Some International Attendees Are Skipping 2026 GDC Due To Safety Fears And Growing ICE Presence
GDC 2026 faces international attendance drop as developers cite ICE presence, border safety concerns, and rising costs for skipping San Francisco.
Matilda
Some International Attendees Are Skipping 2026 GDC Due To Safety Fears And Growing ICE Presence
GDC 2026 Exodus: Why Global Developers Are Staying Home International game developers are canceling plans to attend the 2026 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco over escalating safety fears, heightened U.S. immigration enforcement, and unpredictable border procedures. The event—rebranded this year as the "GDC Festival of Gaming"—runs March 9–13 at the Moscone Center, but social media platforms have become sounding boards for developers worldwide announcing they won't make the journey. Many cite recent ICE-related incidents, expanded travel restrictions affecting citizens from dozens of countries, and a growing sense that attending U.S.-based industry events now carries unacceptable personal risk. Credit: GDC Festival of Gaming A Wave of Public Cancellations What began as isolated concerns has snowballed into a visible trend across professional networks. Developers from Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa have posted candid explanations for skipping what's tra…