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GDC Festival Attendance Plummets 30% Amid Travel Concerns

3/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The GDC Festival of Gaming in San Francisco posted a 30% attendance drop to 20,000 visitors, the lowest since 2011.
This decline follows record highs of over 30,000 attendees in 2024 and 28,000 in 2023, and travel-cost concerns plus US immigration worries contributed to the decline.
GDC president Nina Brown said the festival remains energetic and will return March 1–5, 2027, with community feedback shaping its future.

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Story summary

The GDC Festival of Gaming in San Francisco posted a 30% attendance drop to 20,000 visitors, the lowest since 2011.
This decline follows record highs of over 30,000 attendees in 2024 and 28,000 in 2023, and travel-cost concerns plus US immigration worries contributed to the decline.
GDC president Nina Brown said the festival remains energetic and will return March 1–5, 2027, with community feedback shaping its future.