GenCon Sal: Closed for Good

[kenobi65]

In addition, Indy is during the summer when people tend to be free to plan vacations around it. SoCal's timing is such that it will mostly draw local people. Even people who might be free usually are busy with the holidays. Gaming companies are probably doubly concerned, since it usually takes up a couple of weeks of their employees time during the holiday season.

Indeed. If you haven't already done so, I'd highly suggest reading Peter's "open letter" on the whole situation (jodyjohnson's post has the link).

Peter notes the calendar issue as a big one, as well as it being an expensive venue with a difficult union, eroding exhibitor support (which the booth prices certainly didn't help) and lack of attendee growth.

It sounds like he was taking a financial beating on the con anyway, and doing things like lowering the booth prices, or offering one-day badges (as T. Foster wanted; GenCon Indy offers them) probably would have just increased the beating.

At least Peter is a smart-enough businessman to figure out when to stop throwing good money after bad.

 

[Bacris]

I'd hoped to go to Socal once I had the revenue built up... guess that plan is shot now :-/ But from the sound of it, might be for the best... financially for me, at least.

Would have been nice to enjoy the SoCal weather

 

[DonTadow]

Just found some news on my question about e3/socal. Seems I heard in November that Gencon and e3 were merging. Attack of the show miss reported the story. Peter just asked for the big game companies to set up at gencon.

Wow, if socal hadnt have closed I wouldn't have known that there'd be no e3 representation this year. In hindsight, the trip to socal gencon was not thefun part for us. There were too many laid back gamers there. I remember playing through some games and the people would take forever for turns. Most of my games started late or was canceled cause lack of players. JThe atmosphere was the selling point for us.

I'm not as surprised by the lack of exhibitors though. Considering they had a few porn stars set up tables when I was there. I bit of a shock for a family event.

 

[Wycen]

I too was of the understanding Gencon SoCal and E3 were merging. Because I read it right here at EN World. Oh well.

To be fair, I'd guess the porn star was more associated with a particular company, not Gencon itself. I say this because Gencon did not have a panel of media guests last year. It was one of the reason why I was a little concerned. The other being that the exhibit area was noticeably smaller.

 

[Glyfair]

Just found some news on my question about e3/socal. Seems I heard in November that Gencon and e3 were merging. Attack of the show miss reported the story. Peter just asked for the big game companies to set up at gencon.

I don't know what AotS reported, but it was pretty widely discussed that since E3 was changing format, that Peter was trying to have GenCon takes its role. E3 still exists (although there might have been a name change), it's just going to be industry only.

 

[Nikroecyst]

"WE had to cancel this year because of our wedding, and now I regret not going to the last one."

DON, can you fill me in?????????????????????????