GDC Austin 2009 Hosts 2650 Attendees, Announces 2010 Return

Following the conclusion of the 2009 Game Developers Conference Austin, conference organizers have said that the show "exceeded expectations" with its 2,650 confirmed attendees. It was also formally announced that GDC Austin will be held again next year from October 5 to 8. As is customary for the Texas-based show, it will again be of particular focus on online and social gaming. The show is run by Think Services, also the parent company of Gamasutra. This year's conference, which ran from September 15 to 18, featured 130 sessions hosted by 230 industry professionals, as well as an expo floor. Content tracks were dedicated to design, programming, production, and other disciplines, while special summits focused on iPhone development, indie games, writing, and audio. Gamasutra attended the show and published extensive coverage of many of its sessions, lectures, and keynotes. "GDC Austin was a success both in terms of the turnout and the quality of the discussions led by our talented speakers and panelists," said event director Izora de Lillard in a statement. "The advisory board and the entire GDC Austin team is especially proud of the expertise and quality of content we secured this year. We are already looking forward to the new trends and new content we will be exploring next year."