A Beginner’s Guide to Gen Con 2022

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Gen Con has been over for almost two weeks, so you might be wondering, Why write an article about attending Gen Con now? Why not wait until closer to Gen Con 2023? The answer is simple: because by then it will probably be too late.

My recent excursion to Gen Con was also my first, and the learning curve was steep. Frankly, I was simply not prepared for the size of the convention and how that fact can and will affect all aspects of the Gen Con experience. But having conquered the beast, I am ready to pass on some hard-earned wisdom and sherpa other Gen Con newcomers through the process.

Get Your Badge Early

Gen Con badges typically go on sale in January, and you’d be wise to buy them then. To be clear, most people can still purchase some form of entry to Gen Con even during the event. So why buy your badge so far in advance? Gen Con typically pulls in around 60,000 attendees each year. While that’s nowhere near the size of Essen Speil, it’s also nothing to sneeze at. Because of the attendance size, pretty much all of Gen Con’s thousands of events require a ticket, everything from tournaments, to live performances, even many game demos. The good news is that most events are pretty cheap, between $2 and $6. However, the popular ones sell out fast. Having your Gen Con badge early means that you can start snapping up the tickets you want as soon as the event catalog is released.

Once you’ve gotten your tickets, you can have them mailed to you or pick them up at a will-call booth. It may seem like madness, but just get them at will-call. Yes, there’s a line, but it moves surprisingly quickly and the fee for mailing really doesn’t seem worth it.

Have a Plan (But Be Flexible)

Now that you’ve got your badge, let’s talk about those event tickets. Take a breath because the events catalog goes deep. Just how far does that rabbit hole go? There were over 15,000 separate events at this year’s show. If you’re overwhelmed by that number, you’re not alone. But don’t be discouraged! You’re not going to be able to do everything, and that’s ok. Gen Con has something for everyone. What matters is that you know what kinds of things that you’re interested in and focus on those. Fortunately, the Gen Con event catalog is easy to navigate and can quickly be searched based on multiple category criteria. Keep in mind when buying tickets, though, that the Indiana Convention Hall is massive, and Gen Con events extend beyond it to surrounding hotels and even the Lucas Oil Stadium. Plan passing time accordingly.

Even with so many events, inevitably you’re going to find one that’s already sold out. Again, don’t fret, especially if it is a smaller event. Many times there will end up being no-shows, and you can pick up their spot with generic tickets. These tickets are $2 each and can be used for most events. I highly recommend picking some up just in case. You can also find pickup games all over the convention. Every hotel had dedicated space set aside for gaming, and complete strangers were typically open to bringing in more players.

Hit-and-Miss Workshops

If you were to ask me outright, I would honestly tell you to avoid the 1-hour workshops in the event catalog. Again, I want to reiterate that this was my first Gen Con, and I retain the right to fully change my mind at a later date. However, I signed up for 4 of them and ended up skipping the last one. Don’t get me wrong, the people putting on the classes were clearly knowledgeable, and some of them gave out solid advice and some very decent free swag. However, there is only so much you can do in an hour with a mixed-skillset audience. This means that the workshops end up being more of an introductory talk with a short Q&A than an actual workshop. If you’re completely new to a subject or looking to sit in on a panel of a favorite designer or influencer, they can be a lot of fun. But for anyone looking for actual hands-on learning, I would say just visit some of the booths in the exhibitor hall or the First Exposure Playtest Hall. Everyone I talked to was very eager to chat and open to questions.

The Exhibitor Hall

Stepping on to the floor of the exhibitor hall will give you a lot of feelings. It’s like the first time you stepped into a toy store as a kid. It’s over 1,254 sq m packed with every game imaginable. On top of that, every booth wants to outshine the competition in some way, especially the big boys like Games Workshop, Wizkids, Catalyst Labs, and more. So many more.

My advice? Find time to walk the floor and see it all. Because despite all of their noise and grandeur, the big players are far from the only publishers attending the show. Be sure to check out all the booths because finding new games, and getting to try them first-hand, is what Gen Con is really all about. With so many designers, almost all of whom will take you through a free demo of their game, you’re bound to find something new that resonates with you. And yes, things do sell out. But you usually have a couple of days before running into shortages, so you can take your time.

Also, keep a special eye out for Gen Con exclusives, including special prices and deals. The internet has made so many things readily available to us, including many of the games you’ll see at Gen Con. So finding something that is special to the show elevates the con experience above just shopping on Amazon. Don’t be shy about asking sellers about these, too, as they won’t always be obvious.

With so many great games available, be sure to pack light and bring an extra suitcase with you just for purchases. I did, and I still barely managed to fit my few (but large) purchases into my luggage.

See You Next Year?

Having survived being thrown in the deep end that is Gen Con, I fully plan to return next year. Gen Con 2023 runs August 3 – 6, and now, armed with your newfound insider knowledge, I hope to see you there.

by Zane Messina