GenCon 2023!

[ART!]

Rumor has it...85,000 attendees this year.

That's insane.

I went to GenCon every year since it moved to Indianapolis. I went whichever year was their first con since COVID, and was struck by how manageable it was with half the pre-COVID attendance - which just convinced me further that normal GenCon was too big for me now.

I won't be going again as a hobbyist, even with a free pass and hotel (which I've been lucky enough to have a happen a couple times).

But I love that people love it, and I look forward to the coverage!

 

[Riley]

That's insane.

I went to GenCon every year since it moved to Indianapolis. I went whichever year was their first con since COVID, and was struck by how manageable it was with half the pre-COVID attendance - which just convinced me further that normal GenCon was too big for me now.

Milwaukee was perfect for me. I always stayed at Grandma’s place downtown- the Astor Hotel, a mixed apartment/hotel that many other Gen Con gamers had to pay to stay at… and they didn’t get to have breakfast with Grandma!

 

[dragoner]

Its local to me so I am sort of honor bound to support it, and its not bad overall, though it is crowded.

 

[Clint_L]

Anyone check out the Dwarven Forge booth?

 

[Lanefan]

Rumor has it...85,000 attendees this year.

Interesting - I thought they were, pre-covid, capping it at 60,000.

 

[ART!]

Interesting - I thought they were, pre-covid, capping it at 60,000.

60,00- is the attendance number I remember from pre-COVID, and as much as I don't mind crowds at all that was too much even for me. 85,000 basically 150% of that, which I can't even wrap my head around.

My favorite thing about GenCon was the exhibitor's hall. I just love seeing all the amazing stuff people are making, and chatting with the people that make it. Oddly, I did very little actual gaming, because I wanted the time to see everything and usually I was just there for the day (I live an hour away).

 

[Riley]

My favorite thing about GenCon was the exhibitor's hall. I just love seeing all the amazing stuff people are making, and chatting with the people that make it. Oddly, I did very little actual gaming, because I wanted the time to see everything and usually I was just there for the day (I live an hour away).

Same! I far prefer gaming with friends over doing so with strangers. Even awesome nerdy strangers!

90's Gen Con was our chance to discover all the things we didn't even know existed.

When not in the exhibitor's hall, we'd most likely be admiring various artists' works, or maybe dropping by a room where Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Peter Adkison, or whoever from whatever company was fielding questions or presenting something cool.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Interesting - I thought they were, pre-covid, capping it at 60,000.

The record was 70000 in 2019 and they capped in 2017 and 2018 at 60000 but with expansion and new hotels they have been raising the number because of demand. See Gen Con Wiki.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Ravenbuger's Disney card game Lorcana seems to be the HOT item this year at least in the long line and craziness. So bad Thursday that they started the line last night at 5:30PM for today 10AM. No place holding and security watching the line.

 

[darjr]

They suspended ticket sales due to capacity