NOVA Open has announced they’re expanding! The popular convention is running additional events at the Renaissance Arlington Capitol View Hotel a simple walk from the main Hyatt Regency. Room blocks will be available and the venue is a 5-minute walk from the Hyatt. More info will be coming about this expansion including what events will be happening there.
NOVA Open will also host the Malifaux US Master’s Invitational, the first ever. The seasons kicked off this weekend with the Las Vegas Open (LVO) and ends with the invitational taking place September 1 at NOVA Open 2022! This is in addition to other Malifaux events.
Badges for Gen Con 2022are on sale now! You can get 4-day passes for the “best four days of gaming” for $125 with individual days ranging from $16 to $80.
Gen Con takes place in Indianapolis, IN, and runs August 4 to 7 at the Indiana Convention Center.
If you’re into any type of tabletop gaming, this is the convention to go to!
Gen Con Indy 2022 4-Day and single-day badges will be available for purchase beginning at noon Eastern on January 30. Registration for a free Gen Con Online-only badge will begin on May 8, and Pop-Up Gen Con badge registration will cost $5 and begin on June 19.
Badge Type
Price
4-Day
$125
Thursday
$65
Friday
$65
Saturday
$80
Sunday
$16
Trade Day
$225
Gen Con Online-Only
$0 (Available May 8)
Pop-Up Gen Con
$5 (Available June 19)
Attendees who rolled their 2020 or 2021 badges forward to 2022 will find their badges on their Gen Con account and no further action is needed. Badge holders who do not wish to attend Gen Con Indy 2022 have the option to return their badge for a refund starting on January 30 by contacting Gen Con customer service at customerservice@gencon.com with full name and account information. There will not be an option to roll over any badge to 2023.
Health and Safety Information
Based on evolving public health and safety concerns, Gen Con will implement vaccination and masking requirements for all in-person convention participants in an effort to provide a safe and healthy environment for attendees, partners, and staff.
Everyone participating in Gen Con Indy — including all attendees, exhibitors, gamemasters, event organizers, and event staff — will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a vaccine approved or authorized by the FDA or WHO, and proof of vaccination will be required to attend the convention and gain entry to the convention center.
Details about acceptable documentation and the verification process will be announced in the coming months, but convention organizers anticipate that participants will be required to show either verified digital proof of vaccination on a smartphone or their physical vaccination card, along with government-issued ID, before entering the convention center.
Everyone participating in Gen Con Indy — including all attendees, exhibitors, gamemasters, event organizers, and event staff — will be required to wear a mask in all indoor spaces unless actively eating or drinking in designated areas.
Gen Con’s restrictions and requirements are subject to change, and Gen Con will consider modifications to its mandatory vaccination policy on a case-by-case basis based on the most up to date information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Indiana and Marion County public health agencies.
Para Bellum Wargames, the developer and publisher of the fantasy Regimental Miniature Wargame Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings and Skirmish system Conquest: First Blood, has announced an upcoming national program of Organized Play events in collaboration with Game Kastle hobby game stores!
Participating Game Kastle stores will partner with Para Bellum to host a Conquest unboxing event that showcases the quality of Conquest sculptures to their miniature fans. All released factions of Conquest will be present for attendees to explore and to discover their favorite one! Organized Play events will continue in participating stores every two weeks and will include demo games, paint-and-take nights, tournaments, and much more, while rewards exclusive to Organized Play kits will be awarded to participants and winners. Para Bellum also announced a special Black Friday event for Game Kastle fans!
Specific dates and times of the events for each store will be announced soon. Stay tuned and check out the Conquest event schedule at your favorite Game Kastle store, and on the Conquest event calendar!
Gen Con returned to an in-person convention and saw an attendance of over 35,000. This amount was similar to attendance when the convention moved to Indianapolis in 2003. That’s about 50% of the number of people in 2019, the last time an in-person convention was held. The convention is estimated to have generated $37 million in economic activity for restaurants, hotels, and local businesses. The convention took place September 16-19.
The convention was described as a “more relaxed atmosphere” on a smaller scale.
320 exhibiting publishers and vendors were featured in the exhibit hall which included more than 90 for the first time. More than 200 new games were released and more than 6,500 ticketed events were held over the four days.
According to the post-convention release, over 90% of attendees were vaccinated against COVID-19 according to surveys. Attendees were required to wear masks while inside the convention center. Increased table spacing and nightly sanitization and cleaning were implemented for safety.
In addition to the physical convention, 2,300 virtual events were held as well as 200 pop-up events at retail stores. When including those, nearly 50,000 people participated in Gen Con 2021.
Gen Con returns to Indianapolis on August 4-7, 2022.
At Gen Con 2021, the winners of the2021 ENNIE Awards were announced during a Live Stream yesterday evening.
Below you can find the full list of nominees with the winners in bold denoted with Gold and Silver. Congrats to all of the nominees and winners.
Judges’ Spotlight Winners
Amelia Antrim– Anyone Can Wear the Mask Author: Jeff Stormer
Di – Righteous Blood, Ruthless Blades: Wuxia Roleplaying, Osprey Games Authors: Brendan Davis, Jeremy Bai
Salim Hakima – Abracadabra. A Guide to Becoming a Magical Games Master, The Grinning Frog Author: Stephen Hart
Shauna Ratliff – Altered Carbon The Role Playing Game, Renegade Game Studios Authors: Christopher De La Rosa, Ivan Van Norman
James Surano– SLA Industries 2nd Edition Core Rulebook, Nightfall Games Author: Dave Allsop
Best Adventure
ALIEN RPG Destroyer of Worlds, Free League Publishing – SILVER Author: Andrew E.C. Gaska
Epic Encounters: Hall of the Orc King, Steamforged Games LTD Author: Richard August
Eyes Unclouded, The Secret Cat Shop Authors: Anthony Alipio, Tineke Bolleman, C. Michael Chase, Bridie Dutton, Brittney Hay, Kat Kruger, Jacky Leung, Amber Litke, Sadie Lowry, Collette Quach, Toto Joe Sullivan
OSE: Halls of the Blood King, Exalted Funeral Press – GOLD Author: Diogo Nogueira
The Waking of Willowby Hall, Swordfish Islands Author: Ben Milton
Best Aid/Accessory – Digital
DNGNGEN, Stockholm Kartell & Ockult Örtmästare Games – SILVER
dScryb – Finely Crafted Boxed Text
Eigengrau’s Essential Establishment Generator, Rhys Gray
Here Be Taverns, Sword & Source
Michael Ghelfi – RPG Ambiences & Music, Michael Ghelfi – GOLD
Best Aid/Accessory – Non – Digital
Adventurers Tarot: The Empress Deck, Weird Works LLC
Arium: Create, Adept Icarus
City of Mist Character Folio Pack, Son of Oak Game Studio– GOLD
Roll & Play: The Game Master’s Fantasy Toolkit, Roll & Play Press – SILVER
Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game GM Kit, Greater Than Games
Best Art, Cover
Cortex Prime Game Handbook, Fandom, Inc. Artist: Merilliza Chan
Heart: The City Beneath, Rowan, Rook and Decard – SILVER Artist: Felix Miall
Neverland: A Fantasy RPG System, Andrews McMeel Universal Artist: Andrew Kolb
The Spy Game, Black Cats Gaming Artist: Chaim Garcia
Vaesen – Nordic Horror Roleplaying, Free League Publishing – GOLD Artist: Johan Egerkrans
Best Art, Interior
Cortex Prime Game Handbook, Fandom, Inc. Artists: Reza Afshar, Carol Azevedo, Natalia Bacetti, Zoe Badini, Venus Bambisa, Brett Barkley, Bethany Berg, Alex Jay Brady, Estefany Calderón, CoupleofKooks, Joel DuQue, Jason Engle, Grace P. Fong, Jessica Fong, Hao Shuang, Lisa Heidhoff, Kevin Hong, Fiona Hsieh, Odera Igbokwe, Anthony “RobotPencil” Jones, Giby Joseph, kinixuki, Burak Kirk, Kekai Kotaki, Coey Kuhn, Sabina Lewis, Noé Leyva, Linda Lithén, Tithi Luadthong, Oriana Menendez, Viko Menezes, Julia Metzger, Alexandra Mims Cook, Vanessa Morales, Anna “Sarianne” Neumannová, Jeremy Nguyen, Dominique Ramsey, Rafael Sarmento, Thomas Scholes, Lie Setiawan, Lenka Šimečková, Janna Sophia, Artur Treffner, H. Won, J Yang
Heart: The City Beneath, Rowan, Rook and Decard – SILVER Artist: Felix Miall
Neverland: A Fantasy RPG System, Andrews McMeel Universal Artist: Andrew Kolb
Planet Apocalypse for 5th edition DnD, Petersen Games Artists: Helge Balzer, Keith Thompson, Graey Erb, Alyssa McCarthy, Veli Nyström, Cy Zack, Benny Kusnoto, Dynasty Gua
Vaesen – Nordic Horror Roleplaying, Free League Publishing – GOLD Artist: Johan Egerkrans
Best Cartography
ALIEN RPG Destroyer of Worlds, Free League Publishing – SILVER Christian Granath, Andrew E.C. Gaska
OSE: Halls of the Blood King, Exalted Funeral Press – GOLD Glynn Seal
Towns and Taverns, Loke LTD Matt Henderson, Tam Henderson
Undying Sands, Games Omnivorous Kevin Cannon
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound – The Great Parch Map, Cubicle 7 Jared Blando
Best Electronic Book
Ancestry & Culture: An Alternative to Race in 5e, Arcanist Press – SILVER Author: Eugene Marshall
BEOWULF: Age of Heroes, Handiwork Games Authors: Jon Hodgson, David Rea and Jacob Rodgers
Brancalonia – Spaghetti Fantasy Setting Book, Acheron Games – GOLD Authors: Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Edoardo Cremaschi, Giovanni De Feo, Luca Mazza, Mala Spina, Alessandro Savino, Jack Sensolini, Umberto Spaticchia.
Eyes Unclouded, The Secret Cat Shop Authors: Anthony Alipio, Tineke Bolleman, C. Michael Chase, Bridie Dutton, Brittney Hay, Kat Kruger, Jacky Leung, Amber Litke, Sadie Lowry, Collette Quach, Toto Joe Sullivan
Magical Kitties Save the Day, Atlas Games Authors: Matthew J. Hanson, Paul Dean, Clio Yun-Su Davis, Jeremy Tuohy, Chris Costello
Mausritter: Boxed Set, Games Omnivorous, Losing Games – GOLD Author: Isaac Williams
Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Greater Than Games Authors: Christopher Badell, Cam Banks, Dave Chalker, Philippe-Antoine Ménard, Clark Valentine
Tales of Xadia: The Dragon Prince Roleplaying Game – Rules Primer, Fandom, Inc. – SILVER Authors: Cam Banks, Dan Telfer
WyrdScouts, Wicked Clever Author: Robert Turk
Best Free Game / Product
A| State Nicely Done, Handiwork Games Authors: Morgan Davie, Malcolm Craig
Adventures on a Dime, Dungeons on a Dime Author: Brian Tyrrell
Humblewood: The Wakewyrm’s Fury, Hit Point Press Inc. – GOLD Author: Andrea Bruce, Jordan Richer, Christopher Pinch, T. R. Rowe
Two Faces, Tin Star Games Author: Steve Dee
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay: Wrath & Glory The Graveyard Shift, Cubicle 7 – SILVER Author: Robert Buckey, Zak Dale-Clutterbuck
Best Game
Alice Is Missing, Renegade Game Studios – GOLD Author: Spenser Starke
Cortex Prime Game Handbook, Fandom, Inc. Author: Cam Banks
Heart: The City Beneath, Rowan, Rook and Decard – SILVER Authors: Grant Howitt, Christopher Taylor
Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Greater Than Games Authors: Christopher Badell, Cam Banks, Dave Chalker, Philippe-Antoine Ménard, Clark Valentine
Slayers, Gila RPGs Author: Spencer Campbell
Best Layout and Design
Cortex Prime Game Handbook, Fandom, Inc. Cam Banks
Heart: The City Beneath, Rowan, Rook and Decard – GOLD Minerva McJanda
Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Greater Than Games Jennifer Closson, SaRae Henderson, Sarah Kelly
The Spy Game, Black Cats Gaming Mark Whittington
The Stygian Library: Remastered, SoulMuppet Publishing – SILVER David N. Wilkie
Best Monster/Adversary
Heart: The City Beneath, Rowan, Rook and Decard – SILVER Authors: Grant Howitt, Christopher Taylor
My Dad’s Monster Manual, Introcaso Creative Author: James Introcaso
Planet Apocalypse for 5th edition DnD, Petersen Games Authors: David N. Ross, Ron Lundeen
A Rough Guide to Glamour, Jonstown Compendium – GOLD Authors: Chris Gidlow, Mike Hagen, Nick Brooke, Michael O’Brien, Jeff Richard, Greg Stafford
Citizens of the Lunar Empire , Jonstown Compendium Author: Chris Gidlow
Hand of Glory, Type 40 – SILVER Author: Allan Carey
My Immortal Loneliness, Jessica Marcrum Authors: Ally Sulentic, Jessica Marcrum
Shadows Under Ice, Jaspers Game Day Authors: Jasper’s Game Day, Ma’at Crook, Chris Maxwell
Best Podcast
Asians Represent!– GOLD
Party of One
Tales of the Voidfarer
The Sixth Ring, a Trophy podcast
The Letters Page – The Sentinel Comics Podcast – SILVER
Best Production Values
Adventurers Tarot: The Empress Deck, Weird Works LLC
ALIEN RPG Destroyer of Worlds, Free League Publishing – GOLD
Broken Compass: Adventure Journal, Two Little Mice – SILVER
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound Rulebook Collector’s Edition, Cubicle 7
Weird Horror, Solarian Games
Best RPG Related Product
Adventurers Tarot: The Empress Deck, Weird Works LLC – SILVER
Book of Dice – Elvish Tales, Q Workshop
Into the Dungeon: A Choose Your Own Adventure, Andrews McMeel Universal Author: Hari Conner
Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game Coloring Book, Greater Than Games
Worldbuilder’s Notebook, Swordfish Islands – GOLD Author: Jacob Hurst
Best Rules
Alice Is Missing, Renegade Game Studios – GOLD Author: Spenser Starke
Cortex Prime Game Handbook, Fandom, Inc. – SILVER Author: Cam Banks
Fiasco 2E, Bully Pulpit Games Authors: Jason Morningstar, Steve Segedy
Slayers, Gila RPGs Author: Spencer Campbell
The Spy Game, Black Cats Gaming Authors: Sam Webb, James Barry, Eric Campbell, Oz Mills, Virginia Page, Rob Wieland
Best Setting
Brancalonia – Spaghetti Fantasy Setting Book, Acheron Games – SILVER Authors: Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Edoardo Cremaschi, Giovanni De Feo, Luca Mazza, Mala Spina, Alessandro Savino, Jack Sensolini, Umberto Spaticchia
Heart: The City Beneath, Rowan, Rook and Decard – GOLD Authors: Grant Howitt, Christopher Taylor
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Enemy Within Campaign – Volume 2: Death on the Reik Companion, Cubicle 7 Authors: Graeme Davis, Dave Allen, Pádraig Murphy, Andy Law, Jim Bambra, Claus Thorn Ekström, Phil Gallagher, Ciarán O’Brien, Dániel Kovacs, Rachael Macken, Jonathan Oliver, Síne Quinn, Christopher Walz
Best Writing
Brancalonia – Spaghetti Fantasy Setting Book, Acheron Games – SILVER Authors: Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani
Heart: The City Beneath, Rowan, Rook and Decard – GOLD Authors: Grant Howitt, Christopher Taylor
Planet Apocalypse for 5th edition DnD, Petersen Games Authors: David N. Ross, Ron Lundeen
The Stygian Library: Remastered, SoulMuppet Publishing Author: Emmy ‘Cavegirl’ Allen
WyrdScouts, Wicked Clever Author: Robert Turk
Product of the Year
Adventurers Tarot: The Empress Deck, Weird Works LLC
Alice Is Missing, Renegade Game Studios – GOLD
Ancestry & Culture: An Alternative to Race in 5e, Arcanist Press
Arium: Create, Adept Icarus
Brancalonia – Spaghetti Fantasy Setting Book, Acheron Games – SILVER
Cortex Prime Game Handbook, Fandom, Inc.
Heart: The City Beneath, Rowan, Rook and Decard
Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Greater Than Games
Slayers, Gila RPGs
The Stygian Library: Remastered, SoulMuppet Publishing
Gen Con has announced international board game publisher Czech Games Edition (CGE) as a Co-Sponsor of Gen Con 2021. CGE will receive dedicated event space and physical and digital marketing at Gen Con’s upcoming 2021 convention as a part of the agreement.
The publisher has been exhibiting at the convention since 2015, its first year self-publishing its games. That first launched Codenames.
At Gen Con Indy 2021, fans of Czech Games Edition will have an opportunity to get their hands on the newly re-launched edition of Galaxy Trucker, along with Lost Ruins of Arnak and Under Falling Skies — all of which will be making their Gen Con debut. CGE will also have a large demo space with lots of classic CGE titles to check out, including giant editions of Galaxy Trucker and PictoMania. A Galaxy Trucker pin as well as promos for Lost Ruins of Arnak and Under Falling Skies will also be available for visitors to the CGE demo space at the convention.
Gen Con has released an update to its health and safety plans for Gen Con Indy 2021. According to their update, 87% of attendees who responded to a survey said they have been fully vaccinated and an additional 5% said they would be by convention time. Indiana where the convention takes place lags behind the country in vaccination rate. 42.9% of the population of the state is vaccinated compared to 48.2% of the entire country. It’s estimated a need for at least a 70% vaccination rate to reach herd immunity. Those 12 and under can not be immunized currently.
With that and “falling rates”, the convention has decided that:
Mask-wearing at Gen Con will be strongly recommended at all times indoors or in crowded areas for all Gen Con attendees.
Mask wearing will be required at all times for all unvaccinated persons.
Vaccinated individuals that prefer not to wear a mask may present proof of vaccination and ID at one of the health check-in stations and receive a wrist bracelet indicating that they are vaccinated. While wearing a valid bracelet individuals are not required to wear a mask at Gen Con for the duration of the convention.
If an individual has a documented medical reason that prevents them from wearing a mask or receiving a vaccination, they may present the medical documentation at a health check-in station to receive a bracelet.
If someone has medical reasons that keep them from both wearing a mask and receiving a vaccine, they will need to go to the Special Services desk to get their wristband. Those are the only people authorized to give out wristbands for medical exemptions.
Other safety adjustments include:
Reduced capacity at approximately 60% of normal size
Increased spacing for all gaming tables
Nightly closure of the convention center for cleaning and sanitizing
More outdoor activations
With all the above, the convention has also decided to not to implement timed entry to the Exhibit Hall. Between a reduced number of attendees and the mask/proof of vaccination requirement, that normal operations for entry can happen. There are six entrances to choose from. There are also no limited exclusives at the show this year decreasing the need for individuals to rush and crowd the halls early.
The announcement by the convention has been received with mixed results. The Delta variant has shown it’s not only highly contagious and spreads far easier than the previous virus it can break through vaccinations. California has mandated masks again due to the spread of this virus variant. The likelihood of spreading without masks remains high and puts those who can’t get the vaccination and those who can not wear masks at higher risk if attending. It also puts pressure on security and others to now enforce mask mandates. While this would be an issue anyway, now they must look for a wristband to determine who may wear one making the task even more difficult. We’ve seen how individuals react protesting masks and to gain clout. As is, the work would be dangerous and now it’s more difficult.
Good luck to those going but we’ll be skipping this year ourselves, the first time in many years.
San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum invites tabletop gaming enthusiasts from around the world to meet online for d4: Tabletop Creative Conference. This virtual conference will be held June 5-6, 2021 on the Comic-Con Museum YouTube channel.
The conference will bring creators from across the tabletop gaming community together for this two-day event that will feature recorded panel topics as well as special guest speakers covering a range of topics including:
Design: The creation of play patterns, artwork and graphics that elevate the gaming experience.
Development: Encompassing testing and improvement of games towards publication.
Discuss: Marketing and media in the Tabletop game space, from podcasts to promotion and everything in between.
Discovery: An emphasis on helping players and publishers identify emerging trends and hot new games that define the future of the hobby.
In addition to the wide range of topical discussions with well-known figures in the gaming industry, d4 will also include a unique opportunity for established and aspiring game creators to pitch their concepts, designs and ideas to a panel of experts who will provide feedback on the game itself as well as the quality of the pitch. Feedback will focus on helping designers develop and better discuss their ideas. The Game Pitch Review will be broadcast live for those who register to participate.
A few of the special guest speakers include Tanya DePass (creative director, Motherlands RPG), BDaveWalters (lead developer, Into The Motherlands RPG), BeccaScott (host, Good Times Society), IvanVanNorman (head of development, Darrington Press), Gabe Hicks (game designer, Roll20), Eric Lang (game designer, Marvel United), Tanya Thompson (director, global product acquisitions, Hasbro), Damon Saddler (key lead designer, Mattel) and more.
In 2020, the Comic-Con Museum was awarded a grant from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, to host a conference in recognition of the cultural and educational value of tabletop gaming while also providing insight into the development of games we all love – d4: Tabletop Creative Conference was created. This grant will help defray some of the costs associated with the conference.
A limited number of 4-Day and single-day badges for Gen Con Indy 2021are on sale today at noon Eastern. The convention was rescheduled to September 16-19, 2021, and will proceed with a hybrid format combining three concurrent events to offer a flexible range of opportunities for participation: a reduced-capacity Gen Con Indy in-person at the Indiana Convention Center, Gen Con Online livestreaming, and gaming events, and Pop-Up Gen Con retail activations at local games stores.
In-person attendance will be capped to comply with local, state, and national public-health and safety guidelines, and 4-Day badges are anticipated to sell out quickly. Once they do, no further 4-Day badges will be offered this year, but additional inventory of single-day badges may become available based on changing health and safety guidelines.
All attendees who have rolled over their badge from 2020 are guaranteed a badge and have had their badges converted to 2021 on their accounts automatically, unless they request by email to customerservice@gencon.com by June 25 to roll their badge forward again to 2022.
You can check if you currently have a badge on your account on the My Schedule section of your account home page:
On desktop, click your name in the upper-right corner when signed into your account.
On mobile, sign in, tap your name in the menu, and then tap “My Schedule.”
If you bought badges for anyone besides yourself, they would see them on their home page or your “My Packets” page if the badges are being mailed.
Trade Day will return for Gen Con Indy 2021 in partnership with Alliance Game Distributors with a modified schedule and content tracks. A limited quantity of Trade Day badges will be available starting May 23 for educators, librarians, and retailers. Trade Day attendees who have rolled-over their badges from 2020 will be contacted with additional information.
Housing Registration for Gen Con Indy will open on June 6.
Registration for Gen Con Online and Pop-Up Gen Con will open on June 27, 2021. It will cost $5.
Games Workshop kicks off Warhammer Fest 2021 on Monday, May 3rd for six days of reveals. Each day focuses on somethign specific with a mystery on Saturday, May 8th.
So far, we know Orks and Adepta Sororitas will get coverage for Warhammer 40K, and for Warhammer: Age of Sigmar we expect to see the latest take on Vampire Counts.
You can tune in to Warhammer Community from Monday 3rd May to see all of the reveals as they happen from 6pm (BST) onwards, or catch them live on Twitch.
