First Day At Gen-Con 2024

Gen-Con is the single largest (card and/or board) gaming convention in America. Conventions like Essin, in Europe, beat it to a pulp in how many people attend, but when I first strolled into this massive convention center, I was blown away. Carts, pop-up stands, and places to play littered the warehouse like graves on an old graveyard hill.

We had only just got in before we’d swept ourselves in a congested, oozing current of people going here and there. Every so often we’d get an opening to admire a game, or, on the rare occasion, try a game out. It wasn’t long before we bought our first game:

 

Oh My Pigeons — A Game of Fowl Play. The day dragged on, and we eventually managed to explore the entire floor. Well, first floor anyway. It was lunchtime, so we headed out the great, big double doors into the sweltering Summer sun. Food trucks lined the street, crowded the plaza, and another hungry attendee had already scooped up every shady spot left available. Up on the hilltop was the tremendous Lucas Oil stadium, boasting a harbor for us hot, hungry people. We’d brought with us some jerky sticks, keto brick, (and another fancy roasted tick), and some protein bars to satisfy our cravings. The cool and quiet nature of the stadium was a nice break from the convention hall.

We spent the rest of the day exploring. By the day’s end, we’d purchased one more game, and my favorite: Things on Rings.


There’s a lot of inspiration to take in from all the wonderful, charming games. A lot. If I took one thing in today it’s that the combination of stylized art, concise summaries, and demo tables make for the perfect marketing environment. Not in a convention, the art and the first glance of the customer are the most important.

Great first day!