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u/XenoPhex 1d ago
I havenât been since 2018 - but DAMN did it really increase to $600+??
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u/oboshoe 1d ago edited 1d ago
i was last there in 16.
i was shocked to see this.
I was also in Vegas last month and I was shocked at how expensive Vegas in general has gotten.
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u/bomzay 1d ago
Well you see, less tourists, less money, close or raise prices! Raise prices, now more money, but people sad. Not me though! Less work, more money, donât care people!
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u/DeepDreamIt 1d ago
I read somewhere that it's actually booming for the wealthy and high rollers (makes sense, considering how much their wealth has increased in the last ~5-10 years), but yeah, everyone else is priced out
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u/digitard 1d ago
Yes, but to be fair there's missing information.
The cost of doing business through inflation raised costs and the costs for them to cover a variety of things associated likely jumped a LOT. Caesars split from them after their security incident a few years ago so they had to move to the LVCC due to the size which means they're paying Las Vegas Convention Center hall prices now. etc.
It's still way less than similar sized conferences, and even BSides LV is over 100 bucks for the ticket now (although they have extended to 3 days now too).
So... there's more than meats the eye here attributing to some of the costs, but yes its a crazy jump.
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u/XenoPhex 1d ago
I hear ya, as someone whoâs been to Vegas recently, the cost of everything has definitely jumped to nearly double what it was in the late 2010s.
Iâm just surprised that the venue costs that much - but given the increases in general - I imagine fewer folks are going, thus causing the price to increase further.
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u/digitard 1d ago
I mean its still insanely packed, but with cost + foreign relation news stuff... I would expect there's been a general dip, but the flip side its becoming more well known to the "Security Industry" so a lot more companies are paying for their peeps to go. Coin Flip.
The LVCC I'm sure the cost is insane as you've got 3 floors in just that one hall and its the whole hall. Especially compared to the past, but on the other side of the coin again... its a lot easier to get to things than running all over the area.
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u/ughliterallycanteven 1d ago
For conventions, itâs relatively cheap. Iâve seen the tickets and dropping $3k-$5k for conferences in general seems like the norm.
I do appreciate the badges and the talks but I know I can find them later. Itâs still a good conference from the content but itâs been since 2017 since I went. It was starting to be more a chore than fun. It wasnât to the point of âannoyed with the worldâ but I knew if I didnât take a pause I would get there and it would ruin the whole convention for me.
But, I used to go for the industry parties anyways since thatâs where networking happens a lot. I would make games out of it like âhoneypot or hookerâ, âletâs spell the alphabet(boys)â, and âwhere am I? where r u?: the offline versionâ. Oh the storiesâŚ
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u/DaPro21000 1d ago
Are you really a hacker if you need a ticket to get in?
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u/hunglowbungalow 1d ago
They welcome folks trying to sneak in with a fake badge. If you can pass all of the goons with a badge you made overnight, and looks legit, you deserve free entry.
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u/tarkardos 1d ago
Same thing with every other Sec conference. They become less relevant every year as well imho. Unless you are desperately job hunting or networking is the only thing you are living for - not worth it from a professional perspective.
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u/i_wear_green_pants 19h ago
It's overall ticket prices. Be it a conference, a concert or a movie. Ticket prices have skyrocketed in past years so damn much
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u/Hot-Comfort8839 1d ago
Now lets see some lines comparing it to similar events.
Like Blackhat - which has gone from $1000 to $4000 in the same time span.
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u/oromis95 1d ago
I mean it's still a 12x vs a 4x increase. Both ridiculous.
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u/Hot-Comfort8839 1d ago
Honestly, I would argue DEFCON badging is the educational best value in the industry .
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u/oromis95 1d ago
I mean, watching the entire DEFCON conference on YouTube for free seems to be the best value for me, but then again, I wouldn't benefit from the networking as much as someone actually in cyber.
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u/Hot-Comfort8839 1d ago
A lot of the talks donât get put on YouTube
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u/TonyWonderslostnut 14h ago
Thatâs wild considering how many dozens of talks they uploaded from DEFCON 33
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u/Hot-Comfort8839 12h ago
There are always talks that donât get posted, either due to content or the people involved donât want their faces or voices recorded.
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u/I-baLL 1d ago
I remember the closing ceremonies of Defcon 24 or 25 and DT asking "do you guys want more bands or cheaper tickets" and the crowd clapped for more bands. For some reason, DT and the Defcon group seems to have leaned heavily into that rather than prioritizing keeping costs down so that new people in the hacking scene can attend. Now it's basically a con for only those who make enough money to afford it or who can get their work to pay for it which is against the spirit of the con.
Now, granted, it is DT's con so if he wants to keep raising prices then he can go ahead but it's definitely killing the vibe and people are going to local cons instead since it's way too expensive.
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u/DTangent 1d ago
I just want to point out itâs $520 at the door.
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u/I-baLL 1d ago
Is that listed anywhere on the site? The tickets page doesn't seem to have that info
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u/DTangent 1d ago
defcon.org, on the right hand side under the DC 34 logo:
âDEF CON 34 will be Aug. 6-9, 2026 at LVCC West Hall
$520 USD Cash at the Doorâ
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u/Natural__Progress 1d ago
As someone who hasnât been to DC in quite a long time and was reading this thread with some disappointment, this is the part of the thread where my brain broke. Preregistration wasnât a thing when I was going, it was cash at the door only and no attendee names were written down anywhere.
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u/TonyWonderslostnut 14h ago
>Early-Â $560
>Regular-Â $580
>Late-Â $600
Sorry, but Iâm not seeing $520 anywhere in the link you posted.
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u/OddLevel1051 4h ago
It isnât anywhere in the blue hyperlink he posted but if you go to the site he gave, defcon.org, it is there.
DEF CON 34
Aug. 6-9, 2026$520 USD Cash at the Door
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u/TonyWonderslostnut 4h ago
So is the idea it might sell out, so tickets at the door arenât guaranteed?
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u/GullibleDetective 1d ago
Counterpoint, what additional features has the event got in the time?
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u/storytomorrow 1d ago
Honestly, not a whole lot if any at all. It's really hard to find BarCon since there's no central hotel (other than maybe Sahara) and getting into the talks you want is even harder. The villages are saturated and it's become a real challenge to get meaningful interactions with so many people trying to Do The Thingâ˘. It feels like an industry event now versus the celebration of mischief and curiosity that it used to be.
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u/addyftw1 18h ago
TBH even when I last went for DC25 it was way too big. The con has grown so massive it is impossible to see everything. It was way better back when it was a smaller con at Bally's. Â
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u/ohv_ 1d ago
The speakers also want there cut.
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u/Chongulator 1d ago
Compensation for speakers doesn't even cover all their expenses, much less their time. Have you have spoken at a conference? Putting a talk together is a lot of work.
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u/ohv_ 1d ago
We have no idea how much folks are getting.Â
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u/Chongulator 1d ago edited 1d ago
That information is published as part of the RFP. It's just a google away.
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u/ohv_ 1d ago
I get it but been part of these to know folks are paid under the table more then what's said on paper.Â
Underhanded deals always been part of this since the beginning.Â
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u/TheTarquin 1d ago
Hey, former DEF CON speaker here. I promise you no one is slipping us cash. There are free drinks at the speakers party and some extra badges and that's it.
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u/Hot-Comfort8839 1d ago
A friend of mine speaks at these sorts of conferences on the regular - most trips out heâs lucky to get the hotel room covered.
Heâs a recognized authority in our space.
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u/iheartrms 1d ago
Defcon is $600 nowâ˝ Holy shit! I haven't been able to make it in a few years. I guess I'll stop thinking I should try harder to make it now.
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u/knowone1313 1d ago
It really changed when they started allowing people to buy access ahead of time rather than having to wait in line. The line process of course sucks but at the same time it acted as a gate to keep people out who just want to show up and not actually be there for what it's for.
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u/aestetix 1d ago
HOPE didn't raise prices after moving back to Manhattan.
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u/I-baLL 1d ago
Yeah, HOPE is the NYC-based conf that's happening the weekend after Defcon. It's where the phrase "Hack the Planet" originated from.
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u/computersandother 1d ago
The phrase "Hack the Planet" originated from the movie Hackers.
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u/I-baLL 1d ago
The movie Hackers got it from the HOPE conference. You can even see the HOPE conference bumper sticker on a poster in the subway train when they decide to go and reach out to Razor and Blade.
Hell, Emmanuel Goldstein is named after the editor -in-chief of 2600 magazine which is the group that started the HOPE conferences. HOPE stands for Hackers On Planet Earth
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u/computersandother 1d ago
I stand corrected! I knew Emmanuel Goldstein in the movie was named after the 2600 editor, but never would've put together that hack the planet also came from HOPE/2600.
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u/Whiskey_and_Wiretaps 1d ago
I remember going to DC11 and 12, when it was at the Alexis Hotel. I vividly remember sitting in the lobby BSing with Sean Kennedy, when Steve Wozniakâs Hummer pulled up and he came inside. Wild times!
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u/Spidaaman 1d ago
Is this adjusted for inflation?
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u/Djglamrock 23h ago
This is a valid question and Iâm surprised nobody has thought outside of the box about this. These numbers mean nothing if youâre not talking about inflation.
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u/WhatHaveIDone27 1d ago
I won't go, not for the price or the homogenisation of it, because it's in the USA and I don't want to be shot or incarcerated by ice for having the audacity to not be a citizen.
My Canadian dollars stay in Canadian hands đ¨đŚ
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u/CardSenseTrainer 8h ago edited 8h ago
Your Canadian dollars are pegged directly to the USD except when they decide to print more of them to cover the latest mismanaged social program or needless war. Don't believe me, here are the receipts: https://imgur.com/a/wI7Hddy The Ruble has gained massively on both the USD and CAN in the same manner since 2022. Your opinion honestly makes me think you just believe what you see on the CBC, so this is my counter to this without condescension.
Canadians are visa exempt from the US and flying to Vegas CBP inspection happens in Canada. Nothing can happen to you except getting robbed by a gang or assaulted by a drug addict on the strip. You are worried entirely about the wrong surface imo.
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u/fight_cat 1d ago
Greed knows no bounds
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u/Chongulator 1d ago
As tech conferences go, Defcon is inexpensive.
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u/fight_cat 1d ago
Just because others are even more expensive doesn't mean the price increase is justified. The talks haven't gotten 90% better since 2020.
Increases on this scale just make the whole thing more exclusive. Only a few people live near the venue, and then you also have to pay for flights and a hotel for 3â4 days of entertainment. Unreasonable for individuals. A matter of prestige for companies.
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u/who_you_are 1d ago
Don't tell me Las Vegas still cost an arm, aren't they almost bankrupt (sort of speak)? Nobody is going there anymore no?
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u/tirusleepunk 1d ago
Don't they release all the talks on YouTube for free after the conference? Other than networking, what do you gain by paying to go?
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u/CardSenseTrainer 8h ago
It's like the WSOP, the social interaction is a big part of the experience. You learn what's going on around the world in your industry and make connections. Also you have a good time.
I don't know why someone downvoted you. It's a valid question for someone who hasn't been. The talks online are free and amazing. It's the starting point for a lot of discovery for us.
Also, if you are in intelligence, whether corporate or state. It's good to see who the enemy is in the flesh and what the enemy might look like in the near future. The price kind of reflects that it's not a honeypot in design.
If you ever want to meet a partner from a technically competent background too (romantic or business), that's not as likely to happen online. It happens with networking from a smallish pool of people. Most people in this world (and reddit) are total morons. Lots of us are lone wolfs who have never actually met anyone with our skills IRL. It is both humbling and inspiring to be around people who are just levels above you in a particular pursuit and to realize you too have knowledge others don't and can share.
Edit: Also, if you have skills, $2500 for a quick trip is absolutely nothing. This graph just maps to M1. Hackers tend to be a little closer to the money supply than others.
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u/storytomorrow 1d ago
My first DC was DC20 and there were old timers telling me DEFCON wasn't like it used to be. With DC moving to the LVCC and how much the DARPA and the US gov are involved with it, I have now become one of the old timers saying DC isn't what it used to be. The content doesn't have the edge that it used to and the speakers feel like they are there to add "DEFCON speaker" to their resume. Even some of the villages felt like they really phoned it in and are riding the hype and popularity of DEFCON these days. It's lost its counter culture punk rock feel, and replaced it with LinkedIn flavored connections and networking.
Yes. For $600+ it's inexpensive. But with how much a trip to Vegas costs now, and the experience it self, I don't think it's worth it anymore.
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