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Day of the Devs at GDC: Presenting My Arms Are Longer Now

Digital Games / Features  28 Mar 2025

Matthew Jackson at GDC in San Francisco

Indie game developer Matthew Jackson of Toot Games presented My Arms Are Longer Now at Day of the Devs, as part of this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC), a five-day industry leading conference for game developers. We asked Matthew to share his experience of showcasing his debut game at one of the game industry’s biggest events.  

Matthew Jackson is a writer, programmer, teacher and game designer based in Melbourne. He is one of the co-founders of Toot Games and is the lead programmer and designer for My Arms Are Longer Now. 

It’s been a few days since I got back to Australia from GDC and about a bit over a week since I showcased Toot Game’s first title, My Arms Are Longer Now, at Day of the Devs.  

Long story short – it was an absolute blast. Being a part of Day of the Devs undoubtedly justified the cost of the trip. 

For those that don’t know, Day of the Devs is an independent games showcase run by Double Fine and Iam8bit. It occurs three times a year in slightly different forms – an award show, a digital showcase, and one in-person event during the annual Game Developers Conference (which is the one I attended).  

Prior to the actual event, I was invited by the organisers to a hike and a mixer with the other showcasing devs. This was an awesome and low-pressure way to meet devs in the same boat, before GDC events kicked off. 

Matthew Jackson in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco 

More than 60 games were showcased this year, all exhibited in a large warehouse. The Day of the Devs team paid for and organised all the signage, showcase tech and pack in (a true blessing). I was also able to come in early to update my build with some last-minute bug fixes and tweaks. 

The venue included a giant stage for musical acts throughout the showcase, with food and drinks vans stationed outside. I would say it was like a cool rock concert, but unfortunately, I am too much of a big nerd that says things like “cool rock concert”. 

Attendees at Day of the Devs

My Arms Are Longer Now was also picked (along with 12 other games) to showcase in the Moscone Center all day and every day for the week of GDC. Game industry attendees were able to play during the day, and then the public was invited to play the showcased games as part of GDC Nights.

My Arms Are Longer Now booth at Day of the Devs

It was particularly validating to stand behind groups playing the game, incognito, and listen to their reactions. After many internal team playtests, it’s easy to forget that the jokes made us laugh, so it was amazing to see the game through fresh eyes.

 

If you’re interested in attending Day of the Devs, here are my key takeaways: 

  • You will be incredibly taken care of as a developer participant. The organisers have not only thought of everything, they’ve paid for it too. Apart from the cost of going to San Francisco (which was optional) we did not spend a cent on attendance.  

  • It’s well-respected and recognised in the industry! Before we submitted, Toot Games was weighing up the pros and cons of attending GDC. Unanimously, friends and mentors told us “Don’t miss Day of the Devs.” Once we got to GDC, we had immediate credibility when talking to publishers and peers.  

  • It built recognition of our game amongst the industry. Most of the people I talked to throughout GDC had seen or played our Day of the Devs demo. Rather than explaining the game verbally or having them play a short segment – there was immediate common ground and a shorthand for new connections.  

  • Book your flights and accommodation early. This year the Day of the Devs submission took place about a month and a half before GDC. Thankfully, I was lucky that I had already booked my flights for GDC, otherwise I don’t think I could have afforded it. 

I’m still buzzing from the trip and cannot recommend it more.  
 
If you’d like to check out My Arms Are Longer Now, visit our Steam page. 

My Arms Are Longer Now was supported through the Victorian Production Fund. The game was also part of Play Now Melbourne in 2023 and 2024. Learn more about VicScreen’s digital games programs here.