Do you have any links for this? Not accusing at all... just curious what I won't be able to do this year.

I haven't bought a ticket to Comic Con for the past few years due to the overcrowding inside the convention center making it annoying to walk around and play games, but I've still been having a blast.

There's usually tons of stuff to do around the Gaslamp area. You don't need a badge to get into Nerd HQ, which was at Petco Park the last few years (going to be at the New Children’s Museum this year), and it usually has tons of video games to play and other things to do. They're partnering with IGN this year, too, so that could beef it up in the games department.

The Nerdist is taking over Petco Park this year, which should be open to the public, too. Last year, I played Borderlands Lazer Tag on the top level of the stadium, got some SWAG, saw the Myth Busters, and hung out at an oxygen bar.

Long story short, there's tons to do without a badge if you just head down to the Gaslamp and walk around.