After a successful and diverse turnout at last year's 2012 GDC Play debut, GDC Play returns to San Francisco in 2013 as a unique opportunity for emerging developers to showcase their games to fellow GDC attendees.
Inspired by the success of the Independent Games Festival Pavilion at GDC, the new initiative will include space in special Pavilions themed around emerging game markets. GDC Play allows exhibitors to display their games to key distributors, publishers, press and investors visiting the conference. GDC Play Pavilions for social & online, smartphone & tablet, and independent games will all be located within a dedicated room and include a networking lounge with seating areas for more in-depth meetings.
When signing up for GDC Play, which is open to a range of emerging developers showcasing playable games, game creators will be given a standalone kiosk with a monitor, keyboard, speakers and Internet connection, as applicable. This makes it an incredibly simple, low-cost opportunity to exhibit titles to prospective business partners, investors and the press.
With this year's return comes the introduction of Best in Play, a showcase of GDC Play's finest games. For this new 'Best in Play' award program, all GDC Play exhibitors will be judged on their in-development or complete games by a panel of veteran GDC organizers and Gamasutra editors. Eight participating games will be selected and announced as 'Best in Play' winners prior to GDC. Winners will be announced mid-February and they will receive two All-Access passes to GDC 2014. Special 'Best in Play' designations will be attached to the honorees' GDC Play kiosks at GDC 2013, where their games will be playable to all GDC attendees.
GDC Play participants have access to the official GDC Business Matchmaking softwarethe catalyst for business at GDC. Request and receive meetings from major publishers, All Access Pass holders and exhibitors attending the event.
Register or request a meeting here.
A sample of organizations you can schedule meetings with via GDC's Matchmaking Software
Over 70 Publishers, Investors, and Agents including:
2K Games, 505 Games, 6waves, Activision/Blizzard, Atlus, Big Fish Games, Cartoon Network, Digi-Capital, Digital Chocolate, Disney Mobile, EA Partners, GameHouse/Real Networks, Glu Mobile, Indie Fund, Joystick Labs, Konami, Microsoft Game Studios, Namco Bandai Partners, Nintendo, Replay Games, Rovio, Seahorn Capital, Spry Fox, Square Enix, Steam, Tapjoy, Telltale, Trion Worlds, Ubisoft, Union Entertainment, United Talent Agency
Over 300 GDC Exhibitors and sponsors including:
Google, Unity, Epic Games, Crytek, Sony, Blizzard, Activision, WB, Riot Games, BigPoint, Disney, Tencent, Kabaam, Valve, Gaikai, Onlive, Digital River, Amazon, Playspan, NCSoft
| GameSpot | MSNBC |
| The New York Times | AOL Games |
| 1UP | Spike TV |
| G4 TV | Joystiq |
| IGN | Bloomberg News |
| Wall Street Journal | Reuters |
| Kotaku | PC Gamer |
| CNN | Electric Playground |
| Engadget | Gamasutra |
| Macworld Magazine | Destructoid |
Largest number of International Governments and Trade Organizations exhibiting at GDC and GDC Play, including
Belgian Trade Commission
Koelnmesse GmbH
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia, Canada
Korea Game Developers Association
Prochile Scottish Development
International Swedish Trade Council
Game Developers Association of Australia
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
TIGA
Quebec Government
Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation


