See how Clash of Clans was made at GDC 2015

Real talk: Building a game that people play for years is no simple task and has no magic formula. 

However, canny developers can up their odds of success by studying the successes of their compatriots. At GDC 2015, Clash of Clans developer Jonas Collaros will offer attendees a chance to do just that with a behind-the-scenes look at the hit game's development history in his "Clash of Clans: Designing Games That People Will Play For Years" session.

The marketplace for free-to-play mobile games is rife with challenges, even for veteran developers, but Collaros aims to arm his fellow developers with valuable insight by revealing the specific needs, challenges, and pitfalls Supercell encountered across the three "eras" of Clash of Clans' development.

All game developers passionate about building games that keep players engaged for years are welcome to learn how the Clash of Clans team approaches the challenge, though some understanding of free-to-play game models will be helpful.

A list of all announced talks is available in the online GDC 2015 Session Scheduler, where you can begin to build your conference week and later export it to the up-to-the-minute GDC Mobile App, coming soon.

GDC 2015 itself will take place March 2-6 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. For more information on GDC 2015, visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.

Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Tech.