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Media Center

Press Registration

Press registration for GDC 2025 is by invitation only. Please note that prior years’ attendance does not guarantee an invite to GDC 2025. For all press inquiries, please contact GDC Press.

For members of the press, including content creators, who wish to receive an invitation to register as press, please contact GDC Press with the subject line 'GDC 2025 Press Registration Request - [Your Name/Outlet]'. You will receive further instructions on how to submit your registration information and provide credentials to verify previous journalistic work.

Freelancers and independent journalists can submit an assignment letter if applicable, or they can share links to recently published coverage that is relevant to the videogame industry or related game development topics. All applicants are asked to submit one or more of the following credentials through an online portal, upon request: 

  • Three editorial/published pieces that you have authored within the past year relevant to the videogame industry, virtual reality, or a related game development topic 
  • Your business card 
  • An assignment letter on letterhead from your assigning editor/producer 
  • Third-party verification of the count of your monthly visitors, readers, viewership, listenership and/or subscriber/follower counts

Filming Guidelines

All GDC attendees, including exhibitors, press and paid passholders, must follow the GDC filming guidelines as outlined below.

Legitimate news media with approved credentials and media badges whose only intention is to gather film clips for a newscast can receive special clearance to film onsite at the Moscone Convention Center, with restrictions.

Please note that there are limitations (even for press badge holders) for filming or recording at the Moscone Center, and filming or recording of GDC content/sessions is strictly prohibited.

Documentary film crews are not considered legitimate news media and therefore union regulations require hiring a Local 16 IATSE representative, in addition to gaining filming approvals from the GDC organizers via the GDC Press Team. 

GDC reserves the right to approve all filming and recording within the Moscone Center during the event. The full details of the filming guidelines are below, including how to hire a labor technician/union representative.

All who plan to record video footage at GDC must adhere to the policies below. The restrictions below also apply to any filming done via smartphone.

PLEASE NOTE that recording or screen grabs of the virtual component of GDC is strictly prohibited unless permission for the specific session in question has been given by both GDC organizers (via fortyseven communications) AND the speaker.

In order to film at the Moscone Convention Center, you are required to hire labor from Local 16 IATSE, per the below:

  • A Local 16 technician will be required for every operating position within a film or video production. Coverage for each member of a crew will need to be one to one for each technical position.
  • Local 16 labor can be contracted through Event Technology Services (ETS): Lydia McBride, (407) 701-4543, [email protected]
  • A broadcast fee may apply if the intention of the video recording is for mass broadcast or webcast - including social media posts, on-demand video and web streaming. Billing is performed by Event Technology Services.

The only exception to the union labor requirement above is if all three of the below points are true:

  1. You are a legitimate news media outlet and carry valid press credentials provided by the GDC press office
  2. Your only intention is to gather film clips to accompany news coverage about the GDC; clips must follow the guidelines listed below.
  3. Your equipment is battery-operated; you CANNOT plug into the Moscone Center’s power

Additional Guidelines for Media/Media Staff Badge Holders:

Permission must be authorized for filming onsite by conference management or the GDC’s public relations representative: fortyseven communications. Please obtain a sticker to affix to your media badge from a fortyseven communications representative in the press room, the sticker will indicate that you have been approved.

  • Individual conference session recordings (lectures and panels) can be no longer than five minutes in length and can only consist of the FIRST FIVE MINUTES of the session.
  • Recording of roundtables is completely prohibited.
  • Once permission for recording is obtained from conference management or fortyseven communications, the videographer must also obtain permission from the speaker(s) of the recorded session(s).
  • Interconnecting with existing audio or video recordings is prohibited. In other words, you may not obtain a direct feed from the AV technician in the session room you are attending.
  • Conference session footage taken at the event must be used as Broll only with replay of 5 minutes total of the entire GDC at the most.
  • Requests for interviews with conference management must be facilitated through fortyseven communications. Please proceed to the press room for assistance or email GDC Press.

Please note that press and attendees found violating these guidelines will be asked to leave the event. Conference Associates staffing each session will be monitoring recording activity.

For additional GDC Filming questions (particularly ones focused on the expo floor and the sessions) please contact:

Lydia McBride 

[email protected]

(407) 701-4543 

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