GDC Founder Believes the Event Has Outlived Its Usefulness

Despite its status as one of the most recognized and respected events in the game development industry, the Game Developers Conference has faced growing criticism in recent years, revolving primarily around the high costs of attending and traveling to San Francisco, along with the industry's overall volatility, which make many developers question whether the benefits of participating in GDC justify the expenses.

Besides game developers, regular gamers, and industry analysts, the conference's own creator Chris Crawford – a veteran game designer who hosted the first conference in his own home in 1988 before being pushed out by the GDC board in the 1990s – is apparently also uncertain about the relevance of GDC, as he recently revealed that he believes the value of GDC has been undermined by changes in the industry.

In a letter sent to GamesIndustry.biz, Crawford pointed out that when the conference was founded, there were few ways for developers to connect and interact – a limitation that has since disappeared thanks to the rise of the Internet. Because of this, as well as "the gigantic costs, in both time and money, of attending something like GDC," he thinks that "GDC is rapidly becoming a dinosaur."

The opinion was expressed in reaction to GDC's rebranding as the Festival of Gaming a week ago. According to Crawford, he is unsure what this change means for the conference's future, which makes sense given that he hasn't been involved with it for years.

And what do you think about the Game Developers Conference? Is it still relevant in 2025 and beyond? What steps should its organizers take to retain its status? Let us know down in the comments!