While board games are at the heart of Gen Con, our annual convention offers up so much more for the hungry, nerdy soul. We’re introducing a new blog series for you, featuring all things beyond games at Gen Con.
Today, this blog post focuses on Event Tickets and demos, written by Teresa from Playin’ A Round Games.
I’ve attended Gen Con for six years and you’d think by now I’d have a pretty good system for seeing and doing everything I want. The thing is there are actually thousands of incredible events that one cannot physically do it all.
Here’s some of my tips for maximizing your time and still getting to try as many games as possible.
The most important suggestion I can make is to schedule your big events well before the convention starts. Event registration usually goes live several months prior to the convention, with new events being added constantly. I use this opportunity to sign up for one or two events a day. I focus on events that give me some sort of return, like a tournament, educational panel, or game that includes a gift or limited promo.
Gen Con is a whirlwind of opportunity so you don’t want to bog yourself down with scheduled events and not be able to discover new things along the way. Nearly every game booth in the exhibit hall has some demos going on, usually they’re short and maybe a round or two so you can get an idea of how to play the game.
I like to walk up and down the aisles and pop into any open demos. This is my favorite way to discover new games and get a little taste of the gameplay. It’s also a great opportunity to chat with other attendees and ask what games they picked up and add those to my list to check out.
Yes, I have a list of booths that I want to visit and which items they have. But also other locations or events that I want to explore if I have free time. I do a little deep dive into the program book and map out my favorites like the Playtest Hall, BIPOC Lounge, and Open Crafting. Some of the spots may be off the beaten path, but so worthwhile!
I like to think of Gen Con as an endurance sport. It’s a balance of scheduling and exploration and it’s easy to overdo it. Utilize the scheduling system provided. Keep a few Generic Tickets on you so you can pop into an event at the drop of a hat. But most of all give yourself time – time to discover new things, to travel from one event to another and most of all time to rest!
Want more Gen Con content? Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X.