GDC2024 conference opens, will Web3 games become the highlight?

The annual event of the global game development community, GDC (Game Developers Conference, GDC) 2024, will be held in San Francisco, USA from March 18 to 22, 2024.

GDC provides a platform for game developers, technology suppliers, investors and media from all over the world to showcase the latest game development tools, platforms and services. It is also an important occasion to discuss industry trends and share knowledge and experience.

GDC2023 attracted more than 300 exhibitors such as Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, Tencent, NetEase, Epic games, Unity, Ubisoft, etc. to participate in this event with their own products, and GDC2024 also attracted these technology giants to participate. .

How high are the GDC specifications? Looking back at last year’s GDC conference

Since it was first held in 1988, the Game Developers Conference (GDC) has grown into one of the most important annual gatherings of the global game development community. Each year, this event attracts thousands of participants, including game developers, game designers, programmers, artists, producers, game marketing experts and executives, etc., who gather to share knowledge and discuss industry trends. , display the latest technologies and products. GDC is not only a platform for technical exchanges, but also an important place for industry insiders to establish connections and find cooperation opportunities.

GDC2023 has significantly expanded in scale and content, reflecting the rapid development and diversification trend of the game industry. The conference particularly emphasized the application of AI technology, virtual reality, augmented reality and blockchain technology in game development, attracting participation from top companies and industry pioneers from around the world. Technology giants such as Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, and Tencent, as well as many innovative startups, have brought their latest achievements and insights in the field of game development.

In addition to technology demonstrations and academic lectures, GDC2023 also includes activities such as the Independent Game Festival and the Game Developers Choice Awards. These activities not only showcase the art and innovative spirit of game development, but also provide commendation and recognition for outstanding game developers and works. .

Through a series of tutorials, lectures, roundtables and networking events, GDC2023 provides participants with an excellent opportunity to learn new technologies, gain inspiration and expand their networks, further promoting the development and innovation of the game industry.

And this year, like the previous one, many blockchain-related projects are invested in it. The diamond partner list of GDC2023 includes Gala Games, Polygon Labs and Wemade (Wemix), several well-known blockchain-related projects. .

Overview of GDC2024: Hosting a series of social events for game developers, Web3 may become a hot topic

GDC2024 will continue and expand the scale and scope of the previous year's conference, and is expected to cover a wider range of topics, including but not limited to technological innovation, game design, market trends, and a special emphasis on the application of AI technology in game development. In addition, as encryption technology and blockchain become increasingly popular in the gaming industry, GDC2024 will also explore how these technologies bring new opportunities and challenges to the gaming industry.

The organizers of GDC2024 are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment, aiming to promote communication and cooperation among members of the game development community. The conference will set up a number of special lectures and workshops, hosted by well-known experts in the industry, covering game programming, art design, sound effects production, game marketing and other aspects. This content is designed to provide opportunities for new and experienced game developers to learn and grow, while also encouraging them to share their experiences and insights.

In addition to professional academic exchanges, GDC2024 will also host a series of networking and social activities, including iconic events such as the Independent Games Festival and the Game Developers Choice Awards. These events not only provide a platform for outstanding game developers and works to be showcased and recognized, but also provide participants with valuable opportunities for interaction and communication, helping to establish new partnerships and expand the influence of individuals or companies.

GDC2024 will also pay special attention to the latest trends and challenges in the gaming industry, such as sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and how to leverage emerging technologies to create meaningful and impactful gaming experiences. Through these discussions and exchanges, GDC2024 aims to promote the healthy development of the game industry, encourage innovation and creativity, while also paying attention to social responsibility and ethical issues.

All in all, GDC2024 will be an event not to be missed, whether it is for game developers seeking the latest industry knowledge or companies looking to showcase innovative technologies and products, it will provide an unparalleled platform to jointly shape the future of game development.

GDC2024 Highlights: Well-known blockchain projects such as Avalanche and Arbitrum participated

The convening of GDC2024 not only marks the cutting-edge exploration of game development technology, but also demonstrates the deep integration and innovation of the encryption field in the game industry. This year, the participation of encryption technology is particularly eye-catching, with several leading projects such as Avalanche, Arbitrum, Gala Games, Sui and Oasys demonstrating at the conference how they use blockchain technology to drive innovation in game development and player experience. .

Based on its high-performance blockchain platform, Avalanche provides game developers with a low-cost, high-throughput environment that makes creating and running decentralized games more efficient. As a second-tier scaling solution, Arbitrum provides game developers with a better choice by optimizing transaction processing speed and cost. Gala Games, through its decentralized gaming platform, demonstrates how blockchain technology can create a new game economy and participation method for players.

In addition, Sui and Oasys, two blockchain infrastructure projects designed specifically for games, provide game developers and players with a richer interactive experience and a broader space for innovation by providing efficient and scalable solutions. Participation in these projects not only demonstrates the application potential of encryption technology in the gaming industry, but also brings new possibilities for game development and player experience.

GDC2024 has become an important platform to demonstrate how encryption technology can be combined with game development to promote industry innovation and development. Through these project participation and innovative displays in the field of encryption, GDC2024 further proves that the game industry is in a new era of rapid development and constant change, and the integration of encryption technology has opened up a new path for the future of game development and player experience.

Are new forces in the gaming industry coming? An overview of the Web3 game projects exhibited at the GDC2024 conference

The diamond partner list of GDC2023 includes Gala Games, Polygon Labs and Wemade (Wemix), three well-known projects related to the blockchain game or blockchain field. However, among the Diamond Partners of GDC2024, only Wemade (which owns Wemix) is related to blockchain games, and this time Wemade has also become the Registration Sponsor of this GDC.

Let’s introduce what other Web3 projects are included in GDC2024:

1. aelf: Aims to provide technical solutions for the conference’s Web3 DApps

Since its founding in Singapore in 2017, ælf has focused on becoming a high-performance layer-1 blockchain designed to drive Web3 and its future growth. But he has rarely appeared before. Judging from this participation in GDC, ælf wants to serve as a one-stop solution for Web3 DApps, provide a cloud-native, efficient blockchain system, support applications such as decentralized finance (DeFi) and the Metaverse, and ensure security, speed, and The low-cost operating environment, through its main chain and multi-side chain architecture, and built-in cross-chain design, provides developers and users with almost unlimited scalability and high-performance network experience.

Previously, ælf participated in the US$5 million seed round financing completed by blockchain gaming platform Crystal Fun on February 20.

2. Game development studio ANIMO: Cooperating with Moonbeam to develop blockchain games

ANIMO is a game development studio that has a partnership with Moonbeam and is working on developing the third-person shooting game "ANIMO Stars Arena". The studio has AAA game publishing experience and technology.

In addition, ANIMO also plans to introduce the "Stars Arena" game to the Epic Game Store and Steam, and develop blockchain-supported versions for Playstation and Nintendo Switch.

3. Crypto Unicorn: The game has been migrated from Polygon to Arbitrum L3 Xai

Crypto Unicorn, a blockchain game in the last bull market, also participated in this GDC. At the beginning of this year, they announced their migration from Polygon to Arbitrum L3 Xai.

Previously, the blockchain game Crypto Unicorns posted on the X platform that it would migrate from Polygon to Xai, and all CU assets and game logic will be transferred to Xai. Crypto Unicorns is currently operating a node on the DAC committee and will work with the Xai and Arbitrum teams to expand the network. In March 2022, Crypto Unicorns announced the completion of US$26 million in financing through the sale of tokens. TCG and Backed VC led the investment, and BITKRAFT Ventures, Delphi Digital, Infinity Venture Crypto, Polygon Studios, CoinFund, BreederDAO, Emfarsis and ACME Capital participated.

4. Parallel: Its two major chain game projects will participate in the conference, and new games will be built based on the Solana chain in the future.

Parallel, a TCG chain game, used two projects to participate in this GDC, namely Echelon and Parallel. Previously, blockchain game Parallel announced that it would build a new AI-powered game, Parallel Colony, on Solana.

5. MetaCene: It has previously completed US$10 million in financing and will soon launch Alpha test V.3

MetaCene, a popular blockchain game, previously announced the completion of a $10 million Series A round of financing on March 12, led by Folius Ventures and SevenX Ventures. It also participated in GDC2024 this time, presumably to attract traditional players to try this game at this large game event. An MMORPG game that combines blockchain technology, and the game is currently open for Alpha3 testing.

MetaCene is currently mainly building the next generation MMORPG chain game, supporting functions such as guild DAO governance, sustainable economic system, and in-game AIGC editing. This round of financing will be used to expand the team and promote user acquisition plans.

MetaCene cooperates with Mocaverse, YGG and Ancient8, etc., and plans to launch Alpha test V.3 in March 2024.

6. Tevaera: There was no actual product before, and participation in the conference was obviously suspected of hype.

Tevaera, a blockchain game ecosystem based on zkSync, also participated in GDC2024. This project has not had many actual famous finished products before. This participation in GDC2024 should be to attract attention in the circle.

According to official description, the Tevaera ecosystem consists of two core products: Teva Games and on-chain gaming infrastructure.

Among them, the on-chain gaming infrastructure includes Teva Core, Teva Chain, Teva Dex and Teva Market. Teva Core is the first smart and modular multiplayer gaming framework designed for game studios. Teva Chain is an L3 gaming HyperChain built on zkSync, providing unlimited scalability, fast performance and secure transactions. Teva DEX is a decentralized gaming exchange that promotes a sustainable playing and earning economic system, while Teva Market can be used for NFT trading and staking.