The Game Developers Session (GDS) is an annual Czech conference on
video game development
Video game development (or gamedev) is the process of developing a video game. The effort is undertaken by a developer, ranging from a single person to an international team dispersed across the globe. Development of traditional commercial PC ...
.
It is the oldest conference dedicated to game development, technologies, businesses, and marketing in
Central Europe
Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the a ...
. It has been organized annually since 2003, most being held in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...
of the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. It is notable for being the first event of its kind in the city with a tradition spanning around 20 years.
In 2009, the conference gained popularity outside of the Czech Republic by presenting a set of lectures by developers from
2K Czech
2K Czech, s.r.o. (formerly Illusion Softworks, a.s.) was a Czech video game developer based in Brno. Founded as Illusion Softworks in 1997 by Petr Vochozka and Jan Kudera. The company was acquired by Take-Two Interactive in January 2008 and sub ...
, mainly on the technical background of the game ''
Mafia II
''Mafia II'' is a 2010 action-adventure game developed by 2K Czech and published by 2K Games. It was released in August 24 2010 for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360. The game is a standalone sequel to 2002's ''Mafia'', and the second insta ...
''. From there, GDS began to grow, shaping the game development community within the country.
GDS has hosted 900+ game developers, producers, and journalists with over 150 game studios participating every year. GDS includes the presentation of projects and talks from speakers from art, business, design, programming, and other backgrounds.
Social media & press
The GDS is backed by th
Czech Game Developers’ Association It represents an interconnected platform in the context of the European game industry and brings professional communities together from Slovakia, Slovenia, and Poland.
GDS has had the support of th
for many consecutive years.
In previous years the event was attended by government officials, investors, and government agencies including the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic and the Director of The Business and Investment Development Agency
CzechInvest.
Venue and format
The conference is designed as an international event. It is open and accessible to foreigners. The main program line and official conference's language channels are in English.
The 2022 GDS presented 40 speakers over two days at the historical venue of National House Smíchov in Prague, with more than 1000 visitors confirmed. Sponsors included big names like Beat Games, Wargaming, and Microsoft.
Universities and schools
In order to help the next generation of game developers, GDS cooperates with Czech universities and schools. The list of GDS educational partners is growing every year.
Contents
The GDS conference is an event where game creators meet regularly with producers, game professionals, and journalists.
The conference usually takes place for three days. Before the conference, there is a game jam in co-operation with Charles University in Prague. The core program of GDS is divided into two parallel lines of talks. During both days game development teams present their projects and current topics in the field.
Also, one day is usually dedicated to independent developers to introduce their projects to the professionals and the public. Another component of GDS is the career fair.
References
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* https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/8974/RoundUp_2006_Festival_of_Visual_Effects_Central_European_Game_Developers_Session_Command__Conquer_3_Confirmed.php
{{Video Game Trade Shows
Video game development
Video game trade shows
Recurring events established in 2003
Video gaming in the Czech Republic