Welcome to the 2009 Game Developers Conference Austin

The Game Developers Conference® Austin returns this September focused on connected and online games including virtual worlds, casual games, MMOs, and social networking game play.

Gain new insight over four days of topics including micro-transactions models that work, the new rules of free-to-play, technologies and services to improve MMO performance, and analytic tools to increase player engagement

GDC Austin will also feature two-day summits including Game Audio, Game Writers, Independent Games, and the newly introduced iPhone Games Summit.

GDC Austin Summit Highlights Announced

• The Making of Spider and Tiger Style
  Speakers: Randy Smith & David Kalina (Tiger Style)
• Bringing Successful Brands to the iPhone
  Speaker: Chris Williams (PlayFirst)

Learn more about the iPhone Games Summit

• Business Managing Your Indie Developer Through The Downturn
  Speaker: Jennifer Bullard (Certain Affinity)
  
• The Bit.Trip Series: Holistic Indie Console Game Design
  Speaker: Alex Neuse (Gaijin Games)

Learn more about the Independent Games Summit. 

• Having Your Cake and Eating It Too: A Conversation with the Writers of Valve
  Moderator: Tom Abernathy (Microsoft Game Studios)
  Speakers: Chet Faliszek, Marc Laidlaw, and Erik Wolpaw (Valve)
  
• Writing for MMOs: You're Doing It Wrong
  Speakers: Steve Danuser & Tracy Seamster  (Sony Online Entertainment)

Learn more about the Game Writers Summit.

• Field Report: High Octane Recording and Implementation of Engine Audio
  Speakers:  Dave Lowmiller & Karen Muro  (Rainbow Studios)
  
• Ninja Sound: Creating Deadly Small Footprint Audio on Portable Platforms
  Speakers: Simar Bal & Daniel Zuniga
  (Laughing Ear)

Register and Save Up to 25% on Passes

Register by August 13th and save up to 25% on All Access and Main Conference passes. Choose a pass below to jump to its full description:

• All Access (Tuesday – Friday)
• Main Conference (Wednesday – Friday)
• Summits and Tutorials (Tuesday and Wednesday)
• Game Career Seminar (Friday)
• Expo (Wednesday – Friday)

Review all GDC Austin Registration options here.

GDC Austin Main Conference Highlights

GDC Austin will equip you with deep-dive technical talks and business development advice from industry hard-hitters at BioWare Austin, CCP Games, Gaia Online, Sony Online Entertainment, Stardoll, Turbine, Zynga and more.

Featured sessions include:

• Why We Need Heroes And Villains In Games
  
• EVE Online's Player Elected Council Case Study 
  
• What Are The Stickiest Design Models and How Are They Monetized?
  
• Come and See the Elephant - Challenges Encountered Growing an MMO
  
• Social Play and the Integrated Brand Experience 
  
• Defending the Realm: Resisting Exploits and Hacks to MMOs and Other Online Games
  
• Next Phase of Casual Games: How to Make the Free-To-Play Model Work for You 
  
• Developing in the Cloud
  
• MMOs to Consoles – Challenges, Opportunities and Emerging Trends
  

Review all confirmed sessions here.