Games' Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Players, Pawns, and Power-Ups

34. Conventions: Gamer Paradise

261 34 Conventions: Gamer Paradise Like any subculture, gamers like to be among their own kind every once in a while. Conventions are where this happens, sometimes on a massive scale. And you might think nongamers look down their nose at these gatherings, but the exact opposite is true. Gaming (and “geek”) conventions offer an incredible visual stimulus, as well as a huge economic shot in the arm for the hosting city. The following are some of the most popular and well-known conventions. Thousands of gamers and comic fans clog the entryway to the New York Comic Con. Erin McCann 262 Games’ Most Wanted™ 1. GEN CON The granddaddy of all tabletop gaming conventions, Gen Con is the largest North American convention catering to the role-playing, miniature, war gaming, and live-action roleplaying game crowd. The con began in 1968 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, with miniature war gaming. Its founder was none other than Gary Gygax, future cocreator of Dungeons & Dragons. Con attendance grew steadily, forcing it to move to various locations , before settling in Milwaukee for many years. Continued growth caused Gen Con to outgrow that city and move to its current home in Indianapolis. While games of all sorts abound, the primary focus of the con is on the wide variety of role-playing games available . Vendors line the massive Exhibitor’s Hall, while tournaments for role-playing, collectible card, and miniatures games abound. The con also features an animé expo, costume contest, and a growing list of activities for “the better half.” These activities are for the partners of the attending gamer who many have no interest in games whatsoever. One of the most interesting and popular attractions at Gen Con is the True Dungeon. Similar to live-action roleplay , this event places the players in a simulated dungeon environment, where they must use their own wits to solve various puzzles, search for clues, and even fight monsters. The experience has improved year to year, with ever more sophisticated special effects. Tickets for the event sell out within hours after going on sale. 2. BLIZZCON A bit different than a standard games convention, BlizzCon is put on by Blizzard Entertainment specifically to celebrate and showcase their very popular properties of World of Warcraft , StarCraft, and Diablo. A young con, starting only in 2005, BlizzCon has become incredibly popular, with close to thirty thousand fans shelling out $150 or more for a chance to meet developers, beta test Conventions: Gamer Paradise 263 new offerings, play in tournaments, enter contests, purchase one-of-a-kind merchandise, participate in (or view) costume contests, or get special and exclusive goodies for their favorite games. The two-day event almost always concludes with a concert , usually led by some well known names in the music business . The Offspring, Ozzy Osborne, and the rock-comedy group Tenacious D, with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl playing the drums, have all performed at BlizzCon. While it may seem strange to have a convention based around the games of a single company, it’s important to remember that World of Warcraft is the most popular MMORPG in terms of paid subscribers, with over twelve million paying fans worldwide. Demand for coverage of the con has been so great that DirectTV provides a pay per view option. A pay per view live Internet stream has also been offered. 3. GAMESCOM The largest game convention in Europe, with over a quarter -million people going through its gates, Gamescom is held in Cologne Trade Fair Center in Cologne, Germany. This con features over five hundred exhibitors representing over thirty countries. Though games are the major attraction here, there is a lot more Gamescom has to offer. Billing itself as a presentation of interactive entertainment, Gamescom also features live performances, a bicycle motocross (BMX) show, a freestyle soccer show (a unique combination of acrobatics and ball control), retro gaming, and various parties. With so many gamers taking over the city of Cologne, and thus overwhelming the housing industry there, Gamescom also makes available a huge campground at the center, allowing guests to not only stay nearby but stay within a budget as well. The city takes every advantage it can during the run of the convention, running a parallel festival designed to attract those who are close to overdosing on games. This festival 264 Games’ Most Wanted™ consists of numerous popular musical acts as well as...