Can You Sign My Dice?

 It’s July 31, 2025, and I’ve just arrived in Indianapolis to attend Gen Con, a massive tabletop convention with attendees from around the world. It’s my first time attending, and I regret not coming sooner – the two-hour drive from my home in Ohio makes it far more accessible than most work events. And I’m excited: board games and TTRPGs, interests that have been mostly separated from my work at Game Informer, are about to become my primary focus for the next several days.

Gen Con mainly takes place in the sold-out Indiana Convention Center, which is brimming with board game fans. The crowd is speckled with people adorned in cosplay and geek-related t-shirts, many of them hauling heavy bags already filled with fresh games to take home. Some parents even bring their kids to play games aimed at younger audiences. The sea of attendees is overwhelming and confusing to navigate, but I eventually grab my badge and head into the main hall, which is divided into two parts: gameplay tables and vendor booths.

Vendor booths are exactly what they sound like (places to buy board games and related merchandise), but the dozens and dozens of gameplay tables are the real heart of Gen Con. Nearly every board game you can imagine is represented here, and attendees can sign up for spots at tables to play games run by that game’s publisher or designer. You can test games you’ve always wanted to try, play a TTRPG you’ve never been able to assemble a group for, and since it’s a hub for news and announcements, it’s also a place where people can try unreleased games. My greatest regret is waiting too long to sign up for game sessions, but I’m luckily still able to play some games as a member of the press.