While day two was full of networking, yesterday I kicked off my day with an interview before rushing off for another round of networking. I was excited to try to spend more time on the GDC Expo floor, as it finally opened up to see if I could talk to some cool studios (and maybe even score some cool new gear)!
Did I accomplish everything on my large wishlist? Not in the least.
But here’s a recap of everything I did get done on GDC Day Three.
Talking Dune with Funcom
My chat with Funcom took place off-site and as I walked nto the building, I was immediately struck with what I can only phrase as the bookworm syndrome as I noted all the antiques within the wood-charmed entry room.
It took a bit of effort to continue making my way to the wooden stairs that led to the second flow—and my chat with the Funcom team.
While checking in, I was offered some snacks and coffee as one of the members encouraged me to try one of the sticks and noted how they tried to theme it all.
Considering I was human and ravenous, there was no way I could say no! But just as I snagged a stick and picked up a muffin (and before I could grab myself a quick coffee) I was invited to join them in watching State of Unreal GDC Livestream, which happened to be take place at the start of my chat with their team.
It was absolutely surreal sitting there with the team, listening to them talk amongst themselves as we waited for Creative Director Joel Bylos’s turn to talk about the use of Unreal Engine in the upcoming open world survival MMO Dune Awakening.
After his section was over, I had the opportunity to hear even more about the game, and boy – do they have a lot in store for lovers of survivor game enthusiasts and MMO players alike that I am excited to share more about in the coming weeks.
As seen during the State of Unreal presentation, the close connection to the film and the books showcases the level of care and authenticity the team is trying to convey. Which also means this is a game lovers of the Dune IP would enjoy.
While I personally am not a survivor enthusiast (and I even joked at certain points that my anxiety levels would rise tri-fold having to learn how to survive in the harsh world of Arrakis), I was blown away by their transmedia efforts.
Afterwards, I thanked them and as someone who happens to lives near their studio in Raleigh, North Carolina, I can only hope that I can one day take a trip directly to their studio and chat even more as the game continues development.
Producer Life: In-Person Meet up with Mobile Game Doctor
My adventure at GDC is definitely a little different from most journalists. And a lot of it stems from the reality that I also work part time within the industry.
Unlike PAX East and other conferences, a large chunk of conversations happen offsite and at networking events, which is why I was so excited to have the opportunity to connect with more experienced peers and expert consultants in the mobile game development realm.
I met up with the team at Burma Love, which was a Burmese restaurant in downtown San Francisco. There I had the chance to finally meet industry veteran and Mobile Game Doctor founder Dave Rohlr, who was wearing what I learned later on was his iconic white lab coat, as well as my fellow MGD teammates.
As we ate, we connected over everything from the impact of AI in the industry, to UX design, to how the games industry could be looking 5 years from now.
Meeting more Women in within the Games Industry
After lunch, I was off once again to try and make it over to the Thriller Social Club for a special Women in Games Networking event.
Once I got in, I was handed a card with pre-loaded funds to play any game set up around the venue and encouraged to grab a drink. There were servers just roaming up and down the floor offering sliders and food every two seconds (after my lunch with the MGD team, I was definitely…not hungry haha but that didn’t stop these servers!)
I had a blast meeting so many new individuals – from women who were looking to get into the industry, to studio starters, recruiters. And more.
What was even better was seeing a few people I recognized from my own LinkedIn network! In fact, one of them randomly jumped in a conversation I was having with two fellow first time GDCers and it took BOTH of us a few minutes to realize we actually knew each other.
Fun times for sure.
Expo Time, Corsair and International Games Developer Association
By this point, I will admit that I was starting to feel that on-the-go convention fatigue. But that didn’t stop me from my mission of spending some time on the EXPO floor before yet another meet up with my own Heads Up! mobile game team.
There was so much to see, and I knew that I would definitely be going back later today.
In the little time I had, I stopped by the TikTok corner, where I was able to win a cool TikTok GDC pin, as well as a few others before I got distracted by the Corsair booth as they had some really sweet set ups I was itching to try out as a big fan of their products.
After that, I ended up at the Lighthouse Games Booth – where I struck up conversation with some PUBG developers as I waited in line to see if I could snag some merch.
Just as I was trying to make my way over to the indie studio area, I happened across the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) Booth.
I was excited once again to see a title name I recognized! As I looked to talk to the indie creator of Potions: A Curious Tale, I learned there was actually an IGDA chapter where I lived in Raleigh, North Carolina. I was quickly introduced to IGDA NC Triangle Chair and Women in Games Ambassador Janie Hughes.
As we chatted about the importance of involvement in the local community, she shared with me her story about the launch of her first game alongside her engineer husband.
It was fun talking about how she came up with the idea for Bingo Bard and before I rushed off to meet up with my Heads Up! crew, I made a promise to come out to their coworking space in the Raleigh Triangle area the next Thursday I had the chance.
Wind Down with the crew of Heads Up! Mobile Game Crew
I ended my day eating more Thai food and finally meeting the team I work alongside on the daily for the very first time in-person!
A lot of hugs, laughter, and bonding took place. And after a long day meeting new people and talking about so many different conversations, it was great being able to build on my connection with people I engaged with on the regular.
It was the perfect end to yet another busy day.
And with Thursday being my last day of GDC (and the last opportunity to hunt down more LinkedIn familiar faces and game titles), it’s been worth filling every minute with a wide mix of meetings, interviews, and last minute hangouts.
That’s it for now! Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for some near-real-time updates on who I meet and what I’m up to next at GDC!
Are you here now or thinking of making the trip for GDC 2025? Tell us what you think! Share your reactions in the comments below or join the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.
Featured Image: Jai V
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