GDC Courses

Rules of the Game 2025 - Uncommon Techniques from Insightful Designers

Discover uncommon game design techniques from experienced designers who share their personal methods for creating engaging gameplay in 10-minute focused presentations.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 5 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Rules of the Game - Five Tricks of Highly Effective Designers

Discover five unique game design techniques from experienced designers who share their personal "tricks" for crafting compelling gameplay in this GDC session.

• YouTube
• 1 hour
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Acoustics in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - Environmental Sound Design and Implementation

Delve into advanced environmental acoustic technologies powering Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, exploring physically accurate sound reflections and direct field estimation at planetary and city scales.

• YouTube
• 54 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

The Many Dimensions of Kirby

Developers discuss transitioning Kirby to 3D gameplay, new features like Mouthful Mode, and reimagining 2D classics for modern platforms, exploring the evolution of the beloved franchise.

• YouTube
• 54 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

From Box Products to Live Service - How Destiny 2 Transformed Bungie

Explore Bungie's transformation from traditional AAA game development to a modern live service model, focusing on organizational changes, prioritization strategies, and decision-making processes.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 1 minute
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

How Great Key Art Can Lead to Doubling Marketing Numbers

Discover how effective key art can significantly boost your game's marketing performance, from attracting visitors to increasing wishlists and sales on Steam.

• YouTube
• 39 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Designing the Museum Flashback - The Last of Us Part II

Explore level design theories and methods for "Museum Flashback" in The Last of Us Part II, from concept to final production, with insights on player experience and gameplay pacing.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 1 minute
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Inclusive Marketing for Indies

Explore intersectionality and inclusivity in indie game marketing, learning strategies to ensure your messaging reaches diverse audiences effectively.

• YouTube
• 29 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

The Art Direction of Psychonauts 2

Explore Double Fine's artistic processes for creating the mind-bending world of Psychonauts 2 with Art Director Lisette Titre-Montgomery in this insightful GDC talk.

• YouTube
• 56 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Gamifying Creativity in Chicory - A Colorful Tale

Explore game design techniques and creative problem-solving strategies used in developing 'Chicory: A Colorful Tale', focusing on innovative approaches to gamify creativity.

• YouTube
• 36 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

My Elephant in the Room - An 'Old World' Postmortem

Soren Johnson discusses reinvigorating historical 4X games by reducing scope, eliminating rote decisions, and introducing procedural characters and narrative elements for a fresh gaming experience.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 2 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Restoring the Forest - Capturing the Themes of Kena Through VFX

Explore the VFX techniques used in Kena: Bridge of Spirits to bring themes of restoration and regrowth to life, enhancing player feedback and environmental beauty in real-time.

• YouTube
• 29 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Blowing from the West - Simulating Wind in 'Ghost of Tsushima'

Discover techniques for creating fast, believable wind simulations in game environments, utilizing GPU capabilities to enhance visual realism and immersion.

• YouTube
• 29 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Making Indie Games with Public Domain Content

Discover how to leverage public domain content for unique game identities, IP-based projects, and audience expansion in indie game development.

• YouTube
• 29 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

How NOT to Build a VR Arcade Game

Explore the challenges of starting a VR arcade game company with insights on avoiding motion sickness and navigating industry pitfalls from MajorMega's Michael Bridgman.

• YouTube
• 30 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk