Hands and keys

Much like the video game industry itself, the Game Developers Conference has evolved from a subset of geeks into an entertainment behemoth.

GDC started in 1988 as an informal gathering of about 25 developers in gamer Chris Crawford's living room in San Jose, Calif. Today, it is the world's largest meeting of video game professionals, a forum where artists, designers, producers, and developers exchange ideas and network in the realm of computer, console, handheld, mobile, and online games.

More than 17,000 attendees and dozens of major game publishers this week are taking part in the lectures, panels, tutorials, and discussions that are part of this year's show, which is running in San Francisco through Saturday.