With GDC 2019 set to begin on Monday, the Sandbox gang is getting ready to convene in San Francisco. Before we head out west, we’d like to share what we’re looking forward to at this year’s show!
Rob: Seeing the industry conversation live and in-person. There has been so much talk lately about all kinds of things from game fronts to new consoles to games as service to mobile and on and on. It will be great to be among our peers and speak face to face in real time about the changes going on around us and what is in store for us all in the months to come.
Val: I’m with Rob; getting to see industry folks, journalists, developers and everyone in between is one of my favorite things about GDC. It helps set the tone for the year as well, and we usually end up getting a sense of, “Okay, X and Y topics are going to be the big thing this season.” A couple years ago, virtual reality was all the rage at GDC; you couldn’t enter a room without some VR discussions going on around you. Last year, discussions of Fortnite’s meteoric rise were EVERYWHERE. (Check out Val’s 2018 GDC recap here!) At that time, the game had been out in early access for about 6 months or so, and it was already shattering records in ways the industry had never seen before. I’m excited to see what this year’s biggest topic will be!
Shaun: This marks my 10th year in the industry, and my seventh GDC (give or take); for me, it’s been an honor to see this industry evolve and change, and to connect with so many incredible people. I’m excited to get back to it and to see what’s coming next, and how everyone is continuing to adapt to the quick evolution of the market. GDC really brings the best professionals together; I’m really most excited to see my old friends and colleagues, and to catch up with so many wonderful people, each a master of their craft.
Tony: This is my first GDC, so I am not really sure what to expect. I won’t actually be on the floor but I’ve heard that GDC has a lot of people get rooms at nearby hotels and doing demos there, so it should be interesting to see all the press folks running from hotel to hotel to see cool things. Google has also piqued my interest with their GDC keynote announcement so I’d like to check that out.
Corey: First and foremost, I’m most pumped about a weekend of snowboarding in Tahoe the weekend before the show! After 15 years of GDCs, I just want to see old friends and hear the whispers about what’s next. In particular, I’m optimistic about positive disruptions to the mobile games space. Hoping we’ll start to hear the “F word” (Fortnite) a bit less than at recent events, but obviously it’s impacted everyone in the games industry so we’ll see how Epic’s ideas have mutated.
Pat: GDC is my favorite convention and this year’s version seems poised to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Microsoft and Google have planned for the show and I’m curious to see if Oculus will reveal any more details on the Quest. On the indie front, the MIX is always fun and I can’t wait to check out some of the games there. Beyond all that, I’m most looking forward to seeing industry colleagues & friends and connecting over what’s to come in the future.
