INDIANAPOLIS (July 29, 2024) — Gen Con, the largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention in North America, returns to Indianapolis on August 1-4 for a sold-out show and a projection of record attendance.
The annual event, held in Indy since 2003, brings tens of thousands of gamers and fans from around the world to the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium for four days of gaming, shopping, cosplaying, and enjoying the best of local food, beverage, and Hoosier hospitality.
"We are beyond thrilled to be hosting Gen Con 2024, a monumental celebration of gaming history, with a special focus on Dungeons & Dragons, a cornerstone of our industry,” stated David Hoppe, President of Gen Con. “This year, we are not just celebrating games; we're honoring the legacy and the incredible community that has grown around these adventures. From the open-air excitement at our Block Party to the immersive experiences inside the convention center, every element of Gen Con 2024 is a tribute to the pioneering spirit of gaming. We can't wait for everyone to join us in this unprecedented celebration."
The convention features an exhibit hall with over 500 vendors selling new and popular games, merchandise, costumes, art, books, and more. Over 20,000 ticketed events are planned, including gaming sessions and tournaments, comedy, film, entertainment, writing and crafting workshops, and the fan-favorite Costume Contest and Parade.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of globally popular tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons, and Gen Con is celebrating the occasion with a slate of special programming that offers 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, is exhibiting at Gen Con with several events and activations, including live play events, a special tournament, and a preview of the game's future with the release of the hotly anticipated 2024 Player's Handbook. To further commemorate the game's place in pop culture history, the USPS will be revealing and selling D&D stamps on site at Gen Con.
Outside of the convention center on South Street, Gen Con's outdoor, open-to-the-public Block Party activation is expanding, with dozens of local food trucks set up alongside Gen Con's local food and beverage partners Sun King Brewery, HotBox Pizza, Daniels' Vineyard, Helm Coffee, Social Cantina, and Harry & Izzy's.
The Gen Con Makers Market returns for its second year, featuring over 20 local Indy artisans, crafters, creators, and vendors in a vibrant bazaar shopping experience.
For Gen Con's annual charity program, the convention has partnered with two nonprofit organizations that will split the proceeds of fundraising programs held during the convention: the Rose Gauntlet Foundation, which provides access to education and resources for individuals who wish to pursue a career in the tabletop gaming industry and hosts the BIPOC Lounge at Gen Con, and Tangram, an Indiana-based organization which provides disability services, programming, and care.
Gen Con's organizers have worked with Tangram throughout the past year on accessibility enhancements for the convention, including wider aisles and walkways, on-site scooter and wheelchair rentals, enhanced signage and wayfinding, and ASL interpreters at major events like Opening Ceremonies and the Costume Contest.
Gen Con is North America's largest and longest-running annual event devoted to tabletop gaming culture. The convention, which began in 1968 in Lake Geneva, WI, takes place each summer in Indianapolis, IN. During the convention, attendees shop and demo games from hundreds of exhibiting companies and choose from thousands of ticketed events representing a wide array of board games, card games, roleplaying games, seminars, entertainment events, and more.
Gen Con Logos and Brand Kit: gencon.com/press/brand-resources
Photographs of Gen Con Indy 2023: https://bit.ly/genconindy2023media
Media Contact for Gen Con: Stacia Kirby, (206) 363-1492, [email protected].