GDC 2019 is now open for registration!

Today's the big day, because starting today you can register to attend the 2019 Game Developers Conference!

This is your opportunity to meet up with the global game development community for an incomparable week of education, inspiration and networking in San Francisco at the 33rd edition of GDC.

Now that registration is officially open, you'll want to take a look at your GDC 2019 pass options and register early to get the best price. Plus, some passes have limited quantities -- so if you’re interested, don't wait!

GDC 2019 will take place March 18th through the 22nd at the (newly renovated!) Moscone Center in San Francisco. As always, GDC Conference tracks span all major facets of game development - from in-depth business strategy to hardcore design and programming sessions.

To give you a taste of what's in store, we're excited to announce the first pair of standout GDC 2019 sessions, each of which features an in-depth exploration of a contemporary hit!

Notably, Sony Santa Monica Studios' GDC 2019 session on "Raising Atreus for Battle in 'God of War'" will see Sony Santa Monica Studios pulling back the curtain to reveal how the dev team behind this year's acclaimed God of War reboot worked to make Atreus a fully realized companion AI.

Delving into the different archetypes explored and pitfalls to each iteration along the way, this talk takes attendees through the process of designing and building a compelling AI that is as integral to the gameplay as he is to the story!

And in his GDC 2019 session on "Making Games That Stand Out and Survive", Monomi Park chief and Slime Rancher game director Nick Popovich will speak to how you can make your game stand out and survive amongst the thousands of games released every year.

This is a thorny challenge for devs, especially in today's packed markets, and Popovich has some useful insights to share. Here's a hint: it doesn't involve spending a bunch of money on marketing, but it's also not easy.

The conference will also host deep dives into key topics in GDC Summits and Tutorials – spanning indie, mobile, UX, narrative & many more deep dives, as well as VRDC, which focuses on virtual and augmented reality for games and entertainment.

Just like this year's event, VRDC access is included in the GDC 2019 All Access Pass, and can also be added on to a GDC Conference+Summits, GDC Conference, or GDC Summit pass.

There will also be an all-new Tutorial debuting at GDC 2019: Game Discoverability Day! It promises to be a full day of talks dedicated to exploring practical case studies and strategies for PC, console and mobile game developers to surface their title from a sea of games. The goal? To get as many people possible to buy, download, and play it. Game Discoverability Day will discuss how to maximize the chances of that!

GDC 2019 will once again host an Expo to showcase all of the most relevant game development tools, platforms and services helping to drive the industry forward, alongside a raft of country-specific pavilions, playable games in the GDC Play area, and more.

GDC 2019 will also host curated interactive spaces, including the popular Alt.Ctrl.GDC alternative controller exhibit (which is still accepting submissions), the Indie Megabooth Showcase, the Day of the Devs game lounge, and more!

GDC will also feature the 21st annual Independent Games Festival, the longest-running and largest festival relating to independent games worldwide, where original games compete for the attention of the publishing community, and the 19th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, the premier accolades for peer-recognition in the digital games industry.

So don't delay -- come join us!

For more details on GDC 2019 visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.

Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent company Informa