While video games are largely known for the stories they tell, the relatable characters they introduce, and the gameplay that keeps gamers engaged for hours, they would arguably be nothing without the music that backs them. This is what makesGDC2025’s second annualA Developer’s Concertsuch an important event, as it aims to put the music that has inspired generations front and center at the premiere event for game industry professionals.
Game Rant recently interviewed legendary composer Austin Wintory — best known for his work onABZU,Journey,Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, andThe Banner Saga— about GDC 2025’s upcoming A Developer’s Concert, which he will be hosting and conducting for the second time. During the interview, Wintory divulged the history of thevideo game music concertand how he and those in charge of GDC plan to make it a tradition for the foreseeable future.
How GDC’s Developer’s Concert Became a Tradition
The idea of a live concert dedicated to video game music at the Game Developers Conference in 2024 may sound like a great time, but it was actually initially more of a gamble than anything else. Unlike the traditional symphonic game concerts that many gamers likely know of, A Developer’s Concert, as its name suggests, primarily targets a much narrower demographic — the people who bring games to life, the developers themselves. This is largely due to the fact that GDC is meant to be an event for game industry professionals more than those who merely enjoyplaying video games, but 2024’s GDC saw the event’s attendance grow by 7% from the previous year, thereby increasing projections for this year’s attendance.
Even so, the risk taken in kicking off GDC 2024 with A Developer’s Concert paid off, as Austin Wintory and those facilitating the event were treated to resounding praise for the impact the concert had on its listeners. When asked what inspired A Developer’s Concert in the first place, Wintory replied,
So, this concert is Year 2 of what will hopefully be an ongoing series for as many years as we can sustain it. The first one was last year, and it started with GDC. They actually reached out to a friend of mine, the president of the Game Audio Network Guild, Brian Schmidt, and asked, “What would it take to put on a concert?” He and I are friends, and I’ve done a fair bit of this kind of thing. So, he just called me up and said, “Hey, would it be doable?” And we had a short period of time to get it worked out last year. We’ve obviously had the benefit of essentially a year to think about and plan this one. And the idea is, quite simply, to celebrate the artistry of games, using music as our vessel to do so.
That vision is what makes A Developer’s Concert stand apart from the game music performances that are more commonly known. Rather than providing an hour or two of fan service, A Developer’s Concert is intentionally designed to be an industry-wide acknowledgment of the role that music plays in shapingvideo game narrativesand the player experience. The music, which Wintory chooses not just for its popularity but for its impact on game design and storytelling, is performed with the understanding that every note represents years of creative effort from composers and developers alike.
Furthermore, A Developer’s Concert is a reminder of why game development is worth the long hours, tight deadlines, and technical challenges that often accompany it. While GDC is a hub for learning and networking, it’s also a place where game developers can go to get encouraged by surrounding themselves with others who are experiencing similar struggles. The concert, especially, is an opportunity for thosegame developersto simply enjoy the fruits of their labor or go back in time to a moment when they weren’t making games but simply experiencing them like everyone else. Wintory continued,
In other words, this is not, in my mind, just a game music concert as a sort of means to an end. Of course, it’s all game music, and it’s very much a celebration of game music. But it’s also about using music as the gateway to celebrate games themselves. I think that’s part of the whole concept of hosting it at GDC — a conference attended almost exclusively by game industry professionals or students just starting out. It’s supposed to hopefully provide a nice hour or so of celebratory catharsis, reminding everyone in this industry that even on its hardest and most taxing days, game development can be a dream job. The work we create affects people all over the world, and that is worth celebrating.
As A Developer’s Concert continues to cement itself in GDC history, it shows immense potential for growth. As Wintory intimated, A Developer’s Concert could go on to become a much larger project than they originally anticipated, especially as GDC attendance will likely continue to grow. Regardless of what happens, however, A Developer’s Concert will more than likely strive to maintain its original vision: giving developers a chance to reflect on the art they create, reconnect with why they do it, and take pride in an industry that continues to produce thestories, gameplay, and emotions that make gaming the global phenomenon that it is.
