On March 9, an estimated 30,000 visitors will descend upon San Francisco for the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2026. As the first major gaming event of the year, GDC is a space for professionals to digest 2025 – a year dominated by breakout hits yet decimated with layoffs – and discuss 2026 to come.
The discussions held at GDC are of note to anyone who cares about the medium and its craft, with developers from 2025's greatest successes in attendance to give talks. As much can be said for its unofficial chats: the passion projects hyped privately, the bold predictions made over lukewarm coffee. Whether you'll be having those conversations in-person or following the conference on GamesRadar+ from the comfort of your home, we've pulled together five of the biggest topics we expect to lead discussions at GDC 2026.
