adminGDC Festival of Gaming 2027 will run for four days, from Monday, March 1, through Thursday, March 4. Organisers say the revised schedule is intended to concentrate conference sessions and other activities on the days when attendees are most active, while making it easier to plan around work and personal commitments.
What the GDC Festival of Gaming 2027 schedule includes
The event’s conference programme and the new Business Hall at Moscone West will be available across all four days. Festival Hall at Moscone South will operate from Tuesday through Thursday, so attendees planning their visit may want to check which venue and activities are open on each day.
Organisers say the 2027 edition will feature substantial conference programming, larger session rooms, additional hands-on workshops, interactive experiences and more networking opportunities. These changes are intended to give visitors more ways to take part and help them focus their time at the event.
- Dates: Monday, March 1, to Thursday, March 4, 2027.
- Business Hall and conference programme: Available throughout all four days.
- Festival Hall: Open Tuesday, March 2, through Thursday, March 4.
Checking the programme and venue schedule before travelling can help attendees make the most of the days they plan to attend, particularly because Festival Hall has a shorter operating window than the conference programme.
Why the event is changing its format
GDC says the four-day structure follows a review of event data and feedback from its community. The aim is to concentrate opportunities during the busiest days and create a more focused experience, while offering attendees greater flexibility in how they use their time at the show.
Mark DeLoura, GDC’s vice president of content strategy, has said that community feedback is an important part of shaping the event. He also described the 2027 changes as a way to offer more choices for participation, support meaningful professional connections and better match the event to how the games industry uses GDC.
The schedule update follows the introduction of the Festival of Gaming and other changes to the GDC experience in 2026. The Business Hall, new passes and updates to established programming, including the GDC Summit, were also announced as part of the 2027 plans.
Game Developers Choice Awards submissions
The Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) will accept submissions from publishers and developers for the first time. Previously, nominations were handled through a voting system involving the International Choice Awards Network.
Games released on PC or console from January 1 to December 31, 2026, are eligible. Submissions must be received by November 1, 2026. Developers and publishers considering an entry should verify that a game meets the stated platform and release-date requirements before submitting.
What attendees should know
With conference programming running from Monday through Thursday and Festival Hall opening Tuesday, visitors should consider which sessions, workshops and exhibition areas matter most to them before choosing their travel dates. The GDC Festival of Gaming 2027 format brings the event into a four-day schedule, with organisers aiming to provide a more concentrated programme and more flexibility for attendees.
