Borders, not demos: international devs skip GDC 2026 amid US climate
International game developers are skipping GDC 2026 as escalating US border controls, visa hurdles, and safety concerns intersect with the conference’s pivot to a broader ‘festival of games.’ Interviews describe detentions, social-media scrutiny, and prohibitive costs, prompting some to call for relocating or regionalizing events to maintain global industry connections and preserve GDC’s relevance.