Posted 12:12 pm Thursday, August 16, 2012
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Longest-running gaming convention, Gen Con, celebrates 45 years of table-top fun
BY TRAVIS WEBB
twebb@tylerpaper.com
It's that time of year again. What's that, you don't know which time? Well, as they say on the Interwebs, “You must be new here.”
twebb@tylerpaper.com
It's that time of year again. What's that, you don't know which time? Well, as they say on the Interwebs, “You must be new here.”
Today marks the first day of Gen Con¸ billed as “The four best days in gaming” and one of the largest gaming conventions in the country. Last year, more than 36,000 freaks, geeks and nerds — you know, my kind of people — turned out for the event. That makes Gen Con about the size of Atlanta's Dragon Con and almost the size of the E3 expo — the single most important event in the gaming industry.
Which also should tell you something of Gen Con's relative importance to the industry.
Which also should tell you something of Gen Con's relative importance to the industry.
There is a difference though: Where as E3 focuses primarily on the more high tech-side of gaming — video games both for console and PC — Gen Con started out, and for the most part remains, focused around table-top games.
Named for Lake Geneva, Michigan, the home of TSR, Inc.¸ the company that originally made Dungeons & Dragons (it's now owned by Hasbro), Gen Con moved to Indianapolis in 2008. This year marks a special milestone, it's the 45th anniversary, making GenCon almost as old as the tabletop roleplaying-game industry and 5 years older than “Pong.” You remember “Pong,” don't you?
Like many conventions, the event will feature panels, classes, activities, gaming sessions and more.
That's typical of the “Con.” And make no mistake, the Con is a major part of nerd culture. With chances to preview exclusive content, play unreleased gamed and, of course, costume contents, it all makes for a lot of very entertaining, if slightly — um, OK very — nerdy fun.
From ComiCon (there are many across the country but the original in San Diego attracts more than 120,000 attendees every years) to Dallas' BGG Con or Denton's ReaperCon, conventions are the highlights of any nerd's year — and a chance for industry leaders to test out tomorrow's big sellers.
See, conventions aren't just about big names in comics and gaming, they're also about money — lots of it.
And they're growing too — in just 10 short years, the Dallas Comic Con — founded in 2002 — has grown to more than 20,000 attendees. Which means big money for the city of Irving, big money for guests and vendors ($4 a hotdog!) and big, big fun for attendees.
It's a little late for Gen Con, don't fret — I'll be missing it too — but if you're at all interested in comics, gaming, Sci-Fi or anything related (or have a boyfriend, child or anyone else in your life that is) I highly recommend a trip to one of the Texas-based conventions, there are several and they're all a blast.
Just remember to bring your own dice.
Named for Lake Geneva, Michigan, the home of TSR, Inc.¸ the company that originally made Dungeons & Dragons (it's now owned by Hasbro), Gen Con moved to Indianapolis in 2008. This year marks a special milestone, it's the 45th anniversary, making GenCon almost as old as the tabletop roleplaying-game industry and 5 years older than “Pong.” You remember “Pong,” don't you?
Like many conventions, the event will feature panels, classes, activities, gaming sessions and more.
That's typical of the “Con.” And make no mistake, the Con is a major part of nerd culture. With chances to preview exclusive content, play unreleased gamed and, of course, costume contents, it all makes for a lot of very entertaining, if slightly — um, OK very — nerdy fun.
From ComiCon (there are many across the country but the original in San Diego attracts more than 120,000 attendees every years) to Dallas' BGG Con or Denton's ReaperCon, conventions are the highlights of any nerd's year — and a chance for industry leaders to test out tomorrow's big sellers.
See, conventions aren't just about big names in comics and gaming, they're also about money — lots of it.
And they're growing too — in just 10 short years, the Dallas Comic Con — founded in 2002 — has grown to more than 20,000 attendees. Which means big money for the city of Irving, big money for guests and vendors ($4 a hotdog!) and big, big fun for attendees.
It's a little late for Gen Con, don't fret — I'll be missing it too — but if you're at all interested in comics, gaming, Sci-Fi or anything related (or have a boyfriend, child or anyone else in your life that is) I highly recommend a trip to one of the Texas-based conventions, there are several and they're all a blast.
Just remember to bring your own dice.
Follow Travis webb on Twitter @TWebb_TMT for tips and info about video games and cool gadgets.
