Want to get into this year's Game Developers Conference Europe for free while helping the show go off without a hitch? Apply to be a volunteer Conference Associate (CA), and you can earn the equivalent of an All-Access Pass by putting in at least 14 hours of on-site work.
GDC Europe 2015 is taking place in Cologne, Germany later this year on August 3rd and 4th. Conference Associates have pre-conference assignments and a required orientation meeting on Sunday, August 2nd.
If you are accepted into the program, you are expected to be on-site at the Congress-Centrum Ost in Cologne, Germany during conference hours, from the start of your pre-conference assignments through the end of the conference on the evening of Tuesday, August 4th.
Duties may include guarding doors and scanning badges, monitoring sessions, answering attendees' questions, and more. (You will likely be given some free time during the show to attend talks or the Expo floor.)
To apply, head over to the GDC Europe 2015 CA application page and read the instructions. The deadline for applications closes at 11:59pm PDT Monday, May 25th. Applicants will be notified if they are accepted (or not) after all applications have been collected and appraised.
Do you have what it takes to be a CA? The wife of one GDC Europe speaker shared this story of a volunteer from GDC Europe 2013 that went above and beyond the call of duty, just one of many amazing stories of Conference Associates helping the GDC community:
My husband had some oral surgery awhile ago and had [even more dental issues on the way to GDC Europe]. However, with a Monday morning lecture scheduled, there were very few options for us. He was a trouper and delivered his talk, then turned to me and said "I need a doctor." We then started our journey to find him health care in Germany.
Thankfully, the first person we encountered was an amazing CA named Andre; he brought us down to first aid and upon finding out that we would need to go to a doctor, talked to GDC, then drove us to the doctor and set us all up with an appointment. He came into the room and translated for us, and when our credit cards didn't work (American cards have no chip) he paid for Brian's healthcare, as well as medicine. He then drove Brian back to the hotel, and me back to GDC.
Brian required a return visit the next day at 7am, and Andre picked us up at 6:45am and took us to the doctor again. He also brought us back there the following Friday.
Andre was a savior, without him I have no idea what we would've done. He was so kind and humble, we are both truly touched. It's the small things, like unexpected kindness that count.
If you aren't interested in volunteering and would prefer to register as a paid attendee, take advantage of early birds registration by July 8th to save 200 euros on an All Access Pass.
Organized by UBM Tech Game Network, GDC Europe, now in its seventh year in Germany, will take place August 3rd and 4th at the Congress-Centrum Ost in Cologne, Germany, co-located with Europe's biggest video game trade and public show gamescom.
Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Tech
