From GTA 6 to the rise of AI, here are the biggest trends to watch out for at GDC 2026

On March 9, an estimated 30,000 visitors will descend upon San Francisco for the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2026. As the first major gaming event of the year, GDC is a space for professionals to digest 2025 – a year dominated by breakout hits yet decimated with layoffs – and discuss 2026 to come.

The discussions held at GDC are of note to anyone who cares about the medium and its craft, with developers from 2025's greatest successes in attendance to give talks. As much can be said for its unofficial chats: the passion projects hyped privately, the bold predictions made over lukewarm coffee. Whether you'll be having those conversations in-person or following the conference on GamesRadar+ from the comfort of your home, we've pulled together five of the biggest topics we expect to lead discussions at GDC 2026.

The Switch 2

We're nearly a year on from the Nintendo Switch 2's launch, but developers and players alike are still trying to gauge the limits of its hardware. So far, results have been mostly positive. Heavy-hitters like Cyberpunk 2077 have made the jump to handheld rather smoothly, whereas The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim struggled with performance issues at launch and Borderlands 4's port appears to be shelved at Take-Two.

By the time GDC begins, we will be one step closer to finding out how far the Switch 2 can go. Resident Evil Requiem released on the Switch 2 in step with PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S; giving us one of our first examples of parity in action. While Resident Evil is sure to sway conversations around the Switch 2, expect to see more games there regardless. When surveyed in the 2026 State of the Game Industry, 39% of respondents said the Switch 2 interests them as a developer, and separately 18% said the Switch 2 was used for their most recent game or project.

GTA 6

With Grand Theft Auto 6's launch slipping from 2025 to November 19, 2026, publishers and developers have been handed a double-edged sword. On one hand, the highly-anticipated game – which analysts believe will make $3.2 billion in its first year – finally has a firm release date, meaning companies can plan to avoid clashing with the behemoth.

At GDC 2026, conversation is likely to shift away from the game's release date and further into speculative territory. Rockstar is a trailblazer studio – Red Dead Redemption 2 remains a studied influence on many modern open-world games, while Grand Theft Auto 5 is a live-service staple – and although that legacy means GTA 6 is expected to once again establish trends, developers can only guess at how.

The rise of AI

AI continues to be one of the most controversial topics in gaming. Valid ethical concerns continue to be raised: The Guardian reports that the broader AI boom emitted the same amount of emissions as New York City in 2025, and operators behind the technology's largest data centers have been accused of building them in some of the world's driest areas. But 2025 proved AI has gained a foothold in games. Sandfall Interactive experimented with generative AI during the development of indie darling Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, extraction shooter Arc Raiders used AI text-to-speech software yet avoided generative AI, while Baldur's Gate 3 developer Larian Studios initially confirmed plans to use AI tools in the creation of upcoming RPG Divinity only to be pushed in a different direction following backlash.

At GDC 2026, expect conversations around AI to reflect the divisiveness identified by The 2026 State of the Game Industry: although one in three industry professionals report using generative AI in their career despite 52% of respondents believing it has a negative effect on the industry.

RAM

AI developments have driven up the price of RAM and induced HDD scarcity, causing significant knock-on effects for gaming. Yes, GDC 2026 attendees are as likely as we are to complain about how expensive PC upgrades have become, but the conference will also be a place to discuss how it's affecting the industry.

Larian's CEO says current shortages have already pushed the company to increase its work on optimization, while the situation has pushed Valve to delay its planned launch for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame. The shortages are a broadside for the games industry, and even the PS6 is reportedly being impacted – so expect to hear more on the importance of optimization in the coming weeks.

State of PC

Despite those price hikes, the PC market is on the up. The platform continues to find new audiences across Asia, while Steam Next Fest continues to offer a bright spotlight for developers hoping to put their games in front of potential fans. The Steam Deck has driven innovation in the handheld PC space, while our ROG Xbox Ally X review found a lot to love in Microsoft's 2025 release. On top of that, Valve plans to offer another way into the platform with 2026's Steam Machine – which will feature "fewer constraints" to games being marked as platform-verified in comparison to Steam Deck. All said, it's an exciting time to play on PC.

GDC's schedule includes a number of PC-specific talks, but with the conference kicking off just days after Steam Next Fest wraps up, buzz is likely to linger on the festival's breakout hits and – as is often brought up – its value in discoverability.

GamesRadar+ will be on the ground at GDC to bring you all the latest developments from the convention, so be sure to follow our GDC 2026 news and interviews right here starting March 9, 2026.