The Donut Guy Blog

This week is the time of the year that I affectionately call my season finale. Not only is it the end of the cycle of what I do in higher education, but it is also the culmination of the largest gaming convention of the year. Gen Con is the convention that I call Home, as it was my first and remains one of my favorites.

This year is particularly exciting because I will be taking over the convention’s social media on two different days. I get to focus on my experience, going to Trade Day for the first time and learning more about design and the industry as I want to enter it. I also get to take over the first day of the convention, showing off my experiences with TTRPGs and board games. This is an opportunity that came about because I put myself out there to do it. I have many friends who have been lucky enough to do this over the last few years, and I’m happy that when I reached out, they liked my ideas and what I could do through collaboration.

Let’s break down some of the most exciting things I get to see at this convention. We will start with TTRPGs, as they are a great connector for so many people. Our first convention day begins with seeing Arcana Unleashed by Wizards of the Coast and seeing what they have in store for the upcoming year. I also get to be at the reveal of Daggerheart’s expansion, Hope and Fear. I’m eager to get my hands on it and, next year, experience more of this system that I haven’t had enough time with. I also get to stop and see new things from great publishers like Hit Point, Evil Genius, Mythworks, Eerie Games, and our friends at Imagining Games. There are so many possibilities across different settings and systems that everybody can find a place where they fit in.

There are many exciting board games coming out or being demoed at Gen Con for the first time. I’ve already had great experiences with games like DC Brave and Bold, Drakaina, Six Sided Seas, Mountain Goats Legacy, and The Game Makers. All of them are worth a stop if you have a chance to demo them. I really want to find time to play Mythologies, Pirates of the High Teas, Friendly Fishing, Enchanted Ivy, Cola Wars, Class of ’89, and Super Boss Monster 2. With over 600 new titles this year, there is no shortage of things to play.

Gen Con feels like Home because it’s also about people. I’ve made so many friends through this convention, and I get to see them again each year. This industry allows you to build incredible friendships with colleagues, and that’s something truly remarkable. Being the largest convention means the most friends are gathered in one place, and if you make the time, you get to spend it with them. Even now, on my drive in, I find myself making plans with friends throughout the week that I truly look forward to. That is what you can do with your current gaming friends—or by simply coming and making new ones.

The discourse as of late has been whether or not it’s worth going to Gen Con. There has never been a question in my mind after experiencing it and seeing all those people. It may be a ton of people, but there is a reason for that. You can see so much, buy so much, and experience so much that it really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’m just lucky enough to have had more than one lifetime here, and that is awesome.