The DeanBeat: Lots of reasons to be at GDC

It’s always hard to choose what to attend at the Game Developers Conference, which takes place in San Francisco next week. But in the past few years, I have always enjoyed the #1ReasonToBe panel. It started as a women’s panel, and it has evolved into a global diversity session where developers give their existential reasons for being game developers. It’s always moving and generates standing ovations.

But this year, it almost didn’t happen. Rami Ismail, the cofounder of Vlambeer, organized the session this year and five of his nominated panelists were rejected when they requested visas to come into the U.S. This is a direct result of Donald Trump’s tight immigration policies. Ismail managed to get six speakers with verified visas, but the process took so long that the cost of getting hotels and flights for everyone was “ridiculous,” Ismail said in a Facebook post.