A gaming convention is typically a two- or three-day event at which people play role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games and many other types of games.

The largest gaming convention is probably Spiel in Essen, Germany. In 2004 this convention, which focuses on board games, had 150,000 visitors and 690 exhibitors from 24 nations. Another large gaming convention in Europe is Spellenspektakel in Eindhoven, Netherlands. This largely commercial convention had 12,000 visitors in 2004.

Gen Con is probably the largest gaming con in the US for RPGs; Origins is probably the largest for miniatures wargames. Exact numbers, however, are debatable. DragonCon, for example, is largely a gaming convention, and has huge numbers of attendees, but it is hard to say whether or not it is the largest gaming convention. A smaller genre of gaming conventions are those devoted to the hobby of historical miniature wargaming, many of which are sponsored by the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society.

What goes on at a gaming convention

Gaming conventions typically have games scheduled for various time slots. Most gaming cons use some system of pre-registration to ensure that games are neither over-full nor under-full. This tends to be a problem, though, and it seems that no con has yet found a fool-proof way of making sure that all players and GMs have access to the game sessions that they want.

Competitive games, such as The Gathering, typically have tournaments set out where players meet in matches. Prizes can be quite large for the winners. There are also competitive role-playing games, where the best roleplayers, most successful parties, etc. get rewarded. The RPGA runs competitive D&D and other RPGs at many conventions. Most scheduled RPGs, however, are not competitive.

Open gaming goes on throughout any such convention, and it is common that all seating in common areas will be taken by people playing pick-up games. Pick-up gaming is not discouraged by the convention management; in fact, pick-up games are a large part of the appeal of gaming conventions.

There is almost always a dealers' room where various game manufacturers and related companies sell their products. Many game companies choose game cons to reveal new products. Creating consumer excitement is greatly facilitated at gaming cons, but word can spread fast, and games may equally well become instant failures at conventions.

Overall, gaming conventions offer a chance to meet people outside one's usual gaming circle, and a chance to play and buy games that one usually would not get to.

List of gaming conventions

• Blizzcon - Anaheim, California, in October
• Cold Wars - Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in March
• Con of the North - Twin Cities, Minnesota, in July
• ConQuest
• DEXCON
• DragonCon - Atlanta, Georgia, in August
• Dragonflight - Seattle, Washington, in August
• DunDraCon - San Ramon, California, in February
• E3 - Los Angelos, California, in February
• EximCon
• Fall In! - Adams County, Pennsylvania, in November
• GaelCon
• Game Storm - Portland, Oregon, in March
• Games Convention - Leibzig, Germany, in August
• Gamicon
• Gen Con - various locations in the US and Europe
• GenghisCon - Denver, Colorado, in February
• Great Canadian Baycon 2006 - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in May
• Historicon - Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in July
• Internationale Spieltage - Essen, Germany, in October
• KublaCon
• Leprecon
• LibertyCon
• Marmalade Dog - http://www.marmaladedog.org/placeandtime.php Kalamazoo, Michigan, in March
• Origins - Columbus, Ohio, in late June or early July
• Penny Arcade Expo - Bellevue, Washington, in August
• Playstation experience
• PortCon Maine
• Quakecon - Dallas, Texas, in August
• Tokyo Game Show - Tokyo, Japan, in September
• Ubercon
• Warpcon

External links

• Convention Listings by Jenga A comprehensive list of gaming and other conventions
• GameConventions.net Another comprehensive list of gaming conventions
• HMGS website; contains events listing for historical gaming conventions

Gaming conventions