alt.ctrl.GDC
Celebrate the 12th Anniversary Showcasing the Best Use of Alternative Controllers
Co-helmed by veteran indie curator John Polson, the alt.ctrl.GDC exhibit is one of event's most acclaimed community spaces for the last 11 years! Attendees can play games using alternative controllers and meet the developers behind these unique projects. alt.ctrl.GDC exhibitors are chosen through an open submission process which is free to enter and open to all.
Submissions for alt.ctrl.GDC 2026 closed on November 20 at 11:59 PM PT. Please contact jordan.stillman@informa.com with any questions about submissions or the alt.ctrl.GDC program.
Submission Criteria
We invite developers to submit their alternative controllers/hardware (with an accompanying custom game) for alt.ctrl.GDC, showcasing projects that push the boundaries in thoughtful, unique, and entertaining ways.
We are specifically looking for:
Alternate/Custom Hardware Requirements:
Developer-Made or Repurposed Controller/Hardware: The controller/hardware must be created by the developer(s) or be existing technology repurposed in a novel way that diverges from its primary intended use.
Innovative Implementation: The controller/hardware should offer a groundbreaking approach to game interaction, providing a unique and innovative gameplay experience.
Custom Game for Hardware Integration:
Alternate/Custom Game: The accompanying game must be custom made; the controller/hardware cannot be made to work with an existing published game.
Novelty and Entertainment: The game should pair seamlessly with the custom hardware, resulting in a fresh and entertaining experience that stands out.
Unique Gameplay Experience: The combination of the game and hardware must deliver a unique interaction that cannot be replicated with standard controllers.
[General Information]
Submission Rules
- Non-finalist 2025 alt.ctrl.GDC games and hardware are eligible to re-enter.
- The game and hardware should be polished and ready for demonstration at GDC in San Francisco in March 2026.
- Developers must prepare a video no longer than 5 minutes for the judges that clearly presents and explains the uniqueness and functionality of their hardware and game. The video link will be required as part of the submission. Find previous submission examples in the alt.ctrl.GDC Archive.
- There are no fees or costs associated with submitting for alt.ctrl.GDC.
- Finalists must pay their own travel and accommodation costs to visit the event.
- Selected finalists must always have at least one developer at the exhibit to demo their game title at GDC in San Francisco.
- All submitted games and hardware should comply with the GDC Code of Conduct. Finalists should also comply with this onsite at GDC.
- Entries of a sexual, violent, and/or derogatory nature are not permitted and will be disqualified from consideration.
- Projects using XBOX adaptative controllers or eye tracking tech should not submit, as this is not considered an alternative controller.
Finalists Receive
- alt.ctrl.GDC Finalists receive (4) Staff passes with Festival access including access for setup and tear down
- (1) 10' x 10' Space (with an 8 ft high drape on the backside and 3ft high drape on the right and left sides, carpet, and a side rail)
- 4x6 exhibitor game title sign with the alt.ctrl.GDC look
- (1) table (72''W x 24'' D x 30''H)
- (1) chair
- (1) wastebasket
- (1) 32" tabletop monitor w/ HDMI cable
- (1) keyboard and (1) mouse
- Wi-Fi
- Power to accommodate 120V
Further Notes
- Please note there is no honorarium provided for alt.ctrl.GDC Finalists.
- Booth construction must adhere to IAEE booth requirements.
- The back 5’ of booth may have a maximum height of 8’.
- The front 5’ of booth may have maximum height of 4’.
- Displays are limited to 4’ in height, in the front portion of each booth. Machinery, equipment or products may not be shown on a raised/built-up platform or counter if they interfere with the height restrictions. If your display exceeds 4’ in height, it is required that you place it away from the 5’ x 10’ sightline area in the front of the booth in order to provide a “see-through” lane for neighboring exhibitors.
- Should you wish to have additional equipment, upgrade or swap out the provided equipment, have a set-up that requires union labor for a build, etc., you may order those directly in our Partner Portal through our contractors FREEMAN, which handles everything related to the union labor, furniture, and more, at your own expense.
2025 alt.ctrl.GDC Audience Award Winner
ChromaCorp
2025 alt.ctrl.GDC Finalists
- Back Off Me Booty (Scallywag Studios)
- Badger Badger Badger (Sam Brown, Justin Chang, Ruby Chen)
- Breaking News (Sijia Li, Yifan Xu, Nan He, Ziwen Zhang, Ziqing Li, and Kathy Wang)
- ChromaCorp (The ChromaCorp Team)
- Clench The Stench (Yuhan 'Harry' Cai, Zheng 'Soap' Gui, Heejae Lim, Chai Lin, Preston Phung, Roberto Reynoso, Gabe Robinson-Barr, Arjun Shivakumar, Yunhao 'Edmund' Ye, Zishuai Zhang, Zhexuan 'Victor' Zou)
- Cooked Intel (Wenxiao Ding, Lu Lyu, Luna YiXi Wu, Steven Jinyuan Yang)
- Dance Of The Sky Carver (Team SkyCarver)
- Gemzy Frenzy (Angel Wong, Baiyuan Xing, Nathan Duker, Siqi Cheng)
- How to Pet Your Cat (Dachu Interactive)
- I’ll Meet You In The Rain (Xiangrui Zeng, Olivia Yin, Xiao Tan, Coco Ma, Shuang Cai, Lancy Zhan)
- Kick & Loud (Mountain Donuts)
- Kneedle Drop: An Into-The-Woolderness Game (Immortal Funk Games)
- Limbitless Journey (Limbitless Solutions)
- OWSU1! (Jasmine Sumpter, Jada Sumpter, Christopher Kim, Stanley Chen)
- Paco's Anatomy (Scotty Fremin, Alex Foussat, Victor Lacombe, Ema Ouardi, Santino Romero, Marion Puigcerver, Chaher Himaya, Lionel Bourgeois)
- RICE!! (Sangyu Chen, Isabel Wu, Steve Sun, Max Sun)
- Sashimi Slayer (Alex Ling, Arthur Gan, Shenwei Zhu, Kay Krachenfels)
- The Lawn (Ian Tang & Derun (Irene) Li)
- The Shower Must Go On (Carlos Barcelo)
- Wind Will Tell (Yichen Pan, Hannah Oh)
Meet Our alt.ctrl.GDC Co-Creator, John Polson
John Polson has played video games for over 40 years, starting when analogue ruled the world. He created and maintained the Humble Games and Humble Originals publishing labels, shipping titles such as A Hat in Time, Slay the Spire, Getting Over It, A Short Hike, and Unpacking. He also co-created the alternative controller exhibit, alt.ctrl.GDC and the indie game pop-up exhibit The MIX. He currently is an investment and partnership director at Tencent America.
John’s Quick Tips for Entrants:
Having celebrated over a decade of alt.ctrl.GDC exhibitions, the bar is constantly raised on the quality, variety, and innovation in finalists chosen. Some quick advice is to skim the past several years of selected entrants, just to make sure a submission doesn't end up too closely to those previously selected. Another tip: repurposing existing objects in the real world is a viable path for alt.ctrl. However, building something unique is a way to differentiate further a submission, due it being truly one of a kind.
Meet Our Judges
Joining co-creator John Polson, meet our alt.ctrl.GDC 2026 judging committee of former alt.ctrl.GDC winners and industry experts.
Sammy Gerolaga
Hey there! My name is Sammy Gerolaga and I'm currently a Technical Game Designer at Crystal Dynamics. I love working on systems and combat design, but also deeply appreciate the alternative controller scene. As one of the former members of Kitchen Kauldron - a previous alt.ctrl.GDC nominee and winner - seeing the many unique ways we can use controllers to enhance the player experience through physicality brings a smile to my face.
Tianrui “Teri” Zhang
Tianrui “Teri” Zhang is a game designer specializing in multiplayer experiences and interactive storytelling. In 2024, he co-created Chu Mo as the experience’s designer and programmer, a Chinese horror–themed escape room that won the 2024 alt.ctrl.GDC Audience Award.
Bryant Francis
Bryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios' upcoming 4X strategy game Zephon and Amplitude Studio's 2017 game Endless Space 2.
FAQ
[General Information]
What is alt.ctrl.GDC?
alt.ctrl.GDC is a unique showcase of alternative controllers created by independent developers. alt.ctrl.GDC exhibitors are chosen through an open submission process which is free to enter and open to all.
We invite developers to submit their alternative controllers/hardware (with an accompanying custom game) for alt.ctrl.GDC, showcasing projects that push the boundaries in thoughtful, unique and entertaining ways.
What is the Submission Process?
Submissions will open September 29 through November 20. Anyone can submit their alternative controller for a chance to be selected to exhibit at GDC. Once the submissions portal is closed, a panel of judges will review submissions and select the top projects to exhibit at the GDC Expo. You can find more information on the submission criteria below.
How to Get Involved?
Join our newsletter to be notified when the submission portal opens! If you are a school representative that wants to incorporate this into a class assignment, please reach out to gdcfeedback@informa.com to be added to the mailing list. Check out our archive of previous projects to get an idea of what to expect.
What Do I Get if I am Selected as an Exhibitor?
Each project selected to exhibit at alt.ctrl.GDC will receive passes to the Game Developers Conference that year and a free space to demonstrate their game at GDC! Selected exhibitors will be notified by the end of the year. Basic equipment and furnishings will be provided by GDC.