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Gen Con 2024 featured a Record-Breaking Number of Attendees

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Gen Con

Gen Con, the largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention in North America, packed the halls of the Indiana Convention Center this week with more than 71,000 gamers and fans, setting an all-time attendance record and generating an estimated economic impact of more than $77 million for Indianapolis hotels, restaurants, and other local businesses.

During the four days of the convention, attendees browsed and shopped an exhibit hall featuring over 540 games publishers and vendors and participated in nearly 24,000 events and activities held in the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, and several downtown Indianapolis hotels.

Local Hoosiers without convention badges also participated in the Gen Con’s outdoor Block Party activation on South Street, where local businesses including Sun King Brewery and HotBox Pizza served up exclusive Gen Con-themed fare alongside dozens of food trucks throughout the weekend.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of globally popular tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons, and Gen Con celebrated the occasion with a slate of special programming that offered a look back at D&D’s history through retrospective panels with special guests and a D&D Museum.

Wizards of the Coast, the publisher of D&D, conducted several events and activations, including live gaming events, a special tournament, and a preview of the game’s future with the release of the hotly anticipated 2024 Player’s Handbook — selling copies of the new book before its official release. The U.S. Postal Service revealed new D&D stamps and sold them to excited attendees over the course of the convention.

Gen Con partners with charities each year to raise funds and spotlight the remarkable work of the selected nonprofit organizations. This year, attendees helped raise more than $31,000 for the Rose Gauntlet Foundation and Tangram. Gen Con has raised over $455,000 for charity since 2003.

Gen Con will return to Indianapolis July 31 – August 3, 2025 and will remain in Indy through 2030. Badges for next year’s convention will go on sale in early 2025 on the convention’s website.

Gen Con 2024: And the ENNIE Award Goes to…

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2024 ENNIE Awards

The 2024 ENNIE Awards were awards at Gen Con 2024 this past weekend. The awards highlights the best releases of the past year.

Winners will be in bold with GOLD and SILVER noted as to which they received. And this year’s winners were….

Judges’ Spotlight Winners

  • Shauna Ratliff – CHEW: The Roleplaying Game, Imagining Games
    Authors: Pete Petrusha, Justin Forest, Justin Ford, Steve Dee, Joseph Weaver

Favorite Publisher

  • Free League Publishing

Best Adventure – Long Form

Best Adventure – Short Form

Best Aid/Accessory – Digital

Best Aid/Accessory – Non – Digital

Best Art, Cover

  • Eat The Reich, Rowan, Rook and Decard – GOLD
    Artist: Will Kirkby

Best Art, Interior

  • Eat The Reich, Rowan, Rook and Decard – GOLD
    Artist: Will Kirkby

Best Cartography

Best Community Content

Best Family Game / Product

  • BREAK!! Tabletop RPG, Grey Wizard Press & Naldobean Games – GOLD
    Authors: Grey Wizard, Reynaldo Madriñan
  • Little Game Masters, Randall Hampton Art and Design
    Authors: Randall Hampton, Conor Napier, Adam Johns, Hunter Fell, Devon Chulick, Dr. Megan Connell, Lauren Urban
  • Pinebox Middle School Box Set, Pinnacle Entertainment Group
    Authors: Scott Woodard, Preston DuBose, Ed Wetterman, Tracy Sizemore, Jameson McDaniel, Shane Hensley

Best Free Game / Product

  • Level 1 The Free RPG Day Indie RPG Anthology 2023, 9th Level Games – SILVER
    Author: Mark Kennedy, Dustin Blottenberger, KJ Lappin, CJ Lappin, M. Belanger, Rue Dickey, Nat Mesnard, Gabrielle Rabinowitz, Noah Lemelson, H. L. Black, Brigitte Winter, Sylvia Gimenez, Zak Eidsvoog, Ian Rickett, Goat Song Publishing, Helena Real

Best Game

  • Not The End, Mana Project Studio
    Author: Claudio Pustorino, Fabio Airoldi, Claudio Serena
    Art: Pietro Bastas
    Editing: Claudio Serena
    Layout/Design:  Claudio Pustorino
  • Outgunned, Two Little Mice – SILVER
    Authors: Riccardo “Rico” Sirignano, Simone Formicola
    Art: Daniela Giubellini
    Editing: Simone Formicola, John Marron
    Layout/Design: Luca Carbone, Sabrina Ceccon
  • Salvage Union, Leyline Press
    Author: Panayiotis Lines, Aled Lawlor
    Art: Alex Connolly, Hamish Frater, Francesco Silva, Aled Lawlor
    Editing: Jarrett Crader (MRC), Panayiotis Lines
    Layout/Design: Aled Lawlor
  • Shadowdark RPG, The Arcane Library – GOLD
    Author: Kelsey Dionne
    Art : Lucas Korte, Brandish Gilhelm, Jessee Egan, Yuri Perkowski Domingos, Matt Morrow, Matt Ray, Mark Lyons, Abdul Latif
    Layout/Design: Kelsey Dionne

Best Layout and Design

BREAK!! Tabletop RPG, Grey Wizard Press & Naldobean Games
  Grey Wizard, Reynaldo Madriñan

CBR+PNK: Augmented, Mythworks – SILVER
  Emanoel Melo, Raul Rinaldi

Not The End – Corebook, Mana Project Studio
  Claudio Pustorino

Shadowdark RPG, The Arcane Library – GOLD
  Kelsey Dionne

TEETH, Big Robot Ltd
  Marsh Davies

Best Monster/Adversary

Big Bads – Yku, Hit Point Press
  Author: I-Hsien Sherwood
  Art: Thomas Fowler, Lucas Elliott

MONSTROUS, Cloud Curio – GOLD
  Authors: Kyle Latino, Kenny Webb
  Art: Kyle Latino

Runecairn Bestiary, By Odin’s Beard RPG
  Author: Colin Le Sueur
  Art: Goran Gligović, Brandon Yu, Kim Diaz Holm, Felipe Faria, Jeffrey Koch, Dean Spencer, Perplexing Ruins

VR Dead, Space Penguin Ink
  Author: Daniel Hallinan
  Art: MACKLE, Neetols, Ben Guldenhoys, Manos Lagouvardos

Warhammer 40,000 Wrath & Glory Threat Assessment Xenos, Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd – GOLD
  Authors: Christopher Colston, Michael Duxbury, Chris Edwards, Chris Handley, Travis Legge, Ciarán O’Brien, Sven Truckenbrodt
  Art: LJ Koh, Sam Manley, JG O’Donoghue, Stefan ‘Storykillinger’ Ristik, and Michael Savier

Best Online Content

Best Production Values

Best RPG Related Product

Experience Points – The Lost Chapters from Monsters, Aliens, & Holes in the Ground, Exalted Funeral Press
  Authors: Stu Horvath, Ed Coleman

KOBOLD Guide to Roleplaying, Kobold Press – SILVER
  Authors: Keith Ammann, Ginny Di, Clint McElroy, Erin Roberts, Michael E. Shea, Gail Simone, B. Dave Walters, Bryan Camp, Luke Hart, Chris Kluwe, Christopher M. Cevasco, Sage Stafford, Basheer Ghouse, Shanna Germain, Shareff Jackson, Luke Gygax, Rajan Khanna, Curtis C Chen, Sharang Biswas, Scott Lynch, Robert Mason, John Joseph Adams

My Little Kobold Plush, 9th Level Games

RPG Stamps, Weird Works

So You Want to Be a Game Master: Everything You Need to Start Your Tabletop Adventure for Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and Other Systems, Page Street Publishing Co. – GOLD
  Author: Justin Alexander

Best Rules

Action 12 Cinema, Plus D12 Games
  Author: Michael K. Ross

Not The End – Corebook, Mana Project Studio
  Authors: Claudio Pustorino, Fabio Airoldi, Claudio Serena

Pathfinder Player Core, Paizo Inc – SILVER
  Authors: Alexander Augunas, Kate Baker, Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Carlos Cabrera, Calder CaDavid, James Case, Adam Daigle, Eleanor Ferron, Steven Hammond (II), Joan Hong, Vanessa Hoskins, James Jacobs, Jenny Jarzabski, Jason Keeley, Erik Keith, Dustin Knight, Lyz Liddell, Luis Loza, Erik Mona, Patchen Mortimer, Dennis Muldoon, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Mikhail Rekun, David N. Ross, Michael Sayre, Mark Seifter, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Mark Thompson, Clark Valentine, Andrew White, Landon J. Winkler, Linda Zayas-Palmer

Salvage Union, Leyline Press
  Authors: Panayiotis Lines, Aled Lawlor

Shadowdark RPG, The Arcane Library – GOLD
  Author: Kelsey Dionne

Best Setting

Dead Air: Seasons, The World Anvil Publishing
  Authors: Luca Vanin, Federico Scattolin, Enrico Pasotti, Tommaso De Benetti

Heckna! Campaign Book, Hit Point Press
  Authors: Ashley Warren, TR Rowe, Ryan Servis, Jordan Richer, Jay Jackson, Verity Lane

Outcast Silver Raiders Box Set, Esoteric Ludology LLC
  Author: Isaac VanDuyn

Pathfinder Lost Omens: Tian Xia World Guide, Paizo Inc – GOLD
  Authors: Eren Ahn, Jeremy Blum, Alyx Bui, James Case, Banana Chan, Connie Chang, Rick Chia, Hans Chun, Theta Chun, Hiromi Cota, Dana Ebert, Basheer Ghouse, John Godek III, Sen H.H.S., Joan Hong, Michelle Jones, Joshua Kim, Daniel Kwan, Dash Kwiatkowski, Jacky Leung, Jesse J. Leung, Monte Lin, Jessie “Aki” Lo, Luis Loza, Adam Ma, Liane Merciel, Ashley Moni, Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen, Andrew Quon, Danita Rambo, K Arsenault Rivera, Christopher Rondeau, Joaquin Kyle “Makapatag” Saavedra, Kienna Shaw, Philip Shen, Tan Shao Han, Mari Tokuda, Ruvaid Virk, Viditya Voleti, Grady Wang, Emma Yasui, and Jay Zhang

The Valley of Flowers, Phantom Mill Games – SILVER
  Authors: Jedediah Berry, Andrew McAlpine

Best Streaming Content

Best Supplement

ALIEN RPG – Building Better Worlds, Free League Publishing – GOLD
  Authors: Andrew E.C. Gaska, Dave Semark

Corpus Malicious – The Codex of Evil for 5E, Dream Realm Storytellers LTD
  Authors: Alican Develioğlu, Ekin Topanoğlu, İzel Irem Aydin, Bartu Ağca, Barkin Tokalak, Eyüp Emre Erdem

Not The End – Stories, Mana Project Studio
  Authors: Claudio Pustorino, Fabio Airoldi, Claudio Serena, Andrea Felicioni, Andrea Buzzi, Chiara Listo, Giuseppe Vitale, Andrea Rossi, Andrea Lucca, Alessandro Savino, Luca Carbone, Edoardo Cremaschi, Roberto de Luca, Alice Luidelli, Genitori de Ruolo, Dario Lazzari, Enrico Pasotti, Tommaso de Benetti, Martu Palavrini

The Griffon’s Saddlebag – Book Two, Hit Point Press – SILVER
  Authors: Griffin Macaulay, Willow Christensen

This and That Collection, Sneak Attack Press
  Authors: Matthew J. Hanson, William Fischer

Best Writing

Call of Cthulhu: Alone Against the Static, Chaosium Inc. – GOLD
  Author: B.W. Holland
  Editing: James Coquillat & Mike Mason

Cloud Empress: Land of Cicadas, worlds by watt – SILVER
  Author: watt
  Editing: Roz Leahy

Kobolds Ate My Baby – The Orange Book, 9th Level Games
  Authors: Chris O’Neill, Bug Boll, Jon Maness
  Editing: Heather O’Neill, Adriel Wilson

Koriko: A Magical Year, Mousehole Press
  Author: Jack Harrison
  Editing: Neil Kingham

Musketeers Vs Cthulhu, Nightfall Games
  Authors: Bill Heron, Benn Graybeaton, Mark Rapson, Chris McAuley, Claudia Christian
  Editing: Benn Graybeaton

Product of the Year

Gen Con 2024: Magic: The Gathering Celebrates 50 Years of Dungeons & Dragons with Five Secret Lair Drops

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During Gen Con 2024, Magic: The Gathering announced Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons, a series of five limited edition drops celebrating 50 years of the iconic fantasy tabletop role-playing game, beloved by more than 64 million fans worldwide.

The Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons 50th Anniversary Superdrop will be on sale starting Tuesday, August 27, 2024 while supplies last. These limited drops represent five decades of Dungeons & Dragons, showcasing legendary characters such as the vampire rogue Astarion, the battle-hardened Karlach, and the always watching Beholder.

  • Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons: An Exhibition of Adventure 
  • Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons: Astarion’s Thirst 
  • Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons: Karlach’s Rage 
  • Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons: Death is in the Eyes of the Beholder I 
  • Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons: Death is in the Eyes of the Beholder II 

Each drop is priced at $29.99. A Foil Edition of each drop will also be available at $39.99 each. The drops will be available on MagicSecretLair.com and D&D Beyond Marketplace later this month.

Gen Con 2024: Paizo Announces Upcoming Projects in its Gen Con 2024 Keynote

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As the doors opened in Indianapolis for Gen Con 2024, Paizo Inc. broadcasted a Keynote Address on their official Twitch channel, welcoming attendees to the show. Paizo Publisher and CCO Erik Mona handed the Keynote off to the Pathfinder and Starfinder developer teams for a series of project updates and announcements.

Starfinder Second Edition

The Starfinder Second Edition Playtest launched today with the release of the Starfinder Second Edition Playtest Rulebook, Starfinder Playtest Adventure: A Cosmic Birthday, and Starfinder Playtest Scenarios 1 & 2: Shards of the Glass Planet and It Came From The Vast! The Starfinder Second Edition Playtest runs from August 1st through December 31st. Players and GMs alike are encouraged to test out 6 classes, 10 ancestries, magic items, spells, feats and more; feedback can be submitted via the surveys on starfinderplaytest.com!

During their segment of the Keynote, Thurston Hillman (Associate Publisher) and Jenny Jarzabski (Starfinder Senior Developer) announced another upcoming playtest—the class playtest for mechanic and technomancer.  These classes will be playtesting in early 2025. Finally, Jenny and Thurston gave a glimpse at the first product coming for Starfinder Second Edition: Starfinder Galaxy Guide. This setting book, coming May 2025, gives an overview of many planets in the Starfinder setting to prepare GMs and players for the full release of Starfinder Second Edition at Gen Con 2025.

Pathfinder War of Immortals Meta Event

Michael Sayre (Director of Rules & Lore) kicked off a series of segments about the upcoming War of Immortals Meta Event. Pathfinder War of Immortals, an upcoming rulebook featuring two new classes, releases October 2024. This book also features mythic rules, archetypes inspired by myths and legends, and mythic monsters for heroes to face.

James Jacobs (Creative Director, Narrative) gave an overview of the adventures and Adventure Paths that crossover with War of Immortals. Releasing at Gen Con, Pathfinder Adventure: Prey for Death is a deluxe hardcover adventure that places players at the center of the inciting incident as Red Mantis Assassins. Another Gen Con release, Pathfinder Adventure Path #204: Stage Fright (Curtain Call 1 of 3) kicks off the Curtain Call Adventure Path—where the Godsrain interrupts opening night of the players’ heroic opera! Finally, the Triumph of the Tusk Adventure Path, starting in October 2024, picks up in the aftermath of the War of Immortals as player characters are called to aid the orcs of Belkzen.

Luis Loza (Creative Director, Rules and Lore) previewed the upcoming setting book Pathfinder Lost Omens: Divine Mysteries. This book remasters all of the previous divine content in Pathfinder Lost Omens: Gods & Magic, as well as expanding on prior articles, adding new gods to the Golarion pantheon, and offering new divine and occult archetypes for characters. Divine Mysteries releases November 2024.

Finally, Mark Moreland (Director of Brand Strategy) gave a glimpse between the pages of Godsrain: A Pathfinder Novel. This hardcover novel by Liane Merciel marks a return to Pathfinder fiction after nearly a decade. Following four iconics—Kyra, Merisiel, Ezren, and Amiri—as they attempt to stop a spawn of Rovagug from freeing the Great Destroyer from his divine prison. Godsrain: A Pathfinder Novel releases November 2024.

Pathfinder Lost Omens: Tian Xia

Project leads James Case (Pathfinder Lead Developer) and Eleanor Ferron (Pathfinder Senior Developer) gave an overview of the previously released (and ENnie Award nominated) Pathfinder Lost Omens: Tian Xia World Guide before diving into the upcoming Pathfinder Lost Omens: Tian Xia Character Guide. The Tian Xia Character Guide introduces six new ancestries, several new heritages and versatile heritages, archetypes, and more inspired by Asian fantasy, folklore, and culture.

Pathfinder Product Announcements

James Jacobs returned to announce several products coming up in the Narrative line for Pathfinder. Pathfinder Adventure: Claws of the Tyrant is a hardcover compilation of three adventures—one low level, one mid-level, and one high level—all tied to the Gravelands and Tar-Baphon, the Whispering Tyrant. The first Adventure Path of 2025 is Spore War, a high-level adventure path that sets players up for a conflict with Treerazor, the “boss monster” of Pathfinder Monster Core. And finally, the next Adventure Path, starting in Spring 2025, is Shades of Blood, an action-packed Adventure Path centering on vampires in Azlant trying to block out the sun.

Landon Winkler (Pathfinder Developer) announced the first Pathfinder Lost Omens setting book of 2025—Pathfinder Lost Omens: Rival Academies. Rival Academies brings together representatives from schools across Golarion in a World’s Fair-style festival of magic, science, and invention.

Pathfinder Quest

To close the Keynote, Jason Bulmahn (Director of Games) gave an update on Pathfinder Quest. Pathfinder Quest, a cooperative dungeon crawling board game for 1-4 players, will be crowdfunding on Backerkit in Spring 2025. This date was pushed back from Fall 2024 to ensure that Pathfinder Quest is the best it can be–complete with custom molded miniatures, map tiles, and more.

Paizo Inc. can be found at Booth 203 and the Sagamore Ballroom at Gen Con Indy. They are also presenting several panels and a live show at the event.

Gen Con 2024: Might Boards releases Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan

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Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan releases at Gen Con

Mighty Boards is heading to Gen Con 2024 and can be found at booth #2865 in Entrepreneurs’ Avenue.

Mighty Boards is a publishing studio from a small Mediterranean Island called Malta. They are known for Art Society, Vengeance, Petrichor, Hamlet: The Village Building Game, Posthuman Saga, Excavation Earth, and more!

Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan releases at Gen Con

A most anticipated game of 2024, Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (by Gordon Calleja) will be available to play and buy at Gen Con! This new action-packed narrative adventure campaign game for 1-4 players was a big success at UK Games Expo and has started fulfilling to backers.

Rebirth: Limited Edition available to demo

This new Reiner Knizia title for 2-4 players gathered 7300+ backers last month! Set in a lush and hopeful future Scotland (& Ireland), it’s your task as clan leaders to rebuild the land anew, one tile at a time. The game will be available to demo at Gen Con.

Art Society back in stock

One of the top 10 releases of last year  – Art Society (by Mitch Wallace) is now back in stock! You can play and buy the game at Gen Con and pick up some of those most wanted Art Society promo tiles…

Pre-order now with FREE Gen Con pick-up

You can now pre-order Fateforge and Art Society with FREE Gen Con pick-up and we have a little extra treat ready for you: the first 50 people to pre-order or buy Fateforge at Gen Con get a free map of Kaan! Simply order the game(s) on their webstore and select the Gen Con pick-up option, and you’ll be able to pick up the game at their Gen Con booth (2865). On top of that they have some exciting goodies ready for anyone who comes to say hi at the booth!

Gen Con 2024: Rollacrit brings its Legendary Bag of Holding and Heroes of Barcadia and a Heroes for Hire Sneak Preview

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Bag of Holding

Rollacrit is returning to Gen Con, August 1st through the 4th at the Indiana Convention Center, in a big way with BOTH the legendary Bag of Holding (and its individual accessories such as straps, zipper charms, etc.) and the Heroes of Barcadia tabletop game (with its unique Liquid-Life System gameplay) for purchase at the Rollacrit booth #3027. These were both launched through Kickstarter campaigns that were fully backed within hours, with each bringing in over $1 million in pledges.

Rollacrit’s Bag of Holding is a game-changer for tabletop enthusiasts. This innovative accessory combines functionality and style, offering gamers a spacious and durable bag to carry their precious gaming gear. It is the ultimate solution for organizing and protecting gaming essentials whether it’s dice, rulebooks, miniatures, or cards. For those more interested in tabletop gameplay, Rollacrit’s Heroes of Barcadia will also be available for purchase. This cooperative adventure board uses the first-ever Liquid Life System TM and takes players on a quest to retrieve a special treasure from the Grand Drink Guardian. With stunning artwork, immersive storytelling, and strategic gameplay, Heroes of Barcadia is an entertaining addition to any gaming collection. Gen Con attendees will have the opportunity to demo the game, experience its captivating gameplay firsthand and purchase it at the event.

But that’s not all! Rollacrit has a few surprises up their sleeves for Gen Con attendees. They will be offering a special sneak preview of their upcoming projects, giving gamers an exclusive glimpse into what the future holds for the company. Tabletop gaming fans will be able to sign up at the Rollacrit booth to be notified when the next adventure, Heroes of Barcadia: Heroes for Hire, launches on Kickstarter this September, featuring new heroes, new power-ups and new chaotic effects. Gaming enthusiasts can even play a demo at the Rollacrit booth, Double Exposure Demo Table, and at a special event at Nevermore Union Station (more details below). Rollacrit has partnered with Voodoo Ranger IPA (the flagship beer from New Belgium) to launch the first Hero for Hire character cup at the show. 

When you purchase it at the Rollacrit booth you will receive a free wooden drink token good for one Voodoo Ranger beer at Nevermore Union Station (must be 21+ years old). Those who sign up to get notified when the Kickstarter goes live and back Heroes for Hire will receive a free Kickstarter Exclusive “Die of Barcane Chaos Power-Up Card” after it is fully funded. And those visiting the Rollacrit booth will also be able to receive a free convention-exclusive Con Crud Monster Tile for Heroes of Barcadia

Rollacrit is bringing an onslaught of special exclusives, events and more to this year’s Gen Con. To make your Gen Con experience even more memorable, Rollacrit has prepared some fantastic specials and exclusive giveaways at the Rollacrit Booth. For the ultimate Heroes of Barcadia fan, Rollacrit has the Hangogre Bundle (at Gen Con, in person only), featuring EVERYTHING Heroes of Barcadia (excluding the Voodoo Ranger Heroes for Hire Cup) at a special price of $215 (valued at $263). Supplies will be limited, so fans will need to take advantage of this incredible offer. Gaming fans can also snag a Heroes of Barcadia Ribbon by demoing the game at the Rollacrit booth, Double Exposure Demo Table, and Nevermore! These are just some of the specials and activations available at the Rollacrit booth. 

In addition, Rollacrit will be offering the “Bag of Holding Bundle” – purchase the bag, shoulder pad, badge wallet, tech pouch and Velcro strap to get a free strap and zipper charm set. Plus, fans can get a free Rollacrit Merit Badge with any Bag of Holding Velcro Merit Badge Strap (just show the Rollacrit booth personnel your bag or purchase a bag at the show). Fans can also get a Gen Con Merit Badge at the Gen Con booth. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to fully equip yourself with all the essential accessories and score some free extras while you’re at it!

But the fun and special offers go beyond the Rollacrit booth. In association with Hunters Entertainment and Voodoo Ranger, gamers can take a short five-minute walk from the convention center to the Nevermore Union Station, a fantastic bar where the Heroes of Barcadia adventure continues. Nevermore is the perfect spot to relax, indulge in delicious food and drinks, and demo Heroes of Barcadia. 

As with previous years, Rollacrit is also back again as the official merchandise partner for Gen Con 2024. Celebrate this year’s epic event with over 40+ new exclusive Gen Con products — everything from quality apparel to collectibles, gaming accessories and so much more. You’ll find this horde of all-new collectible merchandise at the Gen Con Store in the Wabash Lobby and online exclusives at Rollacrit.com.

Gen Con 2024: Discover the “phygital TCG” game, Altered

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Altered

Altered is a groundbreaking game of exploration, positivity, and strategy for players of all ages from Equinox. Founded by Régis Bonnessée (creator of Dixit and Mysterium) and part of the Asmodee collective, Altered uses innovative “phygital” technology to blend the tactile enjoyment of traditional card games with the immersive experience of digital gameplay. 

Altered will have a significant presence at Gen Con 2024 with the following activities:

  • Exhibit Booth: Featuring four demo tables (4 players each) where attendees can experience the game and receive promo cards.
  • Organized Play Booth: Accommodating 64 players, hosting tournaments and demos throughout the event.
  • Community Engagement: The Community Manager (CM) will be roaming around Gen Con in cosplay, giving away 100 exclusive playmats through a social media treasure hunt. Follow the channels for clues, find the CM, answer a question, and win a playmat!

You can find them in the Exhibit Hall, Booth #1109.

Altered launched a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign that raised $6.7 million, capturing the community’s imagination with its unique gameplay. Unlike traditional card games, Altered focuses on exploration, positivity, and strategy. The game’s “phygital” technology seamlessly integrates physical cards with digital counterparts, revolutionizing the TCG space by allowing players to unlock exclusive content, track progress, and engage in online competition.

Attendees at Gen Con will have the unique opportunity to demo the game and explore its innovative features ahead of its official release on September 13, 2024. Engage with the creative vision and transformative gameplay that has already captivated a global audience!

Gen Con 2024: Darrington Press announces Quarter Past, a Queen by Midnight Standalone Expansion

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Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past

Just when you thought the crown was yours……Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past is set to release on November 13th!

Darrington Press has announced this immersive expansion to its beloved battle royale deck-building game Queen by Midnight. With 4 new Princesses entering the fray, new Bazaar cards, and an easy to assemble Clock Board, battle for the crown 1-on-1 or with up to 4 players. Poised to be a fresh experience for those already enjoying the game as well as newcomers, play Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past as a standalone game, or pair it with the original game to battle the first 6 Princesses.

Plus, US Darrington Press Guild stores will have beautiful foil promo cards of the new Princess Ultimate Cards to receive with purchases while supplies last. 

Darrington will have prototype copies to show off at Gen Con by its games in Hall D!

Gen Con 2024: Kosmos launches The Gang and more tabletop games!

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Kosmos is heading to Gen Con 2024. Attendees will be the first in the world to get their hands on the innovative cooperative poker game, The Gang, and the first in North America to purchase several other highly sought-after games, including the first two releases in a new crime-solving (and crime-committing) storytelling series, “Masters of Crime;” the 3D strategy game Nunatak; the cooperative party game Belratti; and the highly acclaimed children’s memory and dexterity game, Dodo. These games and many others from Kosmos’ prestigious line will be available at the Kosmos booth, #2619, from August 1-4.

High on many “most anticipated games at Gen Con” lists, The Gang puts a cooperative spin on the classic poker variant, Texas Hold’em. Despite limited communication, players must work together to rank their hands from weakest to strongest to open a bank vault. If unsuccessful, you trigger an alarm. To win, your “gang” of players must crack three vaults without tripping the alarm three times. Kosmos will also have a mini-expansion, which includes Joker cards and additional variants, free with purchase of the game.

The Gang

For fans of story-based mystery games that put players in the driver’s seat to determine the outcome, the “Masters of Crime” series is a must-have. Four unique titles will be released this year and the first two, Vendetta and Shadows, will be on sale at the show. In this series, players act as the anti-hero, stepping into the shoes of criminal masterminds as they sift through evidence, unearth clues, and solve puzzles to get to the bottom of shady activities to stay on top in a world of corruption. Interactive gameplay integrates real-world resources like Google Maps, phone numbers, websites, and more for a truly immersive mystery-gaming experience.

Additional North American debuts include:

  • Nunatak: Compete to become the supreme ice builder in this strategic game where players gather resources and place ice blocks to build an ice temple for the gods.
Nunatak
  • Belratti: A cooperative art-themed party game where players work together to prevent the infamous art forger Belratti from sneaking fake paintings into their gallery.
Belratti
  • Dodo: A fun and engaging memory and dexterity game for kids, players work together to help a wobbly egg navigate its way down a mountain by building bridges.
Dodo

Of course, the Kosmos booth would not be complete without the latest in its award-winning EXIT: The Game series of at-home escape room games. All four 2024 additions (The Magical Academy, The Hunt Through Amsterdam, Prison Break, and an EXIT Kids title, Riddles in Monsterville) will be for sale in the booth, along with over 30 previous EXIT releases and EXIT Advent calendars. Attendees can prepare for their Gen Con EXIT purchases with the EXIT checklist: make a note of which games you’ve played ahead of time to know what to buy at the show!

All games in the Kosmos booth, #2619, are 10% off at the show, while supplies last. Fans can also take advantage of this discount all weekend long on the Thames & Kosmos website, www.thamesandkosmos.com, using promo code GENCON2024 at checkout.

Gen Con 2024: Get a First Glimpse of What FanRoll has in Store for D&D Fans

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Two years ago, the new owners of FanRoll had a vision to transform the company, formerly known as
Metallic Dice Games, into the pop culture hub of the tabletop space. In a short time, the company has rebranded, introduced dozens of new innovative gaming accessories to the market, and signed licensed agreements with major brands, such as Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). From August 1-4, FanRoll will unveil its new line of D&D 50th anniversary collector products at Gen Con, held at the Indianapolis Convention Center.

In the 1970s, Dr. Eric Holmes released the first set of Dungeons & Dragons dice, igniting the imagination of a generation and setting the standard for tabletop gaming. In honor of the 50th anniversary of D&D, FanRoll is introducing three “love letters” in the form of dice, inspired by the original Holmes set. These special edition dice sets are designed to capture the nostalgic essence of the early days of tabletop gaming while incorporating modern design and quality. Each set features intricate details and a timeless aesthetic that pays homage to the game’s rich history and its impact on popular culture.

The Retro Holmes Replica Set will be available for those who want to recapture the magic of the original set from the 1970s—FanRoll has meticulously reproduced it to be as close as possible to the original. This set includes a crayon for coloring in the unpainted numbers, just like the classic version, and comes in a case featuring artwork from the original game.

FanRoll is also introducing a Modern Holmes Inspired Set, which reimagines the classic design with contemporary materials and aesthetics. For distinguished collectors, a limited-edition Then-and-Now Combo Set combines the Retro and Modern sets in a premium collector’s box, highlighting the evolution of D&D dice over the past 50 years and upgrades the modern set with hand polished sharp edge dice.

FanRoll will be at booth numbers 643, 1543, and 2600 at Gen Con, August 1 – 4 at the Indianapolis Convention Center.

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