Gen Con Community

“INDIANAPOLIS (August 23, 2012) – Gen Con Indy returned to the Indiana Convention Center last weekend, August 16-19, to commemorate a special 45th Anniversary as well as its 10th Anniversary in the city of Indianapolis. Launched with an official proclamation by Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard, the nation’s largest annual consumer fantasy, sci-fi and adventure gaming convention continued its record growth with a turnstile attendance record of 134,775, including more than 41,000 unique attendees.

“2012 was a year of important anniversaries for Gen Con Indy,” said Adrian Swartout, CEO of Gen Con LLC. “The city of Indianapolis and the greater gaming community have provided us tremendous support, and the welcome Gen Con received for its 45th Anniversary amazed us all. The contributions of our attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, event organizers, volunteers, and the hospitality industry have helped Gen Con reach all-new heights.”

Unique 2012 show attendance rose more than 12% over last year’s prior attendance record, propelled by significant increases to pre-show badge sales and on-site growth in Sunday’s Family Fun Day attendance. Overall, the show has grown in attendance approximately 30% since Gen Con Indy 2010. Turnstile growth for the weekend also was up 9% from last year’s prior record of 119,000 plus weekend attendees. Gen Con’s pre-show Trade Day also expanded, including 232 retailers attending the event, in addition to the growing numbers of educators and librarians that participated in the tracked pre-show program.

“We consider this not only our most successful Gen Con ever, but our most successful convention appearance ever, period,” said Robert Carty, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Mayfair Games, a Gen Con co-sponsor.

“We love hosting Gen Con in Indianapolis,” said Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy. “For four days, the energy and enthusiasm of 41,000 gamers creates a vibrant atmosphere like no other throughout our entire city. We hope it’s a relationship that never ends.”

Gen Con will return to the Indianapolis Convention Center on August 15-18, 2013. In a prior announcement, Gen Con announced their commitment to the city of Indianapolis until 2020.

About Gen Con Gen Con, LLC produces the largest consumer hobby, fantasy, sci-fi and adventure game convention in North America. It was acquired in 2002 by former CEO and founder of Wizards of the Coast Peter Adkison, who owns the company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Gen Con is a consumer and trade experience dedicated to gaming culture and community.”

Wow. 41,000.

Glad to see numbers were up despite the economy. We find the money for our hobbies/obsessions no matter what. :)

41,000.

Jeepers.

 

 

 

 

I'm sorry I didn't get to meet everyone.

I can say for me personally, it feels more and more crowded on Wednesday every year, and even Tuesday, which I love. It does make me VERY tired by Sunday.

Awesome! I want to say that 2010 had like 33,000 or 34,000 and 36,000 last year. That is awesome!!!!! Thursday felt like a Saturday this year and Wednesday was packed also. Let's go for 45,000 next year or 50,000!!

There was some talk on a thread a month or two ago about MotoGP folks buying badges to get in the housing block.  Is there any way of knowing whether that happened?  Does that affect this count?

Even if it does, though, I agree with Tom -  jeepers.

Wricherde:

There was some talk on a thread a month or two ago about MotoGP folks buying badges to get in the housing block.  Is there any way of knowing whether that happened?  Does that affect this count?

 

Regardless of how many MotoGP folks bought badges, it felt way more crowded this year.  So either the GP folks all decided to stop in (doubt it), or we just had a ton more people.  At the speed things sold out and how flat-out packed the Exhibit Hall was on Saturday and Sunday, I left the con certain that attendance would break 40k.

 

marimacc:

“INDIANAPOLIS (August 23, 2012) – Gen Con Indy returned to the Indiana Convention Center last weekend, August 16-19, to commemorate a special 45th Anniversary as well as its 10th Anniversary in the city of Indianapolis. Launched with an official proclamation by Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard, the nation’s largest annual consumer fantasy, sci-fi and adventure gaming convention continued its record growth with a turnstile attendance record of 134,775, including more than 41,000 unique attendees.

“2012 was a year of important anniversaries for Gen Con Indy,” said Adrian Swartout, CEO of Gen Con LLC. “The city of Indianapolis and the greater gaming community have provided us tremendous support, and the welcome Gen Con received for its 45th Anniversary amazed us all. The contributions of our attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, event organizers, volunteers, and the hospitality industry have helped Gen Con reach all-new heights.”

Unique 2012 show attendance rose more than 12% over last year’s prior attendance record, propelled by significant increases to pre-show badge sales and on-site growth in Sunday’s Family Fun Day attendance. Overall, the show has grown in attendance approximately 30% since Gen Con Indy 2010. Turnstile growth for the weekend also was up 9% from last year’s prior record of 119,000 plus weekend attendees. Gen Con’s pre-show Trade Day also expanded, including 232 retailers attending the event, in addition to the growing numbers of educators and librarians that participated in the tracked pre-show program.

“We consider this not only our most successful Gen Con ever, but our most successful convention appearance ever, period,” said Robert Carty, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Mayfair Games, a Gen Con co-sponsor.

“We love hosting Gen Con in Indianapolis,” said Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy. “For four days, the energy and enthusiasm of 41,000 gamers creates a vibrant atmosphere like no other throughout our entire city. We hope it’s a relationship that never ends.”

Gen Con will return to the Indianapolis Convention Center on August 15-18, 2013. In a prior announcement, Gen Con announced their commitment to the city of Indianapolis until 2020.

About Gen Con Gen Con, LLC produces the largest consumer hobby, fantasy, sci-fi and adventure game convention in North America. It was acquired in 2002 by former CEO and founder of Wizards of the Coast Peter Adkison, who owns the company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Gen Con is a consumer and trade experience dedicated to gaming culture and community.”

 

 

119,000 to 134,775 is more than 9%.  (Even 119,999 to 134,775 is over that)

 

Dang!  41,000 is a huge number!  Congratulations to Gen Con!  Congratulations to Indy!  Congratulations to all of us gamers!

Here's to an even bigger number next year!

Big jumps like this are exciting.

And I'm glad GenCon is healthy and vital and all.

But I'd be careful about wishing for around 5k new attendees every year.  You might get your wish.

It would change the con experience, hotel and parking availability, and, eventually, drive the con somewhere else again.

 WOOHOO>..   Wonder how long its gonna be before we hit 50k!

CrazyFish:

Wricherde:

There was some talk on a thread a month or two ago about MotoGP folks buying badges to get in the housing block.  Is there any way of knowing whether that happened?  Does that affect this count?

 

Regardless of how many MotoGP folks bought badges, it felt way more crowded this year.  So either the GP folks all decided to stop in (doubt it), or we just had a ton more people.  At the speed things sold out and how flat-out packed the Exhibit Hall was on Saturday and Sunday, I left the con certain that attendance would break 40k.

I agree with you. I don't think MotoGP added to the attendance numbers.

I also agree that exhibit hall felt crowded, even on Thursday. Saturday and Sunday was ridiculous. I have been a member of these forums for awhile now and always read the posts desperately exhorting people to move to the side if they want to talk to friends in the exhibit hall and to not wear backpacks that deal damage like a cudgel. Some aisles were so packed this year I experienced problems just stopping to look at a booth or talk to vendors about their products.

Several times I blocked traffic flow simply by stopping to look at products in the smaller booths that had no customer access or interior space for customers. There was no alternative but to hold position and hope the other con brethren understood I wanted to check out a product. I felt guilty for stopping but I had finally found some unique items I had been searching for years, since before Y2K. It was not uncommon for the aisles to come to a complete standstill.

And on the subject of backpacks and such. I am one of many people who had to commute in everyday and haul my gaming supplies in with me because going back to the car was not feasible most of the time. Even being self-conscious about my messenger bag, I could not eliminate the collateral damage from turning slowly to look at a bright shiney or even turn a corner. My apologies to those so accosted. But even without a bag, my exhibit hall adventure Sunday was like surreal version of survivor with no winners. I have been making the trek to Gen Con since 88' and I can say with some confidence that the exhibit hall has reached it's saturation point. 

I didn't realize Gen Con was committed to Indy all the way through 2020.  Good news for me!

Kharavex:

I also agree that exhibit hall felt crowded, even on Thursday. Saturday and Sunday was ridiculous. I have been a member of these forums for awhile now and always read the posts desperately exhorting people to move to the side if they want to talk to friends in the exhibit hall and to not wear backpacks that deal damage like a cudgel. Some aisles were so packed this year I experienced problems just stopping to look at a booth or talk to vendors about their products.

 

Yes, this. So true. We need a bigger dealers' hall!! I was _amazed_ at how busy Thursday was in there - I've never seen it that bad on the first day. I spent less time on Saturday in there than planned because I was seriously ready to do violence, so figured I'd better go. I am super-glad that it's so sucessfull, but WE NEED MORE ROOM in there, please! :)

 

The amount of Gamers I saw on Sunday before the con started that where not locals just floored me. In the Westin lobby, there was a small group just hanging out talking about what things they where going to do the next few days before the con. Some of the local game stores florished due to this unprecidented amount of people in town early. It was really nice to catch up with some of the local shop owners to hear this news. I stopped in the Arsenal, with Derek on  and all the rooms except one, had gamers in there I didn't recognize which was great.

Monday, the board game library was parked at my house and a bunch of visitors from all over came over and saw the baby. Lee, Leah, Sarah and a person that I keep forgetting her name hung out and talked nothing but about the con for that night which was just great. Now the ladies, got a hotel room and Lee stayed at my place, but that doesn't mean more dollars were not poured into the economy.

Tuesday I picked up some of my awesome friends after work at the airport and took them down and the amount of people walking around was just crazy. The lobby at the Westin was packed full of people there to attend Gen Con. The restraunts had people standing outside waiting to get in, there were people walking in and out of the convention hall that appeared to be gamers just checking things out for set up. It appeared to be way more than usual. Which means people are checking in at least 2 days early. 

Also, if you read these boards as when people stopped going to work, and started going out to the activities was just fantastic to read.

I am going to start looking at metrics of how many people are checking into hotels before Gen Con.  I don't think the local government really understands the impact of what is going on yet. They just count Wed thru Sunday at this point from what I understand. 

41,000? Dang man!

Not surprised. Everything seemed to be MUCH busier this year, dealer's hall, just the regular hallways in general, and all over. IT was neat to see so many people !!

If I had been forced to bet, I would have bet that we would hit 40k this year.  Not surprised by this at all.  This is in line with the huge jumps over the last few years.

I have to admit I'm of two minds here.  The more noble part of me, the part that is eager to share the joys of Gen Con with every person I meet--ESPECIALLY when I find out they're a gamer--is thrilled.  Higher numbers mean more people experiencing what we regulars already know: that Gen Con is HOME.

The other, less noble part of me worries that the con will get so crowded one of these years that it will start to lose its appeal.  I'd hate to see it move to another city, but if things continue at this rate, it doesn't seem like the people who run the con will have much of a choice after 2020.

zeldamaster8472:

The other, less noble part of me worries that the con will get so crowded one of these years that it will start to lose its appeal.  I'd hate to see it move to another city, but if things continue at this rate, it doesn't seem like the people who run the con will have much of a choice after 2020.

 

Think about it this way, 41K were at Gen Con, 64K (on sunday) for the Moto GP.. So you think by 2020 we will be at 100K? That would be awesome, glad to see that we are already able to handle that many attendees to events in Indy.. Just think when they build the other proposed hotels downtown. Don't worry folks, I would be shocked to see this go anywhere else for a long time... Next City to be able to do it though with this close of hotel support... Miami or Vegas..

Spicer:

zeldamaster8472:

The other, less noble part of me worries that the con will get so crowded one of these years that it will start to lose its appeal.  I'd hate to see it move to another city, but if things continue at this rate, it doesn't seem like the people who run the con will have much of a choice after 2020.

 

Think about it this way, 41K were at Gen Con, 64K (on sunday) for the Moto GP.. So you think by 2020 we will be at 100K? That would be awesome, glad to see that we are already able to handle that many attendees to events in Indy.. Just think when they build the other proposed hotels downtown. Don't worry folks, I would be shocked to see this go anywhere else for a long time... Next City to be able to do it though with this close of hotel support... Miami or Vegas..

I didn't realize Moto GP was that big.  Even without that, it did seem pretty crowded in the ICC.  I guess if worse comes to worse, they could always have two separate dealer halls.  Maybe use the new site and the old one as well and put TD in one of the hotels again.  Just thinking out loud, though.

Given my own general optimism and the stats you've just cited, I'm sure we'll be fine for the foreseeable future.  It's just that Gen Con is so important to so many of us, and I'd hate to see anything drastic happen.  No doubt there will be growing pains, but Gen Con Indy will hopefully be with us for a long time to come!!!