So your crowdfunding missed its target, you're a student with limited funds, your company won't send you, or you just want to lend a hand. Whatever the reason, you may still be able to attend this premiere event as a Festival Crew Member (FCM), (formerly called a Conference Associate (CA))! Are you willing to earn your attendance by doing up to about 25 hours of work? Apply to be FC!
The [GDC] Festival of Gaming (GDC) 2027 runs from Monday, March 1st through Friday, March 5th. FC must attend a required orientation on Sunday, February 28th and may have work assignments that day. If you are accepted into the program, you are expected to be available from Sunday morning at 09:00 am through the end of the festival on Friday evening during festival hours. Plan accordingly so you have no work, school, or other conflicts during that time.
Simply follow the instructions at the bottom of this page and submit your application.
This is a paid position. You must be eligible to work in the United States of America. We do not have any unpaid volunteer positions. See the GDC Website for other attendance options.
Important dates:
After 10:00 pm (Pacific Time, UTC-8) on December 17th, all the FC positions are filled. Applicants will be notified if they are accepted (or not) by January 7th.
Applications submitted after the positions are filled will be offered the opportunity to be put on the waiting list. Applications will be accepted up until 10:00 pm (Pacific Time, UTC-8) on February 20th for the waiting list.
The date of the application does not affect the chances of being accepted, just whether it is considered directly for a FC position or the waiting list.
What are the benefits of being a FCM?
What kind of work does the job involve?
Up to about 25 hours of challenging and important tasks like:
What costs should FC plan for?
Is being a FCM for me?
If accepted, you will be serving 10s of 1000s of attendees onsite at this festival alongside hundreds of Festival Crew Members. There is no FC work schedule that doesn’t involve in-person crowds. If this makes you uncomfortable, you might want to consider alternative ways to attend GDC.
Where is the Conference Associate (CA) application?
You are in the right place. This is the Conference Association application dating back to 1989 when we were established. Since the [GDC] Festival of Gaming 2025, we are referred to as Festival Crew but it's the same thing.
I want to take advantage of the early pricing options. If I purchase a pass, can I get it refunded if I'm accepted in the Festival Crew?
If you are accepted as a Festival Crew Member (FCM), you will get instructions about how to get a refund for any [GDC] Festival of Gaming pass you may have purchased. The cancellation fee is waived for FCMs.
What restrictions do I have at GDC compared to an attendee?
Usually none. You have the same Festival pass the attendees have. However, your work shifts must come first so you get to use your pass when off-duty.
I don't live in the United States of America. Can I still be a FCM?
This is an international festival and international people are welcome to apply. However, you will be required to provide documentation to the employment agency proving you are eligible to work in the United States of America which means being a citizen, a non-citizen national, a lawful permanent resident, or having employment authorization. You must have a social security number.
We are unable to assist you in any way with employment authorization. You will need to research your particular situation on your own to determine your employment eligibility. The duties of the Festival Crew are not specialized labor and there is an abundance of USA citizens who can do the job so we are unable to sponsor a visa so that you can work this position. You will also need to take care of any visa requirements for travel from your country to the USA.
In short, if you are unsure of your eligibility to work in the USA, you most probably are not.
What if I have particular sessions I want to attend?
FC submit work preferences that are factored into their schedules. That plus the ability to trade work shifts with other FCMs should allow you to definitely attend at least a few preferred sessions, including summits and tutorials. You also get GDC Vault access so you will be able to see recordings of most sessions after the show.
What are you looking for in an applicant?
We don't state specific criteria nor how we do FC selection. In an Internet age, everyone would find out anything we share and tell us what we want to hear. Everything we do mention you will see on the application when you go to fill it out.
Do you take groups?
No. Each person in your group is welcome to submit their own application. We will consider each one on an individual basis.
Are all the FC positions really full after the deadline mentioned above?
Yes, always! You may still submit a FC application and you will be emailed instructions about how to get on the waiting list.
What are my chances on the waiting list?
We can't answer that on an individual basis. In general, the odds are low but not zero. We also do not share our criteria for filling openings from the waiting list. Same reason as above.
What about COVID-19 or other health and safety concerns?
See the Health & Safety page on the GDC website for more information.
What about the rest of my questions?
We get a lot of applications. We provide the information that FC need to everyone who is accepted. If you have a question that you need answered now, prior to applying, please email us and we will be happy to help. Otherwise, please wait to see if you get accepted and if all the information you receive then answers your questions.