Gen Con Indy 2023, the largest and most established tabletop gaming convention in North America, saw an impressive turnout of over 70,000 unique participants. Taking place from August 3 to 6 at the Indiana Convention Center (ICC) and Lucas Oil Stadium, the event marked a triumphant return for gamers post-pandemic, showcasing “The Best Four Days in Gaming.” Fans were treated to a fantastic gaming experience, alongside news of a Welcome to Night Vale RPG releasing next year, news on Dungeons & Dragons, old favorites like Magic The Gathering, new releases like Disney Lorcana, and other features from your favorite board game publishers.
The scale of Gen Con is unmatched. The exhibition hall boasted more than 570 game publishers and vendors this year. Attendees were spoiled for choice with an array of over 20,000 ticketed activities spanning board games, card games, role playing games, comedy shows, live music performances, informative seminars, the traditional Costume Contest, Film Festival, and an assortment of other attractions from favored board game makers. Simultaneously, alongside the in-person convention, the Gen Con Online program hosted over 700 virtual games and events.
“Gen Con is the mecca of gaming; it’s where everyone spends the Best Four Days of just pure board games,” shares Gaming Library CEO Hans Kenner Fernandez. “It’s the one weekend out of the year where the gamers basically outnumber everyone else in the city, and definitely something not to be missed.”
We would’ve loved to go again, but we sadly couldn’t. *Cue tears* But we can give you updates on some of the features from Gen Con that you can actually look forward to seeing on Gaming Library’s shelves soon!
Expeditions
Expeditions is a competitive, card-driven, engine-building game of exploration. Expeditions sends players on a new adventure into Siberia, to a massive meteorite crash site near the Tunguska River, awakening ancient corruption. An expedition led by Dr. Tarkovsky ventures into the taiga to learn about the meteorite and its impact on the land. Itching for adventure, heroes from the war privately fund their own expeditions to Siberia, hoping to find artifacts, overcome challenges, and ultimately achieve glory.
Freelancers
“Freelancers: A Crossroads Game” invites you to an exhilarating adventure in a world where humans are long gone. Embrace a realm where you play as a freelancer tackling wild gigs amidst an even more chaotic gig economy. Traverse forgotten ruins, conquer wilderness challenges, and face funky creatures for epic loot. Unleash your character’s charm, roll magic-infused dice, and dive into rollercoaster stories of monsters and mayhem – all condensed into one unforgettable night.
Barcelona
Photo: Gaming Library
In Barcelona, players take on the role of builders in 19th-century Barcelona working on new expansions to the city. Your main goal is to construct buildings to accommodate the citizens who want to leave the old city, and also build streets, create tram lines, and build public services during that process.
3 Ring Circus
Step into the thrilling world of “3 Ring Circus,” a captivating circus-themed board game set in the 19th century USA. Take on the role of a circus director and compete to build the most dazzling troupe of performers. As you journey through towns and cities, recruit artists, and stage breathtaking shows to catch the eye of the legendary P.T. Barnum.
Sea Salt & Paper
Create an ocean of folded paper! In Sea Salt & Paper, players assemble their hand of cards, play their effects, and take initiative to stop the round. The goal for players is to manage their hand and collect sets of cards.
We’re also holding our very own Gen Con Party – for those of us who Gen Can’t! – where we invite all of you to get the chance to play new games straight from Gen Con 2023 even before it hits the shelves! Play with our advanced copies of the games above and find out why they were some of the most-talked about and highly anticipated games of this year’s event.
See you all at All aBOARD XP Uptown Bonifacio on September 8-10 and SM City North EDSA on September 22-24!
