Development
Xsolla and GDC Festival of Gaming team up again for 2027
August 20, 2026•3 min
Xsolla is heading back to San Francisco for another year as a Diamond-level partner of GDC Festival of Gaming, and this time the company is going bigger. The renewed partnership centers on the Xsolla Clubhouse, a dedicated space within the expanded GDC campus, and a scholarship program designed to open doors for up-and-coming game developers worldwide.
A Bigger Scholarship Program for 2027
The centerpiece of the renewed deal is the GDC Scholarship Program, Powered by Xsolla. Next year, the program will bring 75 game developers to San Francisco from March 1 through 5, with conference passes and hotel stays fully covered. That's a meaningful expansion over previous years, and it reflects Xsolla's stated goal of lowering the financial barriers that often keep emerging studios and independent creators from attending major industry events. Scholarship recipients won't just attend sessions; they'll also be invited to a co-hosted luncheon at the Xsolla Clubhouse, giving them a chance to connect directly with mentors and industry veterans in a more relaxed setting than the show floor.The Xsolla Clubhouse Returns to Howard Street
As part of the broader GDC Campus footprint, which now spans Moscone Center and nearby partner spaces on Howard Street, the Xsolla Clubhouse will again serve as a hub for scholarship recipients and other attendees throughout the week. It's designed to complement the core conference programming rather than compete with it, a place to network, recharge, and swap ideas between sessions. Xsolla executives framed the renewal as part of a longer-term vision to build an all-inclusive ecosystem for game developers, one that supports studios at every stage, from first-time indie teams to established AAA studios. GDC leadership echoed that sentiment, pointing to the scholarship program as a way to invest directly in the next generation of gaming storytellers.Why This Matters for Developers
GDC remains one of the most important annual gatherings in the game industry, and access isn't always easy to come by, especially for smaller studios and solo developers working with limited budgets. By covering passes and hotel costs for 75 developers, Xsolla and GDC are making a concrete effort to widen the pipeline of talent that gets a seat at the table, not just to attend, but to build relationships that can shape their careers and their studios' futures.How to Apply
Applications for the 2027 GDC Scholarship Program, Powered by Xsolla, open on October 1, 2026, on xsolla.com. If you're a developer looking to make real connections in San Francisco next March, this is worth putting on your calendar now. Ready to take the next step? Mark your calendar for October 1 and head to xsolla.com when applications open; a fully covered trip to GDC 2027 could be exactly the boost your studio needs.Featured articles
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