INDIANAPOLIS — After the pandemic meant game over for Gen Con in 2020, it's getting an extra roll of the dice this year.
The four day gaming extravaganza will take place in Indianapolis, online and at pop-up locations at local game stores. It is being postponed to Sept. 16-19.
The Indianapolis convention will have reduced capacity and that's why there is the big push to a hybrid convention model.
A statement on the Gen Con site reads in part:
"By offering a flexible range of opportunities to participate, we hope to safely include the largest number of people in the Gen Con experience this year and adapt to conditions as they are in September."
There will still be in-person gaming, but the scope and scale will be limited.
Gen Con is not yet announcing dates for badge, hotel and event registration. The four days of Gen Con usually generate millions of dollars for Indianapolis and businesses.
How the hybrid schedule works
Gen Con Indy
“The Best Four Days in Gaming™,” with capped attendance and enhanced health and safety measures.
- Smaller attendance numbers to comply with public health mandates and enable safer-attendance procedures.
- Potential combinations of social distancing, mask wearing, and vaccination requirements as determined by public health guidelines.
Gen Con Online
Concurrent with the convention in Indianapolis, a virtual offering of livestreaming, remote/virtual gaming and events, and community on Discord.
Pop-Up Gen Con
During Gen Con weekend, Pop-Up Gen Con activates participating Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS).
- FLGS adapt their event to local health and safety conditions and requirements, determining how to structure participation in their community.
- Publishers’ games available to stores for demos, events (where allowed), and purchase.
If a person currently has a badge for this year's Gen Con and cannot attend, they'll have three options after emailing customerservice@gencon.com:
- Your badge can be rolled over to our 2022 convention with a price-lock guarantee.
- Your badge can be converted to system credit that can be used for any future badge or event ticket purchase on gencon.com (does not expire).
- Your badge can be refunded to your original purchase method (minus a 5% processing fee).