Thousands Of Gamers Pack SF's Moscone Center For 2022 Game Developers Conference
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- A big convention is taking over the city of San Francisco this week. It's the Game Developers Conference.
There's already a different feel for nearby businesses as more conventions are stacked up for this year.
More than 12,000 attendees of the Game Developers Conference are infiltrating the city with an energetic buzz, after a long hiatus on their computers.
"I used to be a lonely nerd playing with the Commodore 64 and no friends. Now I have thousands," said attendee Pauli Jutila.
They'll be networking and collaborating on ideas for the next big gaming hit.
"You get a much better feel of the people you're working with and it's less pure business than if you're just on a call," said attendee Lykee Kristensen.
Welcoming inspired gamers and top industry professionals to the Moscone Center also means much needed foot-traffic to nearby businesses like Joyride Pizza, with lines out the door and sales booming already.
"It's far more like let's get it let's go. People have things to do, we're pushing, grooving and everything's moving. It's just quite a different experience," said Joyride Pizza manager Danny Ponciano.
"You can't walk around here and not see a restaurant that's packed," said Yerba Buena Community Benefit District Executive Director Cathy Maupin.
In 2021, there were only a handful of conventions here. This is one of the biggest according to the Yerba Buena Community Benefit District.
"The museums, the gardens, the businesses, and Moscone Center all work together and when they're all humming this is a great neighborhood," said Maupin.
There's a different kind of energy and color to the city with nearby hotels packed and buzzing.
"I was Google walking in San Francisco before getting here. But it's not the same at all. It's very beautiful," said Kristensen.
There is something beautiful with new ideas coming to life again in-person.
"Communicating over emails or Zoom calls is really hard to come to the same page, especially if you're from a different culture," said Jutila.
2019 was Moscone Center's best year, hosting 49 conventions.
This year, close to 3 dozen conferences have already been booked, a sign of pre-pandemic times again in the city.