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Hideo Kojima to Headline GDC’s 2026 Festival of Gaming With ‘Restarting From Zero’ Keynote

The talk will share practical lessons from Kojima Productions’ decade as an independent studio.

Overview

  • GDC 2026 will run March 9–13 in San Francisco under its newly rebranded Festival of Gaming format.
  • Kojima’s keynote is slated for the morning of Thursday, March 12 and is titled “Restarting from Zero: A Message to Creators Considering Independence.”
  • Organisers say he will cover founding an independent studio, including securing office space, building a team, shaping a brand, and developing projects.
  • GDC president Nina Brown said his appearance sets the tone for a reimagined event focused on fearless creativity and elevating the game-making ecosystem.
  • One outlet reports a 9 a.m. PT start time for the keynote, which has not been confirmed by organisers.