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The Almighty Buck Entertainment Games

Gen Con Files For Chapter 11 120

Heartless Gamer writes to tell us that Gen Con LLC announced late last week that they have filed for Chapter 11. This move will not affect the still profitable Gen Con Indy event which will still happen August 14-17, 2008. "This action became necessary as a result of significant unforeseen expenses associated with attempts to expand its core business to encompass externally licensed events. [...] The protections afforded by Chapter 11 will allow Gen Con to further its efforts to address its liquidity needs, preserve value for its creditors and explore strategic alternatives for the business." Evan writes to add that this is the result of LucasFilm suing GenCon.
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Gen Con Files For Chapter 11

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  • Just FYI, this filing is a direct result of Lucasfilm suing Gen Con for a lot of deception regarding "Celebration IV" that occurred last year.

    As taken from this story on TheForce.net [theforce.net], here is a summation of the charges:

    1. Gen Con failed to uphold its legal obligations in terms of financial reporting, accounting and payments to Lucasfilm ($500,000 in damages)
    2. Gen Con did not give auction proceeds to Make-A-Wish as they had agreed to do ($150,000 in damages)
    3. Gen Con did not give Lucasfilm their share of the auction proceeds ($150,000 in damages)
    4. Gen Con did this all unjustly ($150,000 in damages)"
    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by poetmatt ( 793785 )
      FYI,

      Its a "to be determined 500k" meaning they don't know that it's accurate. I don't know what Gencon did/didn't do, but bankruptcy stays any legal matters....therefore, until they get out of bankruptcy (or judge allows the case to move forward), Gencon gets a get out of jail free (temporarily).
    • by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 18, 2008 @06:07PM (#22468238)
      I'm making a note here... HUGE SUCCESS!
    • by Otter ( 3800 ) on Monday February 18, 2008 @06:15PM (#22468296) Journal
      2. Gen Con did not give auction proceeds to Make-A-Wish as they had agreed to do ($150,000 in damages)

      If true, which may well not be the case, that's got to have a pretty big load of bad karma attached to it...

    • by Macgrrl ( 762836 )

      So, superficially this looks like a case of Hollywood accounting:

      • GenCon ran an auction
      • The agreement was that the proceeds would be split between Lucasfilm and the Make-a-Wish Foundation
      • Lucasflim is disatisfied with the statement of earnings from the auction and believe the proceeds were greater than reported by GenCon
      • Lucasfilm is suing saying - "come on, we all know you made more than that - cough it up"

      My questions would be: What split was LucasFilm expecting? What costs could be legitimately deduct

    • Sure, sure, what else would Obi Wan Kenobi say? I call bias!

      (kidding!)
    • by MsGeek ( 162936 )
      Gen Con didn't just screw Make A Wish, they screwed the fans at Celebration IV. To give an example: they produced an insufficient amount of certain collectables that were supposed to be sold there, and then allowed DEALERS to buy what little they had produced. If you wanted an embroidered C-IV patch, they were made of unobtainium at the event itself. And now, I checked on eBay, and guess what? Look up item # 150215899090 and you will see the upshot of that policy.

      I am looking forward to C-V. The Los Angeles
  • d20 (Score:5, Funny)

    by Webs 101 ( 798265 ) on Monday February 18, 2008 @05:44PM (#22467986) Homepage
    I guess Gen Con failed the saving throw.
  • Anyone else hope (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Moryath ( 553296 ) on Monday February 18, 2008 @05:51PM (#22468068)
    that this might, JUST might, get them to move GenCon back to Milwaukee where it belongs?

    I mean, seriously - they bitched and moaned about "not enough hotel space" being the prime factor when by moving it just one weekend later they WOULDN'T HAVE TO COMPETE FOR HOTEL SPACE WITH FUCKING WISCONSIN STATE FAIR.

    Then the very next year at GenCon Indy - "not enough space in the dealers' room, we're growing out of all the hotel space we can find in Indy..." bah.

    Move it back to Milwaukee where it belongs. I miss taking my buddies to The Safehouse.
    • amen to that.
      I've never even been to the Indy GenCon. I don't go to Indy.
      Milwaukee is a hole, but I would go to another GenCon or two there.
      I haven't used my safe house card in many moons.
    • Re:Anyone else hope (Score:5, Informative)

      by Peter Mork ( 951443 ) <Peter.Mork@gmail.com> on Monday February 18, 2008 @06:36PM (#22468460) Homepage
      As much as I love The Safehouse and its back door, you do realize that GenCon is called GenCon because it belongs in Lake Geneva, right? I fondly remember MECCA as much as the next guy, but to equate that location with GenCon denies the history of the event.
      • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

        by isomeme ( 177414 )
        Sometime around 1975, when I was about 13 years old, we were planning to visit my grandparents near Milwaukee one summer when I realized that the fabled GenCon would happen right in the middle of our visit. I managed to work out a ride to Lake Geneva for one day, a glorious day which still lives in my memory as THE GEEKIEST DAY EVAR. I won a copy of the SPI game StarForce in a raffle within moments of arriving, and it just got better from there.

        So, yes: For some of us, Lake Geneva will always be the true
    • I really hope so. (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Viewsonic ( 584922 )
      The Milwaukee GenCons were a thing of legend. It blew my mind when they were moving it. If I were a spiteful person, I might be happy about this news. But I'd rather they just come back home. Where they belong.
    • In this economy (wake me up when I have a steady job) I can maybe go on Saturday, and I won't really have much advance notice. So a six hour drive each way, and they want half the full conference fee just for the privilege of going to the dealer area for one day...er, make that one afternoon. Fsck that!
    • by a42 ( 136563 )
      Gen Con belongs in Milwaukee? Bzzt.

      I've been to 10 Gen Cons, 5 in Milwaukee and 5 in Indy. Indy wins in every respect. Better hotel access, better convention area, better restaurants. The businesses surrounding the convention center go way out of their way to make attendees feel welcome. (Yes, it's totally self serving, but the businesses in Milwaukee didn't bother.)

      Oh yeah. And Indy doesn't roll up the streets at 5pm. It's nice to get be able to find something to eat and/or drink after a long day of gaming
    • Milwaukee? You mean Greyhawk.
    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by kria ( 126207 )
      Um, GenCon Indy is the thing that keeps the rest of GenCon's failures running. It's been hugely successful in Indy, and from what I understand the locals are much friendlier. I can't attest to friendlier, having never attended elsewhere, but I can definitely say they are friendly. Restaurants tuning tvs usually on sports channels to sci-fi channel and decorating with old hall banners, special pins over at Hard Rock, that kind of thing. I had heard that things were somewhat less amicable in the old locat
    • Ya know, me an' my buddy were just a sayin', ya know, whatever happen ta GenCon? An' he was like, oh, geez, well I tink they went southa here, ya know, not Chicaaago, but Indiaaana. An I was like, wha? Wha the heck dey go to Indiana fur? Oh geez. Nothin' down der but ... well, cornfields, an de Indy five huntert. Shucks. I dunno why da heck dey'd leave Wisconsin!

      And in other news, my bid for the Milwaukee County Board [wordpress.com] may wrap up today on primary day. We'll see. :D
  • This has been seen coming for a while. GenCon SoCal failed a few years ago, and the mega-convention scene is becoming larger. GenCon doesn't quite have the exclusive draws it used to have. Let's hope we see a refocus on becoming a destination for all gamers.
  • If it's true (Score:5, Interesting)

    by rossz ( 67331 ) <(ogre) (at) (geekbiker.net)> on Monday February 18, 2008 @06:16PM (#22468302) Journal
    If what LucasFilm says of GenCon, then they need to be crushed. Stealing money from dying children? It would be very difficult to do something more scummy.
    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by drinkypoo ( 153816 )
      I'm sure that perception is what LucasFilm is counting on. But is it true? Does anyone know anything about this?
    • while representine GenCon

      "maybe the kids wanted to be robbed....maybe that was their wish..."

      no idea why that image popped into my mind.
    • Interesting take and some blatant BS.

      BS first...Reneging on a (n alleged) promise to donate to charity is not stealing. Putting your hand in the cookie jar and taking a wad of cash out without permission would be.

      And the interesting part...So GenCon is expected donate their proceeds to charity while Lucas gets to keep his...
      • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Interesting take and some blatant BS.

        BS first...Reneging on a (n alleged) promise to donate to charity is not stealing. Putting your hand in the cookie jar and taking a wad of cash out without permission would be.

        And the interesting part...So GenCon is expected donate their proceeds to charity while Lucas gets to keep his...

        Yeah, reneging on a promise to donate earnings to charity is not technially stealing...but it is every bit as immoral. And just as illegal.

        No they didn't put their hand in the cookie ja

        • Yeah, reneging on a promise to donate earnings to charity is not technially stealing...but it is every bit as immoral. And just as illegal.

          No, it is not as immoral, and it is not as illegal. Stealing from someone is worse, legally and morally, than breaking a promise to give.

          Also keep in mind that you don't know all the details. I'm sure LucasArts is trying to make GenCon look worse than they really are, so that they can win the lawsuit. The claims may not be outright fabrications, but they could e
  • Oblig: (Score:2, Funny)

    by San-LC ( 1104027 )
    Gen Con LLC: You will not find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.
    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      regardless of the ends, Bigby's Crushing Litigation is a fearsome and evil magic.
  • To my boycott list.
    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Fulminata ( 999320 )
      Why? GenCon has had ten months to uphold their part of a deal which included donating proceeds to charity. If they haven't done so by now, then I'd say that legal action was the appropriate course for Lucasfilm to take.

      Just because I might like going to GenCon doesn't change that.
      • by nurb432 ( 527695 )
        Why? Well, for starters i don't believe in IP rights.
        • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

          by Anonymous Coward
          Why? Well, for starters i don't believe in IP rights.

          Er... what?

          Lucasfilms shouldn't sue GenCon LLC for allegedly not turning over money specifically raised for certain causes at auction because you don't believe in IP rights?

          Hell, $150k of it was supposedly auction money for MakeAWish.

          "I'm sorry, little boy with terminal cancer. You don't get your wish because I don't believe in IP rights!" That's cold, dude. Also completely nonsensical. Someone got the auction money. If it was raised in a charity's n
        • I am not exactly known around here as a great believer in imaginary property either, but this has nothing whatsover to do with IP.

          GenCon was given by LucasFilm some physical memorabilia, presumably various props from movie sets and the like, as a donation for Make-A-Wish, which GenCon was supposed to auction thus turning them into cash which then was supposed to be donated to the said charity. Instead, they auctioned the donated stuff and kept the money.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Isca ( 550291 )
      ummm... for what? For tuning over their property to Gen Con to be auctioned off (with a big chunk going to charity)

      This part of the lawsuit is pretty cut and dried. LucasFilms gives Gen Con LLC property, property is auctioned for $$, $$'s are not distributed as agreed before auction.

  • by Anonymous Coward
    I'm sure this story would be much more interesting with some context. Even TFA has none. Excellent obfuscation.

    Perhaps some simple explanation of terms in the submitted story would be good.

    I'm surprised the first comment isn't 'WTF is Gen Con?'

  • Who are Gen Con? What is Gen Con indie? Why is Lucas suing them?

      Is it too much to ask for you to put a summary of the story in the summary?
    • by elrous0 ( 869638 ) *
      Gen Con stands for "Generational Convention" (the principle that anyone over the age of 60 who wobbles around like an arthritic shouldn't do action films), "Indy" is the person who ignored this rule. And they're suing him because they just got a look at him stumbling around in the dailies and realized that no amount of stunt-double footage could make this NOT look silly.

No amount of careful planning will ever replace dumb luck.

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