The GDC2024 conference opens, with Web3 games stealing the spotlight throughout the event.
The annual grand event of the global game development community, GDC (Game Developers Conference), took place from March 18th to 22nd, 2024, in San Francisco, USA.
GDC serves as a platform for game developers, technology vendors, investors, and media from around the world to showcase the latest game development tools, platforms, and services, while also being an important occasion for exploring industry trends and sharing knowledge and experiences.
GDC 2023 attracted over 300 exhibitors including industry giants such as Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, Tencent, NetEase, Epic Games, Unity, and Ubisoft, each bringing their own products to the event, and GDC 2024 similarly drew these tech giants to participate.
How prestigious is GDC? Looking back at last year’s conference highlights
Since its inception in 1988, the Game Developers Conference (GDC) has evolved into one of the most important annual gatherings for the global game development community. Every year, this event attracts thousands of participants, including game developers, designers, programmers, artists, producers, game marketing experts, and executives, who come together to share knowledge, discuss industry trends, and showcase the latest technologies and products. GDC is not only a platform for technical exchange but also an important venue for industry professionals to establish connections and seek collaboration opportunities.
GDC2023 witnessed significant expansion both in scale and content, reflecting the rapid growth and diversification trends within the gaming industry. The conference notably emphasized the applications of AI technology, virtual reality, augmented reality, and blockchain technology in game development, attracting top companies and industry pioneers from around the globe. Tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, Tencent, along with many innovative startups, showcased their latest achievements and insights in game development.
In addition to technical showcases and academic lectures, GDC2023 also featured events like the Independent Games Festival and the Game Developers Choice Awards, showcasing not only the artistry and innovation in game development but also providing recognition for outstanding developers and their work.
Through a series of tutorials, lectures, roundtable discussions, and networking events, GDC2023 provided participants with an excellent opportunity to learn new technologies, gain inspiration, and expand their networks, further fostering the development and innovation within the gaming industry.
Similar to previous editions, numerous blockchain-related projects were also prominent at GDC2023. Notable blockchain-related projects among the diamond partners of GDC2023 included Gala Games, Polygon Labs, and Wemade (Wemix).
Overview of GDC2024: Social Events for Game Developers, Web3 Expected to Be a Hot Topic
GDC2024 is set to continue and expand upon the scale and scope of the previous year’s conference, expected to cover broader themes including but not limited to technological innovation, game design, market trends, and a special emphasis on the application of AI technology in game development. Additionally, with the increasing popularity of encryption technology and blockchain in the gaming industry, GDC2024 will also explore how these technologies bring new opportunities and challenges to the gaming industry.
The organizers of GDC2024 are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment aimed at promoting communication and collaboration among members of the game development community. The conference will feature multiple thematic lectures and workshops hosted by renowned industry experts covering various aspects such as game programming, art design, sound production, game marketing, among others. These sessions aim to provide learning and growth opportunities for both novice and seasoned game developers while encouraging them to share their experiences and insights.
In addition to professional academic exchanges, GDC2024 will also host a series of networking and social events, including the Independent Games Festival and the Game Developers Choice Awards. These events not only provide a platform for outstanding game developers and their work to be showcased and recognized but also offer valuable opportunities for interaction and networking for attendees, facilitating the establishment of new collaborations and the expansion of personal or company influence.
GDC2024 will also pay special attention to the latest trends and challenges in the gaming industry, such as sustainability, diversity and inclusivity, and how to utilize emerging technologies to create meaningful and impactful gaming experiences. Through these discussions and exchanges, GDC2024 aims to promote the healthy development of the gaming industry, encourage innovation and creativity, while also focusing on social responsibility and ethical issues.
In conclusion, GDC2024 will be an unmissable event, providing an unparalleled platform for game developers seeking the latest industry knowledge as well as companies hoping to showcase innovative technologies and products, collectively shaping the future of game development.
Highlights of GDC2024: Participation of Notable Blockchain Projects like Avalanche and Arbitrum
The convening of GDC2024 not only signifies the forefront exploration of game development technology but also demonstrates the deep integration and innovation of the encryption field within the gaming industry. This year, the participation of encryption technology is particularly noteworthy, with several leading projects such as Avalanche, Arbitrum, Gala Games, Sui, and Oasys showcasing at the conference how they leverage blockchain technology to drive innovation in game development and player experiences.
Avalanche, based on its high-performance blockchain platform, provides game developers with a low-cost, high-throughput environment, making the creation and operation of decentralized games more efficient. Arbitrum, as a layer-two scaling solution, offers game developers better choices by optimizing transaction processing speed and costs. Gala Games demonstrates how blockchain technology creates entirely new gaming economies and participation methods for players through its decentralized gaming platform.
Furthermore, Sui and Oasys, two blockchain infrastructure projects specifically designed for game design, provide developers and players with richer interactive experiences and broader innovation space through efficient and scalable solutions. The participation of these projects not only showcases the potential application of encryption technology in the gaming industry but also brings new possibilities for game development and player experiences.
GDC2024 serves as an important platform to showcase how encryption technology integrates with game development, driving industry innovation and development. Through the participation and innovative demonstrations of projects in the encryption field, GDC2024 further proves that the gaming industry is entering a new era of rapid development and continuous transformation, with the integration of encryption technology paving the way for the future of game development and player experiences.
Rising Forces in the Gaming Industry? Overview of Web3 Gaming Projects Exhibited at GDC2024
In the list of diamond partners for GDC2023, there were three prominent projects related to blockchain gaming or the blockchain field: Gala Games, Polygon Labs, and Wemade (Wemix). However, among the diamond partners of GDC2024, only Wemade (owner of Wemix) remained relevant to blockchain gaming, and this time, Wemade also became the Registration Sponsor for this GDC.
Here’s an introduction to other Web3 projects at GDC2024:
1.aelf: Aiming to provide technical solutions for Web3 DApps at the conference
Founded in Singapore in 2017, ælf has been committed to becoming a high-performance first-layer blockchain designed to drive the future development of Web3. However, it has had little visibility before. From its participation in GDC, it appears that ælf aims to serve as a one-stop solution for Web3 DApps, providing a cloud-native, efficient blockchain system supporting applications such as decentralized finance (DeFi) and the metaverse. It ensures a secure, fast, and cost-effective operating environment, offering developers and users nearly unlimited scalability and high-performance network experiences through its main chain, multi-side chain architecture, and built-in cross-chain design.
Earlier on February 20th, the blockchain gaming platform Crystal Fun completed a $5 million seed round of financing, with participation from ælf.
2.ANIMO, a game development studio, is collaborating with Moonbeam to develop blockchain games.
ANIMO is a game development studio in partnership with Moonbeam, dedicated to developing the third-person shooter game “ANIMO Stars Arena.” The studio boasts AAA game publishing experience and technical expertise.
In addition, ANIMO plans to introduce the game “Stars Arena” to the Epic Games Store and Steam, and develop blockchain-supported versions for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
3.Crypto Unicorn: Game migrated from Polygon to Arbitrum L3 Xai
Crypto Unicorn, a blockchain game from the previous bull market cycle, also made an appearance at this year’s GDC. Earlier this year, they announced the migration of their game from Polygon to Arbitrum L3 Xai.
Previously, Crypto Unicorns announced on the X platform that they would be migrating from Polygon to Xai, transferring all CU assets and game logic to Xai. Currently, Crypto Unicorns are operating a node of the DAC committee and will collaborate with the Xai and Arbitrum teams to expand the network. In March 2022, Crypto Unicorns announced a $26 million financing round through token sales, with TCG and Backed VC leading, and participation from BITKRAFT Ventures, Delphi Digital, Infinity Venture Crypto, Polygon Studios, CoinFund, BreederDAO, Emfarsis, and ACME Capital.
4.Parallel: Two flagship blockchain game projects to attend GDC, with plans to build new games on the Solana blockchain
Parallel, a TCG blockchain game, had two projects attending GDC this time: Echelon and Parallel. Previously, Parallel announced plans to build a new AI-powered game, Parallel Colony, on Solana.
5.MetaCene: Completed $10 million financing round, Alpha test V.3 to be launched soon
The popular blockchain game MetaCene announced on March 12th that it had completed a $10 million Series A financing round, led by Folius Ventures and SevenX Ventures. MetaCene is also participating in GDC 2024, likely aiming to attract traditional gamers to try this MMORPG game combined with blockchain technology. Currently, the game is in Alpha3 testing phase.
MetaCene is currently primarily building the next-generation MMORPG blockchain game, supporting features such as guild DAO governance, sustainable economic systems, and in-game AIGC editing. The funds raised in this round of financing will be used to expand the team and drive user acquisition plans.
MetaCene is collaborating with Mocaverse, YGG, and Ancient8, planning to launch Alpha test V.3 in March 2024.
6.Tevaera: Previously, there was no actual product, and its participation seems to be largely speculative.
Tevaera, a blockchain gaming ecosystem based on zkSync, also participated in GDC2024. This project has not had many actual finished products before, so its participation in GDC2024 seems to aim at boosting attention within the community.
According to official descriptions, the Tevaera ecosystem includes two core products: Teva Games and on-chain gaming infrastructure.
The on-chain gaming infrastructure includes Teva Core, Teva Chain, Teva Dex, and Teva Market. Teva Core is the first intelligent and modular multiplayer game framework designed for game studios. Teva Chain is an L3 game HyperChain built on zkSync, providing unlimited scalability, fast performance, and secure transactions. Teva Dex is a decentralized game exchange that promotes a sustainable play-and-earn economic system, while Teva Market can be used for NFT trading and staking.
