GDC Courses

The Burden of Proof - Narrative Deduction Mechanics for Detective Games

Explores how Overboard!'s deduction system gives players specific feedback while preserving creative problem-solving in detective games.

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

Simulating Tropical Weather in Far Cry 6

Ubisoft developers explain the systems and techniques behind tropical weather simulation and dynamic weather transitions in Far Cry 6.

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

Unpacking - The Fun Behind the Foley

A GDC talk on the unexpected complexity of producing 14,000 foley audio files for the game Unpacking.

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

Ambisonics and the Great Outdoors

A session explaining ambisonics and how spatial audio can enhance game audio and player experience.

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

From Clash of Clans to Everdale - Scaling from Solo to Social

A GDC session on the technology challenges of scaling Everdale from a solo game experience to a social one.

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

Procedural Grass in Ghost of Tsushima

A graphics talk on generating and animating vast natural-looking grass fields within practical memory and performance limits.

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

Great Level Design is a Studio-Wide Effort

Learn how every studio team member contributes to great game levels and how level designers communicate their needs for collaborative development.

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

Genesis Noir - Bringing Jazz Improvisation to Gaming

Explore how jazz improvisation, dynamic audio, and MIDI techniques create engaging call-and-response gameplay.

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

Stop Getting Lost - Make Cognitive Maps, Not Levels

Explore how cognitive science, anthropology, and urbanism can shape game maps that help players navigate without getting lost.

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

Space Station 13 - Behind One of the Largest Open Source Games

Explore how open source development shapes the design and production of Space Station 13, including challenges absent from closed-source game development.

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

Games Subscriptions - Is the "Netflix of Games" Inevitable and What Does It Mean for Developers?

An analysis of game subscription services—including Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Now, and Apple Arcade—and their implications for game developers.

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

Knocking on Death's Door - Designing a New Bunker for 'Horizon Forbidden West'

A GDC session on the creation and iteration of the “Death’s Door” quest and its new bunker in Horizon Forbidden West.

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

Solo Development - Myths, Reality and Survival Strategies

Panelists share myths, realities, and survival strategies from the solo-development journey to successfully releasing games.

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

One Frame in Halo Infinite

A technical session on efficient cross-platform execution solutions developed for Halo Infinite and future games.

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

The Subtle Art of Not Making VFX

VFX artists can build successful careers through communication, collaboration, and confidence in failure—not just technical skill.

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