GenCon SoCal Throws In the Towel

The official GenCon website is hosting the official press release with the news: the West coast GenCon is no more. Citing 'competing shows' in the Southern California area, the RPG convention is closing up shop so that staff can focus on the Midwestern/East Coast Flagship event GenCon Indy. In an open letter from Peter Adkinson, he states how much he regrets this decision, and describes the four years of the event as well as the decision-making that led to this state of affairs. In his long discussion of the event, he downplays the attempt to merge with the IDG event and the inclusion of videogames into the GenCon formula. Though it's not listed as a root cause, the death of E3 would seem to be having a ripple effect here as well. He makes sure to point out that GenCon Indy isn't going anywhere, and that this year's 40th anniversary should be an interesting one.

Not GenCon Indy's 40th...

[Anonymous Coward]

He makes sure to point out that GenCon Indy isn't going anywhere, and that this year's 40th anniversary should be an interesting one.

This is hardly GenCon Indy's 40th anniversary. It was held in Milwaukee until a few years ago when the black-hearted devils at WotC decided that Wisconsin wasn't cool enough for an annual nerd convention. D&D was invented here, you bastards!

Re:Is the internet to blame

[Harin_Teb]

I dunno, I'm only 24 so I pretty much grew up in the internet erra as far as being a gamer, yet I've gone to GenCon every year for the past 5 years, and to Origins for many of them.

Several reasons bring me, and others to Cons.

First would be finding like minded people. There's just something about hanging out with tons of people who like the same thing you do that just isn't replicated by internet communities and such.

second: A LOT of companies run major events at cons that you can't really do anywhere else. For card games its world championships/qualifiers, for RPG's its major storyline events, for board games its release of new games. Etc.

Third: YOu get to find out a lot about new games / new game companies that you just wouldn't hear about otherwise, even with the internet. Plus you can demmo new games with the game designers, how cool is that?

Fourth: Vacation. honestly, I like taking my vacation to a con. I have something to do the whole time with minimal planning on my part. Its perfect. Plus I'd rather be doing that than sitting on some random beach staring at the ocean all day.