The Game Developer Conference has rebranded as the GDC Festival of Gaming, stating, "the industry is changing and so are we"

The Game Developer Conference has been renamed to the GDC Festival of Gaming, with the next gathering set for March 9-13, 2026, in San Francisco, California.

Announcing this on social platforms, the organizers stated their aim to "evolve with the industry," highlighting transitions such as tighter budgets, fragmented attention, and challenging discovery. They emphasized that new technologies have broadened the creator base.

The organization stressed that the Festival aims to enhance connectivity, offer more opportunities, and increase relevance within the industry, serving as a comprehensive touchpoint for game development.

The 2026 event will introduce a revamped pass system offering "more access" with the Festival Pass, marked at a "significantly" reduced price compared to prior options, and will feature start-up and academic discounts.

This upcoming event will manifest the transition of GDC into a more engaging industry highlight, taking place at San Francisco's Moscone Center from March 9 to March 13, 2026.

During the last Game Developers Conference, almost 30,000 participants were present, consistent with the previous year's attendance, but the number of exhibitors grew from 325 to 400. Over 1,000 speakers delivered presentations at the event's 750 sessions, workshops, and networking gatherings.

The GDC 2025 event also launched the GDC Nights, an after-hours program on March 17 and March 20, attracting over 6,000 participants.