The schedule for the 2017 Game Developers Conference is coming together nicely, and today organizers are excited to announce a useful talk that will help you prepare for launching for game on Steam's Early Access service.

Bohemia Interactive's Brian Hicks is creative director on the mega-popular DayZ, and in his GDC 2017 talk on "Early Access: Are You Prepared?" he plans to go over the top (and sometimes most painful) lessons learned from DayZ's transition through Early Access.

Covering everything from if Early Access is right for your project, avoiding mistakes that can impact development down the road, and leveraging the rewards players can offer in shaping a better experience, this talk promises to be packed with useful insights. Make time to check it out and you'll likely better understand the risks -- such as tech debt, managing consumer expectations, and the stresses of development while operating a live game -- and rewards of the Early Access development model.

So keep this talk in mind as you're planning out your GDC 2017 schedule. Also, don't miss your opportunity to save money by registering early -- the deadline to register for passes at a discounted rate is January 25, 2017. GDC 2017 itself will take place February 27th - March 3rd at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

For more information on GDC 2017, visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.

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