GDC Courses

Surviving 'Vampire Survivors' - Agile Community Management

Discover how a solo Community Manager navigated the challenges of managing millions of players for the indie hit Vampire Survivors, sharing insights on agile community management strategies.

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

Emergency Meeting! It's the Among Us VR Postmortem

Developers share insights on porting 'Among Us' to VR, discussing playtesting, scheduling, and overcoming challenges during pandemic development to deliver a successful game on time.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 3 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Being a Unicorn - Multiclassing in an Industry That Wants Specialization

Veteran game developers share strategies for building successful careers with diverse skill sets in an industry that often favors specialization, offering insights for multitalented professionals.

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

Flopping Successfully - Running a Studio Without a Huge Hit

Discover strategies for sustaining an indie game studio long-term without relying on blockbuster hits. Learn from Henchman & Goon's 10-year journey in the competitive gaming industry.

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

Empowerment Playbook - Making and Measuring Change in the Games Industry

Explore strategies for fostering inclusion in the games industry, including concrete benefits and effective ways to measure and communicate impact while prioritizing consent, safety, and privacy.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 2 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

From Pitch to Pancakes - How Bear and Breakfast Blended Genres to Succeed

Explore the journey of 'Bear and Breakfast', a genre-blending game, from concept to launch. Learn how mixing management and adventure elements created a unique niche, overcoming challenges in development and marketing.

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

Player as Performer: Setting the Stage for Your Audience - GDC 2023

Discover techniques to immerse players in character roles, enhancing their performance and enjoyment across various game genres. Learn from experiences in linear and RPG game design.

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

Breaking Down Barriers - How Great Mentors Become Even Greater Leaders

Discover how mentorship enhances leadership skills, benefits both mentors and mentees, and fosters growth in the gaming industry. Learn strategies for effective mentoring and its impact on career development.

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

Making Chaotic Great - Tiny Tina's Wonderlands: Finding Precedent in Unprecedented Times

Insights on managing game development during unprecedented challenges, focusing on compromise, empathy, and mental health to successfully ship 'Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' amid destabilization.

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

Learning From Loss - Designing the Experimental Narrative of Before Your Eyes

Explore the seven-year journey of 'Before Your Eyes', from student project to BAFTA winner. Discover the creative process, narrative design challenges, and life lessons that shaped this innovative game.

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

The First 30 Years of Warcraft - The Making of a Game Universe

Delve into the evolution of Warcraft's universe as Blizzard's John Hight reveals how this legendary franchise adapted across decades, genres, and changing player expectations.

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

Urban Planning in Games - Creating Readable and Distinguished Game Environments

Discover essential urban planning principles for creating immersive, readable game environments that enhance player navigation and spatial understanding.

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

The Rendering and Art Tools of COCOON

Dive into the innovative graphical techniques and artistic tools developed for COCOON, exploring the unique rendering methods from the creators of LIMBO and INSIDE.

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

How to Budget Your Indie Game's Promotion Campaign

Learn effective strategies for budgeting and maximizing your indie game's promotional campaign with limited resources. Gain insights on wise spending for impactful marketing.

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

Creating Accountability - 4 Simple Steps for Managers

Discover a four-step model for healthy accountability in management, debunking misconceptions and fostering a positive approach to responsibility in leadership.

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