANCED GRAPHICS TECHNIQUES TUTORIAL: EFFICIENT RENDERING IN 'THE DIVISION 2'
ANIMATION BOOTCAMP: 'GOD OF WAR': BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A HARDENED SPARTAN
BUILDING BUY-IN: CREATING DESIGN TOOLS FOR BETTER PLAYER EXPERIENCES AT EA
VISUAL EFFECTS BOOTCAMP: GROUNDING THE IMPOSSIBLE: PUSHING CREATIVITY IN VFX
BUILDING COMPUTATIONALLY-RIDICULOUS GAMES IN THE CLOUD (PRESENTED BY AMAZON)
MAGIC LEAP: ENHANCING GAME EXPERIENCES WITH CHARACTER AI
VISUAL EFFECTS BOOTCAMP: SORTING THROUGH THE RUBBLE: A REVIEW OF DESTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
ANIMATION BOOTCAMP: ANIMATING THE MAIN VILLAIN IN 'MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN' (OR "WHAT, I'M RIGGING HOW MANY LEGS?!")
COOKING WITH G.A.A.S: THE 'ARMELLO' APPROACH TO POST-LAUNCH GAME CONTENT
ANIMATION BOOTCAMP: ROCKET MAN: CREATING FLIGHT FOR 'ANTHEM'
2014 VS. 2018: THE SHAPE OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS BEFORE AND AFTER THE INDIEPOCALYPSE
NPCS HAVE FEELINGS TOO: VERBAL INTERACTIONS WITH EMOTIONAL CHARACTER AI
ADVANCED GRAPHICS TECHNIQUES TUTORIAL: EFFICIENT RENDERING IN 'THE DIVISION 2'
ANIMATION BOOTCAMP: 'GOD OF WAR': BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A HARDENED SPARTAN
BUILDING BUY-IN: CREATING DESIGN TOOLS FOR BETTER PLAYER EXPERIENCES AT EA
VISUAL EFFECTS BOOTCAMP: GROUNDING THE IMPOSSIBLE: PUSHING CREATIVITY IN VFX
BUILDING COMPUTATIONALLY-RIDICULOUS GAMES IN THE CLOUD (PRESENTED BY AMAZON)
MAGIC LEAP: ENHANCING GAME EXPERIENCES WITH CHARACTER AI
VISUAL EFFECTS BOOTCAMP: SORTING THROUGH THE RUBBLE: A REVIEW OF DESTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
ANIMATION BOOTCAMP: ANIMATING THE MAIN VILLAIN IN 'MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN' (OR "WHAT, I'M RIGGING HOW MANY LEGS?!")
COOKING WITH G.A.A.S: THE 'ARMELLO' APPROACH TO POST-LAUNCH GAME CONTENT
ANIMATION BOOTCAMP: ROCKET MAN: CREATING FLIGHT FOR 'ANTHEM'
2014 VS. 2018: THE SHAPE OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS BEFORE AND AFTER THE INDIEPOCALYPSE
NPCS HAVE FEELINGS TOO: VERBAL INTERACTIONS WITH EMOTIONAL CHARACTER AI
'SUBNAUTICA' POSTMORTEM
LEVEL DESIGN WORKSHOP: 'HITMAN' LEVELS AS SOCIAL SPACES: THE SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY OF LEVEL DESIGN
LEVEL DESIGN WORKSHOP: THE LEVEL DESIGN OF 'GOD OF WAR'
THE DIVISION 2: A WORLD OF MATERIALS (PRESENTED BY SUBSTANCE)
'MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN': A DEEP DIVE INTO THE LOOK CREATION OF MANHATTAN (PRESENTED BY SUBSTANCE)
SANTA MONICA STUDIO PRESENTS: 'GOD OF WAR' (PRESENTED BY AUTODESK)
AI FOR TESTING: THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTS THAT PLAY 'BATTLEFIELD V'
TEXTURING THE WORLD OF 'ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY' (PRESENTED BY SUBSTANCE)
UBISOFT'S EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING WITH VULKAN (PRESENTED BY KHRONOS)
LEVEL DESIGN WORKSHOP: 'HITMAN' LEVELS AS SOCIAL SPACES: THE SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY OF LEVEL DESIGN
LEVEL DESIGN WORKSHOP: THE LEVEL DESIGN OF 'GOD OF WAR'
THE DIVISION 2: A WORLD OF MATERIALS (PRESENTED BY SUBSTANCE)
'MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN': A DEEP DIVE INTO THE LOOK CREATION OF MANHATTAN (PRESENTED BY SUBSTANCE)
SANTA MONICA STUDIO PRESENTS: 'GOD OF WAR' (PRESENTED BY AUTODESK)
AI FOR TESTING: THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTS THAT PLAY 'BATTLEFIELD V'
TEXTURING THE WORLD OF 'ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY' (PRESENTED BY SUBSTANCE)
UBISOFT'S EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING WITH VULKAN (PRESENTED BY KHRONOS)
CONTROLLER TO DISPLAY LATENCY IN 'CALL OF DUTY'
PROCEDURAL GENERATION OF CINEMATIC DIALOGUES IN 'ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY'
THE ANIMATION OF 'MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN'
THE MAKING OF 'DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN 2'
LOOT BOXES: LEGAL PITFALLS AND LOOPHOLES
WIND SIMULATION IN 'GOD OF WAR'
"SHADOWS" OF THE TOMB RAIDER: RAY TRACING DEEP DIVE (PRESENTED BY NVIDIA)
PLAYTESTING 'GOD OF WAR'
'LIFE IS STRANGE': MUSIC IN A NARRATIVE DRIVEN GAME
DISPELLING COMMON PLAYER BEHAVIOR MYTHS (PRESENTED BY FAIR PLAY ALLIANCE)
PROCEDURAL GENERATION OF CINEMATIC DIALOGUES IN 'ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY'
THE ANIMATION OF 'MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN'
THE MAKING OF 'DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN 2'
LOOT BOXES: LEGAL PITFALLS AND LOOPHOLES
WIND SIMULATION IN 'GOD OF WAR'
"SHADOWS" OF THE TOMB RAIDER: RAY TRACING DEEP DIVE (PRESENTED BY NVIDIA)
PLAYTESTING 'GOD OF WAR'
'LIFE IS STRANGE': MUSIC IN A NARRATIVE DRIVEN GAME
DISPELLING COMMON PLAYER BEHAVIOR MYTHS (PRESENTED BY FAIR PLAY ALLIANCE)
'INTO THE BREACH' DESIGN POSTMORTEM
AUTOMATED TESTING OF GAMEPLAY FEATURES IN 'SEA OF THIEVES'
TAKING AN AXE TO 'GOD OF WAR' GAMEPLAY
BEYOND THE REMAKE OF 'SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS': A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE
CREATING A SCALABLE AND DESTRUCTIBLE WORLD IN 'HITMAN 2' (PRESENTED BY IO INTERACTIVE, IN ASSOCIATION WITH INTEL)
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STARTER KIT
SOCIAL SYSTEMS DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND IMPACTS IN 'OVERWATCH'
BUILDING A LIVING WORLD FROM ANCIENT RUINS IN 'ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY'
'DEVIL MAY CRY 5': CREATING A STANDOUT ACTION GAME
AUTOMATED TESTING OF GAMEPLAY FEATURES IN 'SEA OF THIEVES'
TAKING AN AXE TO 'GOD OF WAR' GAMEPLAY
BEYOND THE REMAKE OF 'SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS': A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE
CREATING A SCALABLE AND DESTRUCTIBLE WORLD IN 'HITMAN 2' (PRESENTED BY IO INTERACTIVE, IN ASSOCIATION WITH INTEL)
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STARTER KIT
SOCIAL SYSTEMS DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND IMPACTS IN 'OVERWATCH'
BUILDING A LIVING WORLD FROM ANCIENT RUINS IN 'ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY'
'DEVIL MAY CRY 5': CREATING A STANDOUT ACTION GAME
BACK TO THE FUTURE! WORKING WITH DETERMINISTIC SIMULATION IN 'FOR HONOR'
REINVENTING 'GOD OF WAR'
'DEAD CELLS': WHAT THE F*N!?
AIMBOTS TO WALLHACKS: THE TOP 3 MOST CLEVER CHEATS OF 2018! (PRESENTED BY DENUVO BY IRDETO)
DESIGNING 'PATH OF EXILE' TO BE PLAYED FOREVER
EVOLVING COMBAT IN 'GOD OF WAR' FOR A NEW PERSPECTIVE
REINVENTING 'GOD OF WAR'
'DEAD CELLS': WHAT THE F*N!?
AIMBOTS TO WALLHACKS: THE TOP 3 MOST CLEVER CHEATS OF 2018! (PRESENTED BY DENUVO BY IRDETO)
DESIGNING 'PATH OF EXILE' TO BE PLAYED FOREVER
EVOLVING COMBAT IN 'GOD OF WAR' FOR A NEW PERSPECTIVE
The awards
Lifetime achievement award
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the career and achievements of a developer who has made an indelible impact on the craft of game development and games as a whole.
Amy Hennig
Amy Hennig is an American video game director and script writer, formerly for the video game company Naughty Dog. Hennig believes that the creative direction of a script holds more importance than the graphics of the game. She has been called one of the most influential women in the video game industry by Edge magazine. // More...
Pioneer Award Winner
The Pioneer Award (formerly known as the First Penguin Award) celebrates those individuals who developed a breakthrough technology, game concept, or gameplay design at a crucial juncture in video game history - paving the way for the myriads who followed them.
Rieko Kodama
this year's award honors a figure who helped pave the way for countless game creators to follow," said Katie Stern, general manager of the Game Developers Conference. "After decades spent developing some of SEGA's most indelible classics, Kodama-san could easily rest on her laurels, but instead has dedicated herself to creating games that transcend gender and generations to give us countless hours of joy. This award is a 'thank you' to Kodama-san and all creators who work so hard to achieve greatness." // More...
Game of the Year
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Honorable Mentions: Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance), Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Bandai Namco Studios & Sora / Nintendo), Into the Breach (Subset Games), Assassin's Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive), Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
Best Audio
Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)
Honorable Mentions: Beat Saber (Beat Games), Wandersong (Greg Lobanov / Humble Bundle), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909), Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)
Best Debut
Polyarc (Moss)
Mountains (Florence)
Nomada Studio (Gris)
Villa Gorilla (Yoku's Island Express)
Sabotage (The Messenger)
Honorable Mentions: Beat Games (Beat Saber), Digital Sun (Moonlighter), Two Point Studios (Two Point Hospital), Okomotive (Far: Lone Sails)
Best Design
Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
Into the Breach (Subset Games)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Honorable Mentions: Frostpunk (11 bit studios), Minit (Kitty Calis, Jan Willem Nijman, Jukio Kallio & Dominik Johann / Devolver Digital), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909), Astro Bot Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)
Best Mobile Game
Alto's Odyssey (Snowman)
Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
Reigns: Game of Thrones (Nerial / Devolver Digital)
Holedown (Grapefrukt Games)
Donut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)
Honorable Mentions: Furistas Cat Cafe (Runaway), The Room: Old Sins (Fireproof Studios), Pocket Run Pool (Zach Gage), Alphabear 2 (Spry Fox), Twinfold (Kenny Sun)
Innovation Award
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
Nintendo Labo (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)
Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Honorable Mentions: Minit (Kitty Calis, Jan Willem Nijman, Jukio Kallio & Dominik Johann / Devolver Digital), Celeste (Matt Makes Games), God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Astro Bot Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Moss (Polyarc), A Way Out (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
Best Narrative
Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)
God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Honorable Mentions: Assassin's Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Celeste (Matt Makes Games), Life is Strange 2 (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix), Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (Dim Bulb Games and Serenity Forge / Good Shepherd Entertainment)
Best Technology
Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Assassin's Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)
Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)
God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Honorable Mentions: Sea of Thieves (Rare / Microsoft Studios), Far Cry 5 (Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft), Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Best Visual Art
Gris (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital)
Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
God of War (Sony Santa Monica / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope / 3909)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)
Honorable Mentions: Battlefield V (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance), Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / Bandai Namco Entertainment), Assassin's Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft), Below (Capybara Games)
Best VR/AR Game
Budget Cuts (Neat Corporation)
Beat Saber (Beat Games)
Tetris Effect (Monstars and Resonair / Enhance)
Moss (Polyarc)
Astro Bot Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Honorable Mentions: Jurassic World Alive (Ludia), In Death (Sólfar Studios), Tendar (Tender Claws), Firewall Zero Hour (First Contact Entertainment / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Deracine (FromSoftware / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
