Registration opens for Game Developers Conference 2006

The organisers of the Game Developers Conference 2006 have announced that registration is now open for the event, which will focus on the theme: "What's Next".

The conference will once again be held at the San Jose Convention Center, and will take place from March 20-24. More than 300 lectures, panel discussions, tutorials and round-table talks are planned, and the event will showcase the latest game development tools, platforms and services.

The focus will be on next-generation game development. According to the event organisers, "From increased production complexity, team sizes, and budgets to new ways to reach the mass market, GDC:06 will answer the questions critical to the industry's success."

Highlights will include presentations titled 'Valve's Design Process for Creating Half-Life 2', by Valve's Brian Jacobson, and 'Big Screen to Game Console: Case Studies' by Doug Cooper of Dreamworks Animation.

Microsoft's Pete Isensee will deliver a speech on coding for new architectures, and there will also be a session titled 'Crazy Taxi v. Simpsons Road Rage: Litigating a Gameplay Method Patent', said to offer "a unique opportunity to hear from lead trial lawyers in the Sega "Crazy Taxi" case what is really at stake when a developer is sued for patent infringement."

More than 12,000 visitors are expected to attend the conference, which will cover computer, console, mobile, arcade and online games. Registration via the GDC:06 website is now open, and those signing up before February 15 can save up to 35 per cent on pass prices.