There’s a lot of reasons board game conventions are so popular – it’s an entire weekend full of playing your favorite games with old friends, playtesting new creations that have yet to hit the market, and stocking up dice and merch from your favorite vendors.
The largest conventions worldwide bring in 90,000-180,000 attendees all looking forward to enjoying the full sea that is a convention center (and oftentimes city) dedicated to the love of board games for days.
I was buzzing with excitement to experience this for myself when I attended my first GenCon in 2023.
I opted to pick up my badge at will call, one less thing to pack, right?
I landed in Indy, checked into the hotel, and took a 15 minute Uber to the Convention Center, shoot why am I so far!?
I walked through the doors, saw all the cosplay, game signage and then… the line wrapped around the room – oh my gosh, it’s going to take me forever to get this badge! I’m going to miss my first session!
These feelings of excitement mixed with overwhelm continued throughout the weekend.
I woke up pumped to take on the exhibit hall that Friday, figuring I’d just meander until I saw relevant things – except the whole hall was shoulder to shoulder traffic and I couldn’t even see more than a few inches in front of me
I tried to take a break by popping in a session, but even though it was free and not full, I hadn’t registered for a ticket so couldn’t get it – dang it!
I quickly realized that cons are not a wing-it type of event. It takes prep.
At least if you want to do it right, and when you’re spending money and taking time to attend you probably do.
Contents
Before You Go
Since that first GenCon experience, my team and I have perfected our con strategy, so here is the list I wish I had that first time:
Plan AHEAD
Channel the energy of a bride booking her wedding venue before she’s even engaged or a group of college girls planning to see the Taylor Swift tour, seriously.
So many tiny things can make a huge difference in your experience like:
- being walking distance to the convention center from your hotel
- having your badge mailed to you
- getting a contact for your first booth space and mapping it out
Every Con has different deadlines, but they can be 4,6, 12+ months out, so waiting until you’re ready might be putting you on a year delay to showcase your stuff
Pack like a Pro
- Comfortable shoes (my pro tip is to bring two pairs so you can swap and avoid blisters)
- Snacks and a refillable water bottle (we all love a concession stand hot dog, but sometimes the lines don’t mesh with your schedule)
- A sturdy bag (try to think about something that won’t be too clunky in a crowded hall)
- Your Arsenal (aka your marketing materials) more on that below!
Set your Objectives
Are you here to playtest? Network with publishers? Learn from industry veterans? Having clear goals will help you navigate the convention chaos and make the most of your time.
Bringing your Booth to Life
Secured a booth? Heck yeah! Time to transform your 10 x 10 into an interactive and immersive representation of your game brand.
Eye-Catching Design
Unlike tech or other industry conferences, game conventions are FULL of booths made of beautiful artwork and design. Think critically about how your booth might be able to stand out visually amongst all the others.
- Pro tip 1: Add some dynamic height to your displays to stand out from your neighbors.
- Pro tip 2: Sometimes simple is better, with so much going on visually, going fold simple colors and clear text can actually make you stand out more
- Pro tip 3: don’t ball out for no reason. It can be so easy for booths to become a money pit. Think about what you really need both functionally and visually.
Interactive Elements
People don’t want to look at fun- they want to have fun! Set up a demo table, display game components, and consider having a digital version or trailer playing on a screen. Make your booth a playground for curious gamers.
Our friends at Let’s Roll Press gutted this clocktower and turned it into an interactive dice tower for anyone visiting their booth.
Open Layout
Arrange your space to be welcoming, not a labyrinth. Clear pathways are key. The more inviting it looks, the more people will stop!
Comfort is Key
Remember that carpet add-on option? Trust me, by day two, when the concrete is giving you shin splints, you’ll be glad you splurged. Keep yourself stocked with water, snacks, and other creature comforts. Don’t ask my coworkers about the first con I made them do without because I thought it wasn’t worth it (oops)
Consistent Branding
Make sure all your visuals, including posters, table covers, and promotional materials, have a consistent theme and color scheme that reflects your brand’s vibe.
Marketing Materials
- Business Cards and Flyers: Have plenty of business cards, flyers, and handouts with information about your game and your contact details.
- Promotional Items: Consider small giveaways like pins, stickers, or postcards with your game’s art.
- Sign-Up Sheet: Have a sign-up sheet or digital form for people to join your mailing list for updates and future releases. Using a QR code on your promotional materials can help you streamline this process.
Remember that gutted clock turned dice tower I mentioned above? To make this interactive, anyone who rolled a mega sized d20 through the tower got a promotional pin of the Let’s Roll Press logo
Plan Your Pitch
Elevator Pitch
Prepare a concise and engaging pitch that highlights the key features and unique aspects of your game.
Demonstration
Develop a brief demo outline to quickly teach visitors how to play your game.
- Short and Sweet: Keep demos short and engaging to give a quick overview of the game’s mechanics and fun aspects.
- Group Demos: If your booth is busy, run group demos to maximize the number of people who can experience your game.
Playtesting: Gathering Intel
Prepare Your Arsenal
Whether your boothing or playtesting you don’t want to be stuck cursing at a copy machine in a Staples Print Center 3 blocks from a convention center (definitely not speaking from experience. In advance do things like:
- Create simple feedback forms (or use a QR code for digital surveys). Download Board Game Design Lab’s playtest form here: Playtest-Feedback-Form.pdf
- Bring prototype components as close to the final product as possible
- Have clear objectives for what you want to test – Do you have an expansion you need to test? Is there a certain mechanic you want to refine?
Observe and Adapt
While it’s important to let players experience the game naturally, be available to clarify rules and guide the session as needed.
Gather Intelligence
After each session, engage players in discussion. Their insights are what you need to take your game from idea to fully funded.
Post-Convention Debrief: The work is just beginning
The convention’s over, but the important work is just getting started. Once you’ve made it home, taken a solid nap (or five), it’s time to capitalize on the momentum you’ve gained from attending.
Follow Up
Send personalized thank-you emails to contacts you made and see how you can continue to collaborate and connect
Pro Tip: I make my email autoresponder have a link to book a call with me after conventions so that nothing gets missed!
Social Media Shoutouts
Thank your supporters and share highlights from the convention on social media. Check out an example of this:
Analyze (and implement) Feedback
Pour over those playtesting notes. What worked? What didn’t? What needes adjusting?
Don’t forget…
Conventions are definitely big parties to play board games with your friends but they’re not just big parties where you play board games with your friends. They’re opportunities to see how the world responds to your game, how you can make it even better, and how you can get it in the hands of the right audience.
Whether it’s another GenCon, Pax Unplugged, Origins, GAMA, or another convention – we can’t wait to see you there crushing it!
