GDC Festival of Gaming
March 9-13, 2026
Moscone CenterSan Francisco, CA

Luminaries Speaker Series

Where Gaming's Future Takes Shape

Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA

March 10-12, 2026, Tuesday – Thursday | 10:30 AM – 4:40 PM

In a historic first for GDC, The Luminaries Speaker Series represents our most impactful leadership offering ever created. This three-day leading-edge program is designed as a high-level forum for senior leaders, investors, marketers, studio heads, publishing executives, and influential decision-makers shaping the future of the global games industry.

Included with a Game Changer Pass.

What sets this apart: An Intimate High-Level Experience

Programming designed for senior leaders' strategic needs

Every session is designed to deliver actionable market intelligence, foster meaningful partnerships, and explore the creative and business innovations reshaping our industry.

  • Tuesday: AI & Emerging Technology
  • Wednesday: Investment, Global Expansion, and the Player Ecosystem
  • Thursday: Transmedia Opportunities, Player Engagement & Inspiration
Luminaries Speaker Series

Game Changer Access

The Luminaries Speaker Series is exclusive to Game Changer pass holders. Unlock access to gaming's most influential voices and strategic intelligence that's shaping our industry's future.

Luminaries Speakers

Alain Tascan

President of Games
Netflix

Alexandre Moufarek

Product Lead, Inception
Google DeepMind

Bill Kleyman

CEO and Co-Founder
Apolo

Brian Ward

CEO
Savvy Games Group

Bryan Catanzaro

VP, Applied Deep Learning Research
NVIDIA

Ichiro Otobe

Senior Advisor
McKinsey & Company

Itamar Benedy

CEO and Co-Founder
Anzu

John Spitzer

VP, Development & Performance Technology
NVIDIA

Julien Merceron

CTO
Bandai Namco Studios, Inc.

Kabir Ahuja

Senior Partner
McKinsey & Company

Marcus Liassides

SVP, Global Head of Digital
Mattel, Inc.

Moritz Baier-Lentz

Partner and Head of Gaming
Lightspeed Venture Partners

Be sure to check back for more session and speaker announcements!