A gaming convention is a gathering centered on
role-playing games,
collectible card games
A collectible card game (CCG), also called a trading card game (TCG) among other names, is a type of card game that mixes strategic deck building elements with features of trading cards, introduced with '' Magic: The Gathering'' in 1993.
Genera ...
,
miniatures wargames,
board game
Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well.
Many board games feature a co ...
s,
video games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...
, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel.
The largest gaming convention,
Spiel, is a
trade fair held in
Essen, Germany that focuses on German-style board games and RPGs. A similarly large event is ''
Festival Ludique International de Parthenay'' (FLIP), a games festival held over twelve days in France. The annual
Gamescom in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
is the world's leading expo for
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedba ...
s.
While games are often a large part of
science fiction conventions and other hobby conventions, gaming conventions are distinguished by focusing on games and game-industry guests. The
Penny Arcade Expo is the largest gaming convention in the US, with over 70,000 attendees at both its East (Boston) and Prime (Seattle) events.
Gen Con has an emphasis on
RPGs and features events for RPGs, CCGs, miniatures and boardgames with 60,000+ unique attendees over four days in 2017.
Origins
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
focuses on miniatures wargames and boardgames with 12,902 unique attendees in 2014,
but also has a large component of RPG and CCG players.
DragonCon is an example of a large convention with a focus on popular culture and comics that includes a large gaming contingent and 35,000-40,000 attendees, but isn't dedicated solely as a gaming convention. A smaller genre of gaming conventions are those devoted to the hobby of historical
miniature wargaming.
World Boardgaming Championships
The World Boardgaming Championships is a convention held yearly since 1999 by the Boardgame Players Association. It was previously held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, ( ; pdc, Lengeschder) is a city in and the county seat of Lancas ...
,
PrezCon
PrezCon "The Winter Nationals" is a convention held yearly since 1994 by PrezCon, Inc. It is held in Charlottesville, Virginia at the DoubleTree of Charlottesville in late February each year, the starting Monday typically coinciding with the Presi ...
and
Euro Quest are game conventions representing the hobby of
Tournament Board Gaming Open Gaming, Demos, Jr. Events and more dedicated to the face to face board game hobby. The World Boardgaming Championships and PrezCon are considered two of the largest events dedicated solely to board games. WBC runs the first week in August each year and PrezCon runs the last week of February each year.
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Events
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.
Competitive games, such as ''
Magic: 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.
The types of games often include many of the following:
*
Collectible Card Games (CCGs), like ''
Magic: The Gathering'' and
''Pokémon''
*
Board games
*
Role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ac ...
s (RPGs), like ''
Dungeons & Dragons'', ''
''Pathfinder'''', ''
Shadowrun'', and
''Traveller''
*
RPGA games
* Table-top miniatures games like
Battletech,
HeroClix,
Car Wars
''Car Wars'' is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games. It was first published in 1980. Players control armed vehicles in a post-apocalyptic future.
Game play
In ''Car Wars'', players assume control of one or more cars ...
,
Flames of War and
Warhammer 40k
''Warhammer 40,000'' is a miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop. It is the most popular miniature wargame in the world, and is particularly popular in the United Kingdom. The first edition of the rulebook was published in September 1987, ...
*
LARPs
* Electronic games
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 generally 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.
Often there are other activities at a gaming convention as well. Costume balls, art auctions, and screenings of movies may all take place. Lectures, workshops, or panel discussions on gaming might be part of the programming, or for some cons, even the focus.
See also
*
List of gaming conventions
References
External links
GamingCons.comGameConventionCentral.comEventsForGamers.comHistory of Gaming ConventionsThe Gaming convention library of Alexandria.dk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaming Convention
Nerd culture