Gen Con Online 2020 brings over 40,000 participants

The first ever Gen Con Online took place over the weekend, and it became a hit with fans.

In a press release, the organizers revealed that over 40,000 people checked out the 7,000+ events that took place during the convention. In a statement, Gen Con President David Hoppe said:

“The tabletop gaming industry and hobby run on the power of connecting with other human beings across a table. When we started planning Gen Con Online, we knew that the passion and enthusiasm of gamers wouldn’t change —but the table would have to. Pivoting from a physical convention to a digital one in on such a short timeline was difficult challenge, but it provided our team an opportunity to explore new tools and strategies for producing our event. And in the end, what made Gen Con Online come together and feel like Gen Con was, as always, our incredible attendees and the strength of our community.”

Gen Con will make its return from August 5 through August 8, 2021. If you missed out on select Gen Con Online events or want to revisit them, the Gen Con’s YouTube channel is where you need to be. You can also head to the Gen Con Discord server to discuss the convention and more with like-minded people.

Gen Con Online 2020: Ennie Awards winners announced

While Gen Con was forced to be online this year, the 2020 installment of the Ennie Awards still took place. The annual awards ceremony celebrates the best in tabletop gaming.

Mork Borg took home the most awards with four, including the Gold award for Product of the Year. Thousand Year Old Vampire walked away three awards, including the Gold award for Best Rules. The Ultraviolet Grasslands, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, The Monsters Know What They Are Doing, and Trilemma Adventures Compendium Vol 1 each won two awards.

You can check out the full winners list below. If you missed the ceremony or want to see it again, you can check it out below, too. You can see the full list of 2020 submissions here. The 2021 installment of the Ennie Awards will take place on August 6th, 2021

2020 Ennie Awards winners

Best Family Game / Product
Silver – Kids on Bikes: Strange Adventures Volume 2 by Renegade Games
Gold – Jim Henson’s Labyrinth by River Horse

Best Aid or Accessory
Silver – The Dungeon Books of Battle Mats by Loke Battlemats
Gold – Deck of Many Animated Spells by Hit Point Press

Best Online Content
Silver – RPG Writers Workshop by Scribemind
Gold – The Monsters Know What They’re Doing by Saga Press

Best Podcast
Silver – Red Moon Roleplaying
Gold – Asians Represent!

Best Monster/Adversary
Silver – Big Bad Booklet 1-6 by Hit Point Press
Gold – Mordenkainen’s Fiendish Folio, Volume 1: Monsters Malevolent and Benign by Wizards of the Coast

Best Cover Art
Silver – The Ultraviolet Grasslands by Exalted Funeral Press
Gold – Call of Cthulhu – Berlin the Wicked City by Chaosium

Best Interior Art
Silver – Strata by Rowan, Rook and Decard (art by Adrian Stone)
Gold – The Ultraviolet Grasslands by Exalted Funeral Press

Best Organized Play
Silver – Where Can She Be? by Robbie Pleasant
Gold – Stygia Untamed by Greasy Snitches and Paul Gabat

Best Free Game/Product
Silver – Tunnel Goons by the Highland Paranormal Society
Gold – TTRPG Safety Toolkit by Smooching Knife

Best RPG Related Product
Silver – Session Zero by John C. Byram
Gold – Absinthe in Carcosa by Pelgrane Press

Best Electronic Book
Silver – Uncaged Volume III by Scribemind
Gold – New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley 2nd Ed by Stygian Fox

Best Layout and Design
Silver – A Pound of Flesh by Tuesday Knight Games
Gold – MÖRK BORG by Free League Publishing

Best Cartography
Silver – Jim Henson’s Labyrinth by River Horse
Gold – Trilemma Adventures Compendium Vol 1 by Trilemma Adventures

Best Rules
Silver – Zombie World by Magpie Games
Gold – Thousand Year Old Vampire by Petit Guignol

Best Writing
Silver – The Monsters Know What They Are Doing by Saga Press
Gold – MÖRK BORG by Free League Publishing

Best Adventure
Silver – Trilemma Adventures Compendium Vol 1 by Trilemma Adventures
Gold – A Pound of Flesh by Tuesday Knight Games

Best Setting
Silver – Arkadia – The Greek Setting for 5e by Arcana Games
Gold – Call of Cthulhu: Berlin the Wicked City by Chaosium

Best Supplement
Silver – Ironsworn Delve by Shawn Tomkin
Gold – Delta Green: The Labyrinth by Arc Dream Publishing

Best Production Values
Silver – Humblewood Box Set by Hit Point Press
Gold – Thousand Year Old Vampire by Petit Guignol

Fans’ Choice for Best Publisher
Gold – Free League Publishing

Best Game
Silver – MÖRK BORG by Free League Publishing
Gold – ALIEN the Roleplaying Game by Free League Publishing

Product of the Year
Silver – Thousand Year Old Vampire by Petit Guignol
Gold – MÖRK BORG by Free League Publishing

Judge’s Spotlight Winners
Sleepaway by Jay Dragon
Glitter Hearts by Greg Leatherman
Refractions in Glasston by Taylor University PWR Press, Sam Guinsatao, Carson Jacobs, T.R. Knight, Joy Lemont, Elijah Oates, Rayce Patterson, Emily Pawlowski, J. Tucker White
Knarls Candy Compendium by Makenzie De Armas, Levi Phipps
Hit the Streets, Defend the Block by Rich Rogers

10 events to catch at Gen Con Online 2020

Gen Con is gearing up for its first major digital event with Gen Con Online. Taking place from July 30 through August 2, over 6,000 events will take place through various Zoom, YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook Live channels. Out of that massive batch, we’re showcasing 10 grand events taking place during the online convention. More information on Gen Con Online, including how to get your free badge, can be found here. All times listed below are EST.

The First Quest: An Improv Comedy D&D Adventure
Date: Thursday, July 30
Time: 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

A group of improv players from Nerdprov will take part of a normal game of D&D. There's one problem: none of them have ever played D&D before. With DM Matt Kerkhoff on their side, this group will embark on an unforgettable journey, and they're doing it in front of audiences worldwide.

Aetherhaus Academy: Kids on Brooms Tabletop LIVE STREAM
Date: Friday, July 31
Time: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

The Scabby Rooster LARP Tavern will bring their Aetherhaus Academy LARP for a special Gen Con session. For this session, a slew of new school kids tries to discover the secrets of their magic school. Those with tickets will take part in this massive event. The Aetherhaus Academy LARP will use the Kids on Brooms system.

Shoot Your (One-) Shot: Exploring the Versatility of TTRPGs
Date: Friday, July 31
Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

One-shot TTRPGs are a great way for new people to get into the form of gaming. The cast and crew of Threeflings will be on hand to discuss why how they turned a series of one-shot TTRPGs into a successful campaign. The panel will feature Gwen Bassett, Haley "Ink" Kugler, Jasmine "Jazz" Eisinger, Jessica Marcrum, and Jessica Washburn.

Dungeons & (Blank) - An Audience-Driven Adventure
Date: Friday, July 31
Time: 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

If you're looking to get interactive with a D&D game, Dungeons & (Blank) - An Audience-Driven Adventure is perfect for you. Throughout the game, registered viewers can alter everything from plot points to punishment for bad rolls. Hosted by RPG University & Irrational Passions, Jessica Lynn Verdi (Hyper RPG, Easy Allies) and Isla Hinck (Easy Allies) are among those set to play. You can head here to contribute ideas for the game

Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of CATAN
Date: Saturday, August 1
Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Catan Studio will celebrate their 25th anniversary with a special Gen Con panel. This event will have the crew looking back on how the company started and check out where it's heading next. During this panel, the crew will also run a demo of their forthcoming game Legend of the Conquerors, which will be available in August.

Miniature Painting & Storytelling with Noxweiler Berf
Date: Saturday, August 1
Time: 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

After a long time in the store, you walk away with a slew of miniatures. When it comes to painting them, things might be a bit much to handle. The Scabby Rooster LARP Tavern's Noxweiler Berf will show viewers how to get the most fun out of painting miniatures.

Hero Forge Q&A
Date: Saturday, August 1
Time: 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Hero Forge has been the premier 3D-printing company for tabletop miniatures and statuettes. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2014, Hero Forge has seen praise from Critical Role and Wyrmwood. This panel will be a Q&A session with members of the Hero Forge team. Exciting news about the future of Hero Forge will also be shared.

How To Run Your Gaming Content Online
Date: Sunday, August 2
Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

While the coronavirus kept people indoors, many people have continued their TTRPG adventures online. With online gaming, people from around the world can join on a stream. The Geek Initiative will give out hints on how to have the perfect stream for your next campaign.

Fireside with Peter Adkison
Date: Sunday, August 2
Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Fireside with Peter Adkison arrives at Gen Con for a special episode. The subject of this episode will be Dungeons and Dragons 3E, which was unveiled in 2000. Joining Adkison for this occasion are Forgotten Realms authors R. A. Salvatore and Mary Kirchoff.

What's In A Name: Naming Kids (& Other Things in Your Life) the Geek Way
Date: Sunday, August 2
Time: 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Are you a geek having trouble naming your upcoming child or a new laptop? Well, Scott Rubin (Hyper RPG) has a plethora of names perfect for the occasion. On August 4th, Rubin will unveil Naming Your Little Geek: The Complete List of Comic Book, Video Games, Sci-Fi, & Fantasy Names. This panel will find Rubin discussing his upcoming book, which is available for pre-order now.

Gen Con Online 2020 announce registration info

A week after revealing Gen Con Online, the organizers behind the event have revealed registration info.

While the event will be streaming online, fans will still need to register to take part of select events. Free badge registration will start on June 1 at noon. Those looking to submit an event for Gen Con Online can do so beginning on June 8th at noon. Event registration will take place starting on July 13 at noon.

Gen Con Online will take place from July 30 through August 2. This replaces Gen Con, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus epidemic. Gen Con will return to Indiana in 2021 from August 5–8, 2021. Those who have badges purchased for the event can either get a refund or have their badges rolled to 2021’s installment.

Gen Con 2020 cancelled, Gen Con Online announced

Due to the coronavirus, Gen Con 2020 won’t happen this year.

In a statement, Gen Con president David Hoppe said, “Gen Con is the highlight of our year, and we know that it means as much to our attendees, exhibitors, event organizers, and local partners as it does to us. But after carefully monitoring the situation and having ongoing conversations with experts and local government officials, it became clear that the only responsible option was to cancel the convention for this year.”

Those who have badges purchased for the event can either get a refund or have their badges rolled to 2021’s installment, which takes place from August 5 through August 8.

This doesn’t mean Gen Con is going away entirely this year. Instead of the traditional convention, they’ll hold Gen Con Online, which will be a virtual event for fans. Taking place from July 30 through August 2, this will feature a slew of online shows, remote gaming, and much more. More information on Gen Con Online will be released in the near future.