JOIN US AT GDEX!

Want to showcase what you love and adore at GDEX? We want to see all your great submissions, but make sure to get them in quickly because space is VERY limited this year due to everyone wanting to get back to doing live shows at the Convention Center. Because of these limitations and our COVID safety procedures, we’ll approve applications on a rolling basis to get everyone confirmed. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding.

Exhibitors

Speakers & Experiences

Volunteers

WHY EXHIBIT AT GDEX?

Every year, GDEX brings in thousands of attendees from the Midwest and across the United States. Our audience is engaged, enthusiastic, and excited to be part of the largest showcase of indie games within 500 miles of Columbus, Ohio. Many companies who exhibit at GDEX show products that have never been seen before, making it a great place to start showing off your game, creative technology, or art. GDEX offers low-cost options for small teams to test the water and larger options for established teams who want to secure their place in the market.

Past Statistics

4.5k

Unique Attendees

*Due to the nature of live events, we do not and cannot guarantee attendance for any year.

59%

GDEX is the only convention guests attened

32

Number of States that GDEX guests came from in 2023

90%

GDEX 2023 Guests

Rated it 4 or 5 (out of 5)

52%

Guests said that GDEX was their first ever convention.

EXHIBITOR SPACES & COSTS

ARTIST MARKET TABLE

The Artist market brings some of most wonderfully creative people to GDEX to showcase and sell their amazing works.

Cost is $175

  • Table w/table cloth, two chairs, and trash basket

  • 2 Exhibitor Passes

  • Namecard at your table

  • Access to discounted Merchandise

*Exhibitor utilities, such as Internet or Electric, is handled separately from the GDEX team. Basic electric packages start around $125, and internet at $80/day/device. All booths are provided a table w/tablecloth, a name card, and wastebasket from FERN at no additional charge.

  • If you’ve paid for your booth, you should receive your booth number. Once you have that number, you can log into the Convention Center Exhibitor Portal to purchase your utilities. Access to the Exhibitor Portal will be given at a later date.

  • Exhibitor Badges include all of the benefits that come with the Full-Show pass. The amount of badges you receive depend on what booth you purchased.

  • Chairs are available to rent through the convention center at an additional fee. We also recommend that exhibitors look at nearby stores for chairs and/or other accessories.

  • You can reach out to the GDEX team at info@thegdex.com.

GDEX Booth (10’x10’)

This is our standard GDEX booth to showcase the best of the best!

When approved you can purchase your space, or multiple spaces, to craft the best experience for your game and/or product.

Cost is $375 per booth

  • 10’ x 10’ Booth

  • 3 Exhibitor Passes

  • Table w/table cloth, 2 chairs, and trash basket

  • Pipe and drape around your space

  • Access to discounted Merchandise

ISE TABLE

The GDEX ISE (Independent, Student, Experimental) is our way to offer cost effective ways for students and hobbyists to share their projects!

Cost is $225

  • Table w/table cloth, 2 chairs, and trash basket

  • 2 Exhibitor Passes

  • Namecard at your table

  • Electricity for a standard computer & monitor setup

  • Access to discounted Merchandise

BRING GREAT EXPERIENCES

Every year GDEX features some of the best speakers, sessions, workshops, and experiences of any event in the region. We select the most engaging and informative submissions and work directly with speakers to ensure they have an experience they can be proud of.

GDEX is proud to host some of the most informative and fun workshops, panels, and presentations of any gaming event. GDEX is a great platform to share your knowledge, story, and experiences with those eager to learn. Whether you are a AAA industry pro, a student, or an enthusiast looking to gain more experience, GDEX offers the opportunity for everyone to give high-quality and professional presentations.

Speakers are selected on a rolling basis, so get your application in now! More information is below, including benefits and how we categorize our sessions.

SPEAKER BENEFITS

We like to provide our speakers with the ultimate GDEX experience as a thank you for being such a large part of our event. All speakers will receive:

  • All Access Badge,

  • Access to all special events,

  • Access to Dev Day Sessions

  • T-Shirt.

You will also have a personal GDEX representative that will help you with anything you might need during the weekend. Your GDEX representative will go over any additional information and benefits that may be part of your custom speaking package.

  • Sessions similar to seminars or keynotes, audience interactions tend to vary by topic and presentation.

  • Sessions focusing on answering questions from our audience is typically categorized as a panel. Panels typically host 3-5 speakers per panel.

  • Workshops lean heavily on interacting with our audience, beyond just answering questions. An example workshop could be a “Portfolio Review”.

  • A speaking session scheduled on Dev Day. Applications for speaking sessions include a questions regarding interest in Dev Day, however Dev Day sessions are reviewed more intensely before a decision is made. . More info can be found on the events page.

Session Types

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

Have you attended GDEX and wanted to be more involved? Or are you a new face that wants to do more than see the show?

Join the budding community of students, developers, and gaming enthusiasts who make it happen. Volunteering at GDEX is a great way to support the gaming community in Columbus and get a behind-the-scenes look at this growing event. Our volunteers are some of the best the Midwest has and you could join their ranks!

Volunteer TODAY to help execute the largest Midwest 3-day gaming event!

  • In exchange for your time, you will receive one T-Shirt and one full show pass (does not include Dev Day) which allow access to the entire GDEX show as long as you fulfill two 4-5 hour shifts!

  • Each volunteer is expected to work at least two 4-5 hour shifts over the course of GDEX weekend and/or Dev Day. You have the opportunity to request additional shifts if desired.

  • Volunteering at GDEX is not a paid position. We are happy to provide references for your resume or fill out paperwork for volunteer credit with your school if needed.

  • Requirements to Volunteer at GDEX includes:

    You must be 18 years old or older to apply.

    You must be able to pick up at least one 4-5 hour GDEX shift between Friday - Sunday

    You must be willing to submit a background check once your application is approved.

  • Below are some examples of various roles a volunteer might fill:

    Monitor presentation rooms

    Keep queue lines neat and out of walkways

    Answer attendee questions

    Assist with Load In/Load Out

  • The volunteer application’s due date has yet to be announced. However, future applications will need to be entered into the system manually. It is best to sign up when the applications go live and if we need to reschedule your time, we can do that.

“Volunteers were just about everywhere so you never had to worry about getting help if you had a question. Also, all of the volunteers were especially helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable about the event making it a great experience from their efforts alone. Likely the best collection of volunteers we have noticed at any event!”

— MICHAEL MISERENDINO, GRAVITY DRIVE

ARE YOU MEDIA?

GDEX looks to bring in tons of developers and creators from across the country to celebrate their love of games. If you are interested in covering GDEX and the developers/creators that are there, we encourage you to apply for a Press Pass. This pass will give you full weekend access to the event, including any extra “press/media hours” that the event may have. Please fill out the press application below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

PRESS/MEDIA TERMS AND GUIDELINES

GDEX has always been a show about helping to put a spotlight on Midwestern Development as well as a place for smaller companies to get their start in Games. We also believe in these values when it comes to our press partners, allowing for smaller outlets to get a chance to cover the games we want to spotlight! Below are some of our rough guidelines for this press process!

Upon applying to be a member of the Press at GDEX, the GDEX staff will look through your application and decide whether or not to approve your application. You may ask for any number of passes on the application, but GDEX holds the final say on how many they allot to your organization.

  • Your Press Pass comes in the form of a weekend pass to the event, that is given to you without charge by the GDEX Staff

  • Press Passes do not allow for any special access, or guaranteed seatings at any of the events within the GDEX weekend.

  • Press is not allowed to cut lines or gain any additionally privileges above a weekend pass holder.

  • Press Passes are non-transferable. You may not loan or sell your Press Pass, and any individuals; conducting such behavior will be disqualified from Press Passes at future events.

  • Press Pass holders must provide links to any content created at or about GDEX within 30 days after the event to press@thegdex.com

  • Interviews with exhibitors, artists, and attendees may be arranged on-site at your discretion.

    • To help in the facilitation of this, the information that the press contact provides to GDEX will be shared with exhibitors of GDEX.

  • YOU MUST ALWAYS BE CONSIDERATE WHILE interviewing, taking photos, or recording audio/video of any individuals. If you are reported doing otherwise, GDEX may revoke your access to the current and all future GDEX events.

  • If accepted, your badge will be available on-site at badge registration. The badges will be registered under the outlet’s name or the name of the contact that applied.

What you get

We like to provide our press and media guests with a great experience and if you are accepted you will receive:

  • A Press Pass for access to the Full Weekend

  • Special hours access to the showfloor

  • Ability to be on the Press List

  • Access to interview GDEX and Special Guests as available.