| Company Site: | www.gencon.com |
Gen Con 2019 was especially amazing for us because were not able to attend last year. A LOT has changed since we last attended and our main goal this year was to see friends, play games and enjoy our time together. Once again, Gen Con did not disappoint.
Gen Con 2019 sold out of 4 day badges again just before it started and I don’t think there was a day where there wasn’t a long line in Will Call. Pro Tip: Get your badge early and have it mailed to you. Noted….we’ll know for next year. My husband and nephew had to wait for a couple of hours to get their badges but according to them, “It wasn’t that bad and totally worth it!” The staff did a great job moving the line along and pausing regular foot traffic to keep the line moving. Very organized.
Their pin collecting was bigger this year although not all of them were free this time. You could get free ones though but they involved a LOT of companies this year. Some gave you pins with a certain purchase amount, some were sold and were of really good lapel quality, and some were given to kids were loved that booth’s games…Gen Con companies love kid gamers! You could also just buy awesome pins from booths!
We were not sure we would be able to go this year so we didn’t schedule any events and as a result had an insanely relaxed experience. No rushing or feeling like we were missing something or being late for an event because we always are. Just us playing games, sometimes together and sometimes split up….not the kids of course they were always with an adult. We always met up for lunch and snacks when we did split up. This allowed my husband and 17 yr old nephew to actually get to play games with the Gentleman who could hold his own against them.
The Diva and I wandered around and did our best squirrel impression by running from one booth to another and back one way and then again the other and all over and stopping for shiny things or food. Maybe it’s more like cat….hrmm. There were several people at various booths who we look for each year and it was good to catch up and discover their new games.
She loves looking at all the shops with me so we had a great time checking them all out. Her prize purchases this year included new cat ears and paw gloves, a board game, and dice earrings. I got orange ears and gloves and earrings too! She talked me into it and they are pretty fun to wear I admit. The Gentleman also bought a game but he went the SteamPunk route with his other purchases and bought a cool, high quality Top Hat and some goggles. Very Victorian.
The atmosphere, as always, was like nothing you have ever experienced. Crowded and buzzing with an excitement that might only be matched by those attending Disney for the first time, Gen Con attendees are some of the most polite, considerate and passionate people around. I don’t know what it is about board games that causes this phenomena but we have been to other conventions and usually want to leave early on but we never feel that way at Gen Con.
Aside from the Vendor/Exhibitor Hall, Gen Con used every room in the convention center, every available conference room and ballroom in all of the surrounding hotels AND Lucas Oil Stadium! That’s the football stadium in Indy. Gen Con is HUGE and is constantly growing. Board games new and old can be played in various rooms, True Dungeon and a couple other LRPG events are found in some of those rooms, and an entire room for playing board games and finding enough players to do it! The Game Library was once again a bit hit with my husband and my nephew and it was doubly amazing because it was in the Lucas Oil Stadium this year! I don’t care about such things but since my husband is a Colts fan…he was a little excited by that fact.
For those that want to go to Gen Con but might not be THAT into board games Gen Con once again offered various activities. You could craft, learn about extreme couponing, do some yoga or go explore the Indianapolis catacombs! I love that Gen Con offers these things and so much more…I might have to do some of them one year.
Overall our Gen Con was a fun and fantastic experience. We love playing board games but we love that we have made so many friends there even more.
Check out pics from our Adventure at Gen Con 2019!
