Rob Pardo, previously the Chief Creative Officer at Blizzard Entertainment and currently the CEO of Bonfire Studios, is set to deliver the keynote speech at the GDC Festival of Gaming

A robotic foot stamps on a GDC billboard — Image credit: GDC

Rob Pardo, who manages Bonfire Studios and formerly served as Blizzard's chief creative officer, will deliver the keynote at the GDC's Festival of Gaming.

The keynote, titled "An Odyssey in Building Games That Last," will reflect on Pardo's extensive experience in the industry, where he has been instrumental in shaping major games like StarCraft, World of Warcraft, and Diablo. He will also share insights into his approach to game development at Bonfire Studios, which he co-founded in 2016.

"For over 30 years, Rob Pardo has influenced what constitutes lasting game design," GDC President Nina Brown stated.

"As our industry faces rapid technological shifts and changing business models, his insights are both stabilizing and progressive. Rob's dedication to creating games that resonate with players aligns perfectly with the GDC Festival of Gaming's mission," she added.

Pardo's keynote is scheduled for 9 am PT on Thursday, March 12.

The GDC Festival of Gaming will occur from March 9-13 in San Francisco, California. The event will feature over 1000 speakers and more than 700 sessions, including contributions from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer Sandfall Interactive and AdHoc Studio from Dispatch. Additional details can be found on GDC's website.

Hideo Kojima, initially scheduled to speak, withdrew from the event last month.

Despite industry concerns about costs and the current US political climate, GDC organizers Informa announced there has been no decline in planned attendance from international visitors. The event's decision to rebrand from the Game Developer Conference to the GDC Festival of Gaming received a mixed reaction.