Gen Con

{{Infobox convention

| name = Gen Con Indy

| image = File:Gen Con Indy 2023 Stadium.jpg

| caption = Attendees in Lucas Oil Stadium in 2023

| status =

| genre = Gaming

| venue = Indiana Convention Center

| location = Indianapolis, Indiana

| country = United States

| first = 1968

| last =

| organizer = Gen Con LLC

| filing =

| attendance = 71,000 in 2024{{Cite web|url=https://www.gencon.com/press/gen-con-2024-breaks-attendance-records-press-release#:~:text=Gen%20Con%20%7C%20Gen%20Con%2C%20The,records%20for%20historic%202024%20event&text=Gen%20Con%202024%20drew%20a,more%20than%20540%20exhibiting%20companies.|title = Gen Con, The largest and longest running tabletop gaming convention, breaks all-time attendance records for historic 2024 event|website = GenCon}}

| website = {{url|https://gencon.com|GenCon.com}}

}}

Gen Con is the largest tabletop game convention in North America by both attendance and number of events. It features traditional pen-and-paper, board, and card games, including role-playing games, miniatures wargames, live action role-playing games, collectible card games, and strategy games. Gen Con also features computer games. Attendees engage in a variety of tournament and interactive game sessions. In 2019, Gen Con had nearly 70,000 unique attendees.{{cite web |title=GEN CON LOOKS TO THE FUTURE AFTER RECORD-BREAKING 2019 CONVENTION |url=https://www.gencon.com/press/2019postshow |website=GenCon |access-date=16 September 2021}}

Established in 1968 as the Lake Geneva Wargames Convention by Gary Gygax, who later co-created Dungeons & Dragons, Gen Con was first held in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The convention was moved to various locations in Wisconsin from 1972 to 1984 before becoming fixed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1985, where it remained until moving to Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2003. Other Gen Con conventions have been held sporadically in various locations around the United States, as well as internationally.

In 1976, Gen Con became the property of TSR, Inc., the gaming company co-founded by Gary Gygax. TSR (and Gen Con) were then acquired by Wizards of the Coast in 1997, which was subsequently acquired by Hasbro. Hasbro then sold Gen Con to the former CEO of Wizards of the Coast, Peter Adkison, in 2002. Gen Con spent a short time under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, due to a lawsuit brought against them by Lucasfilm in 2008. The organization emerged from bankruptcy protection a year later, while still holding its regularly scheduled events and became larger than ever.

History

= Early years =

File:Gen-Con Show Floor, 2010.JPG

The International Federation of Wargaming (IFW) hosted a number of small regional conventions in the months following its foundation in 1967, including the first annual club convention in Malvern, Pennsylvania, in August.{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=10}} Some IFW gamers in the Chicago area could not make the journey to Malvern, so they had an informal gathering that same weekend at the Lake Geneva, Wisconsin home of Gary Gygax.{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=3}} Later this gathering would come to be referred to as "Gen Con 0". In 1968, Gygax rented Lake Geneva's Horticultural Hall to hold a follow-up IFW convention, the Lake Geneva Wargames Convention, later known as the Gen Con gaming convention.{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=5}} The IFW, which Gygax co-founded, put up $35 of the $50 Horticultural Hall fee to sponsor this first Gen Con.{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=5}}{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=5}} Almost 100 people attended. At the second Gen Con in August 1969, Gygax met Rob Kuntz{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=8}} and Dave Arneson. During these early conventions, the events centered around board games and miniature wargames.{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=5}}

Gen Con's name is a derivation of "Geneva Convention", due to the convention's origins in Lake Geneva. It is also a play on words, as the "Geneva Conventions" are a set of important international treaties regarding war, the subject of many of the early games.{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=4}} Starting in 1971, Gen Con was cosponsored by the Lake Geneva Tactical Studies Association.

= TSR =

Beginning in 1975, Gen Con was managed and hosted by TSR, Inc., original publisher of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=530}} During the following decade the event grew and was hosted at a variety of southern Wisconsin locations, including an American Legion Hall, George Williams College, and the former Lake Geneva Playboy Resort. In 1978 the convention moved to the University of Wisconsin–Parkside campus in Kenosha, where it remained through 1984.

A Gen Con West was held in California for only three years, 1976–1978. From 1978 to 1984, Gen Con South was held in Jacksonville, Florida, and Gen Con East was held in 1981 and 1982, first in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and then in Chester, Pennsylvania.

= MECCA =

In 1985, Gen Con moved to the Milwaukee Exposition & Convention Center & Arena (MECCA) in Milwaukee, due to a need for more space. After the move, attendance steadily rose from 5,000 to a peak of 30,000 in 1995, making Gen Con the premier event in the role-playing game industry. In 1992, Gen Con broke every previous attendance record for game conventions in the United States, with more than 18,000 people. Gen Con briefly joined with its primary competitor, the Origins Game Fair, and the two were run as a single convention in 1988. Wizards of the Coast debuted Magic: The Gathering at Gen Con in August 1993; the game proved extremely popular, selling out its supply of 2.5 million cards, which had been scheduled to last until the end of the year. The ensuing collectible card game craze has been credited with generating the extra attendance that produced the 1995 record.

= Wizards of the Coast =

Wizards of the Coast purchased TSR in 1997, which was in turn purchased by Hasbro in 1999. Gen Con moved to the Midwest Express Center (now the Wisconsin Center) in 1998. In November 1999 Wizards announced that Gen Con would leave Milwaukee after the 2002 convention. Peter Adkison, founder of Wizards of the Coast, purchased Gen Con from Hasbro in May 2002, forming Gen Con LLC to run the convention. The first show under Adkison's leadership took place that August in Milwaukee.

= Indianapolis =

The convention moved to Indianapolis in 2003. Peter Adkison attributed the move to the lack of hotel space, the convention center layout, and frequently broken escalators in Milwaukee's convention center.

File:Gen Con - 20030724 - Giant Settlers of Catan Game.jpg being played at Gen Con Indy 2003]]

In Indianapolis, the convention, now called Gen Con Indy, continued to draw between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors each year, at the Indiana Convention Center. Wizards of the Coast helped celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game at Gen Con Indy 2004. In 2005 Gen Con Indy generated the most direct visitor spending of any annual convention in Indianapolis.

Adkison also restarted the convention in California, this time named Gen Con SoCal. Smaller than its mid-western counterpart, it drew approximately 6,300 attendees in 2005, making it the third-largest consumer hobby game convention in North America. It was held in the Anaheim Convention Center.

In spite of Adkison saying that he did not want Gen Con to become a "mini-E3" in 2003, when E3 downsized in mid-2006, Gen Con LLC announced it would provide more show space for video game businesses. Gen Con described their intention to "pick up where E3 [left] off".

Also in 2006, Gen Con LLC ran the official Star Wars convention, called Star Wars Celebration, which was held in the banner years of the franchise.

The Indiana Convention Center completed a major expansion in 2011, in large part, to accommodate increased attendance to Gen Con, at a cost of over $275 million.

= International =

Gen Con was held in Europe in the 1990s, with the first annual European Gen Con held in Camber Sands, Sussex, England, in 1990, and Gen Con Barcelona in Spain in 1994. The European convention was held in England for 8 years, eventually migrating from Camber Sands in the mid-1990s to Loughborough, where the final UK-based European event was held in 1997; the same weekend on which Princess Diana died. There was no European Gen Con in 1998, but it reappeared in Belgium in 1999 for a single year, before again reappearing in Paris for three years between 2006 and 2008. Benelux Gen Con was held in the Netherlands in 1998 and re-occurred there in 2000. Gen Con Barcelona occurred five years, in 1994–1996, 1999, and 2004. Gen Con UK was held between 1998 and 2005. A Gen Con was held in Brisbane, Australia, in July 2008 and again in September 2009. A third Gen Con Australia was scheduled for 2010, but was cancelled.

= Online =

When the COVID-19 lockdown prompted Gen Con to cancel the in-person convention in 2020,{{Cite news |title="Gen Con Announces Cancellation of 2020 Convention, Plans for Online Event" |language=en |url=https://www.gencon.com/press/gen-con-2020-cancellation}} it instead ran an online version.{{Cite news |title="Gen Con Online Draws Over 40,000 for Digital-Only Tabletop Convention" |language=en |url=https://www.gencon.com/press/gen-con-online-post-show}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackgate.com/2020/07/25/gen-con-2020-online/|title=Gen Con 2020 Online – Black Gate|date=July 25, 2020}} While the in-person convention returned the following year, an online version was run concurrently until Gen Con ceased operations of Gen Con Online after the 2023 show.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

Events

File:Gen Con - 20030727 - Exhibit Hall.jpg

File:Cardhalla - Gen Con - 2005-08-20 - a.jpg at Gen Con 2005]]

The convention features a large exhibit hall filled with game publishers, artists, and related businesses, wherein most attendees spend at least $100. The only game to be on the event schedule every year since the convention's inception is Fight in the Skies,{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=5}} later renamed Dawn Patrol.

The D&D Championship Series (formerly the D&D Open) is a long-running series of Dungeons & Dragons games at Gen Con, beginning in 1977. The RPGA, beginning in 1981, has run large numbers of events at Gen Con, so extensive they have been given their own category. The RPGA events are primarily "Living" games where players create characters who persist between events. The RPGA first ran events in 1981.

File:Gen Con - 20030724 - Game Base 7.jpg

In 1987 a games library was added from which attendees could borrow games. Appearing in 1994 was the first Magic: The Gathering World Championship, won by Zak Dolan, who defeated France's Bertrand Lestrée in the finals.

Gen Con has featured a number of events that raise money for a variety of charities. These include Cardhalla, in which donated cards are used to build a large city. Attendees are then invited to throw coins at the city to destroy it. The coins are collected for charity. Cardhalla was first run in 1999. The gaming group NASCRAG has run Dungeons & Dragons events at Gen Con since 1980. NASCRAG events sometimes donate their ticket fees to charity. The games run tend to be humorous. The Gen Con Live Games Auction is another long-running event, though the majority of the Auction (including the Consignment Store) is not run for charity.

File:Tim Kask GMs a D&D game, Gen-Con 2009.jpg, runs a Dungeons & Dragons Game at Gen Con 2009.]]

File:Enormous D20 and D8 relax near empty tables, Gen-Con 2007.jpg

The EN World RPG Awards (the ENnies) are an annual awards ceremony devoted to role-playing games. Established in 2001, the ENnies have been hosted at Gen Con Indy since 2002, and are organized and owned by EN World, a D&D/d20 System news website.{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=148}}

True Dungeon is an immersive life-sized dungeon crawl live action role-playing game (LARP) run at Gen Con since 2003, featuring a series of puzzles and scenarios designed to recreate a D&D environment.

Issues

2008 was a tumultuous year, legally, for Gen Con LLC. On January 10, Lucasfilm filed a lawsuit against them, claiming breach of contract, conversion, and unjust enrichment over Celebration IV, held in 2006. The suit also claims Gen Con failed to give the money raised at a charity auction held at the event to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Gen Con filed a counter-suit claiming Lucasfilm had no basis for their claims and owed money to Gen Con.

On February 15, 2008, Gen Con LLC announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing "significant unforeseen expenses associated with ... externally licensed events". As a result of the bankruptcy filing, the Lucasfilm lawsuit was delayed until November 19, 2008. Gen Con Indy 2008 was held as planned.

On November 20, 2008, a letter of intent to purchase Gen Con LLC's assets was filed with the bankruptcy court. It announced that a to-be-formed company called Gen Con Acquisition Group would purchase Gen Con LLC., for an amount equal to Gen Con LLC's outstanding debt. Gen Con's president, Adrian Swartout, described the letter as "suspiciously cryptic" and concluded that the offer "is not in the best interest of our creditors". Gen Con rejected the hostile takeover bid, and the bankruptcy court allowed Gen Con to emerge from bankruptcy in January 2009, 11 months after it had entered Chapter 11.

In 2008, Christian Children's Fund was reported to have turned down $17,398 from a GenCon Live Game Auction, during that year's Gen Con.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=4 November 2008 |title=Children's Charity Turns its Back on Gygax Memorial Donation |url=http://www.gamepolitics.com/2008/11/04/children039s-charity-turns-its-back-gygax-memorial-donation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081107162214/http://www.gamepolitics.com/2008/11/04/children039s-charity-turns-its-back-gygax-memorial-donation |archive-date=7 November 2008 |access-date=11 November 2008 |website=GamePolitics.com}} The donation was made in honor of Gary Gygax, who died in 2008, and was a frequent donor to CCF. Some individuals within the gaming community expressed disappointment about the decision; author and game designer Rich Burlew, for example, called it "insulting,"{{Cite web |last=Burlew |first=Rich |author-link=Rich Burlew |date=5 November 2008 |title=Giant in the Playground News |url=http://www.giantitp.com/index.html#UM7iOEJbez2GVntGYjh |access-date=26 March 2025 |website=Giant in the Playground |archive-date=9 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109053317/http://www.giantitp.com/index.html |url-status=dead }} and the response by gamers led both the CCF and Gen Con to issue official statements explaining what had happened.{{Cite web |last=Burlew |first=Rich |author-link=Rich Burlew |date=5 November 2008 |title=11/5/2008 |url=http://www.giantitp.com/index4.html#UM7iOEJbez2GVntGYjh |access-date=11 November 2008 |website=Giant in the Playground |archive-date=29 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329153651/http://www.giantitp.com/index4.html#UM7iOEJbez2GVntGYjh |url-status=dead }} As a result of the misunderstanding, Gen Con chose to support a different charity.{{Cite web |last=LeGault |first=Jeannette |date=2008-11-05 |title=Gen Con Indy08 Show Charity and CCF |url=http://community.gencon.com/forums/t/18786.aspx |access-date=2008-11-11 |publisher=Gen Con}}

On March 23, 2015, Adrian Swartout sent a letter to Indiana Governor Mike Pence, asking the governor to reconsider his intent to sign SB 101, the so-called "Religious Freedom" bill that already passed both state legislatures. The bill would allow businesses in the state to deny service to anyone on religious grounds, with opponents of the bill stating that it would allow businesses to unfairly single out and discriminate against the LGBT community and other groups. Swartout pointed out in the letter that "Gen Con proudly welcomes a diverse attendee base, made up of different ethnicities, cultures, beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds" from over 40 countries and all 50 states, and that welcoming such a "wide-ranging diversity has been a key element to the success and growth of our convention", as well as injecting "over $50 million dollars" annually to the local economy. Swartout stated that signing such a bill "will have a direct negative impact on the state economy and factor into [Gen Con's] decision-making on hosting the convention in the state of Indiana in future years," after the Indiana Convention Center had already completed a major expansion in 2011 to accommodate increased attendance to Gen Con.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-24 |title=Gen Con threatens the governor it will leave over Indiana's controversial SB 101 |website=Polygon |url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/24/8285287/gen-con-threatens-the-governor-it-will-leave-the-state-over-indianas |access-date=2015-03-24}}{{Cite web |date=2015-03-23 |title=Letter to Indiana Governor asking to reconsider support for SB101 |url=http://files.gencon.com/Gen_Con_Statement_Regarding_SB101.pdf |access-date=2015-03-24 |publisher=Gen Con}}{{cite web | url=https://www.blackgate.com/2015/03/26/gen-con-threatens-to-leave-indiana-over-religious-freedom-bill/ | title=Gen Con Threatens to Leave Indiana over Religious Freedom Bill – Black Gate | date=26 March 2015 }} Pence signed SB 101 into effect on March 26, 2015.{{Cite news |date=March 26, 2015 |title=Indiana Gov. Pence defends religious objections law: 'This bill is not about discrimination' |work=Chicago Tribune |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-indiana-religious-freedom-bill-sb101-pence-20150326-story.html |access-date=April 22, 2017}}

In August 2022 when Indiana passed a near total ban on abortions, Gen Con tweeted a statement in support of abortion rights, and Gen Con president David Hoppe made the following statement: "Passage of Senate Bill 1 will have an impact on our stakeholders and attendees and will make it more difficult for us to remain committed to Indiana for our long-term home. We are committed here through 2026. We do have to think about what that means beyond that and, of course, we would have to look at what that means for the period up until that time."{{Cite news |date=August 11, 2022 |title=Indiana's relationship with Gen Con faces a rocky future in wake of state's abortion ban|url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/events/gen-con-2022/news/gen-con-2022-indiana-abortion-ban-pressure |access-date=August 14, 2022|website=dicebreaker.com}}

Timeline

Attendance at Gen Con conventions, based on the numbers given below:

400px

= 1967–2002: Gen Con =

class="wikitable"
Event ! Date ! Location ! Approximate attendance ! Notes
"Gen Con 0" \| August 1967{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=8}} \| Gary Gygax's Home Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=8}} \| 12{{efn\|name=Gen Con 1967}} \|
Gen Con I \| August 24, 1968{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=8}} \| Horticultural Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=8}} \| 96{{sfn\|Peterson\|2012\|p=11}}{{efn\|name=Gen Con 1968}} \| First official year of Gen Con
Gen Con II \| August 23–24, 1969 \| Horticultural Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=8}} \| 187{{sfn\|Peterson\|2012\|p=25}}{{efn\|name=Gen Con 1969}}{{efn\|name=Gen Con 1969b}} \| First two-day Gen Con
Gen Con III \| August 22–23, 1970{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=8}} \| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=8}} \| 250{{sfn\|Peterson\|2012\|p=33}} \|
Gen Con IV \| August 21–22, 1971{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=16}} \| American Legion Memorial Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=16}} \| 300{{sfn\|Peterson\|2012\|p=52}} \|
Gen Con V \| August 19–20, 1972{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=16}} \| George Williams College Williams Bay, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=16}} \| 200{{sfn\|Peterson\|2012\|p=56}} \|
Gen Con VI \| August 18–19, 1973{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=16}} \| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall/Legion Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=16}} \| 300{{sfn\|Peterson\|2012\|p=77}} \| Tactical Studies Rules (a partnership and predecessor of TSR, Inc.) founded later that year.
Gen Con VII \| August 23–25, 1974{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=16}} \| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall/Legion Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=16}} \| 350{{sfn\|Peterson\|2012\|p=475}} \| Dungeons & Dragons published; the first three-day Gen Con
Gen Con VIII \| August 22–24, 1975{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=24}} \| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall/Legion Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=24}} \| 900{{sfn\|Peterson\|2012\|p=530}} \|
Gen Con IX \| August 20–22, 1976{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=24}} \| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall/Legion Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=24}} \| 1,300 \| TSR takes ownership of convention
Gen Con X \| August 18–21, 1977{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=24}} \| Playboy Resort/Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=24}} \| 2,300 \| First four-day Gen Con
Gen Con XI \| August 17–20, 1978{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| 2,000 \| Moved to Parkside location
Gen Con XII \| August 16–19, 1979{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| >2,000 \|
Gen Con XIII \| August 21–24, 1980{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| 4,500 \|
Gen Con XIV \| August 13–16, 1981{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| 5,000 \|
Gen Con XV \| August 19–22, 1982{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| >3,000 \|
Gen Con XVI \| August 18–21, 1983{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| >3,000 \|
Gen Con 17 \| Aug. 16–19, 1984{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=38}} \| 3,600 \|
Gen Con 18 \| August 22–25, 1985{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| MECCA (Milwaukee Exposition & Convention Center & Arena), Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| 5,000 \| Moved to MECCA
Gen Con 19 \| August 14–17, 1986{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| 5,000 \|
Gen Con 20 \| August 20–23, 1987{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| 6,500 \| Gen Con's 20th year
Gen Con 21/Origins \| August 18–21, 1988{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| >10,000 \| Gen Con and Origins were run as a single convention this year{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=81}}
Gen Con '89 \| August 10–13, 1989{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| >10,000 \|
Gen Con '90 \| August 9–12, 1990{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \|>12,000 \|
Gen Con '91 \| August 8–11, 1991{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| >15,000 \|
Gen Con/Origins '92 \| August 20–23, 1992{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=72}} \|>18,000 \| Gen Con's 25th year. Gen Con and Origins are run as a single convention this year
Gen Con '93 \| August 19–22, 1993{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| 20,000 \|
Gen Con '94 \| August 18–21, 1994{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \|>25,000 \|
Gen Con '95 \| August 10–13, 1995{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| 30,000 \|
Gen Con '96 \| August 8–11, 1996{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| 27,000 \|
1997 Gen Con Game Fair \| August 6–10, 1997{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| MECCA, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=104}} \| 27,000 \| Wizards of the Coast purchases TSR, Inc., gaining control of Gen Con. Gen Con's 30th year
1998 Gen Con Game Fair \| August 6–9, 1998{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| MEC (Midwest Express Center), Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \|>19,000 \| Moved to MEC
1999 Gen Con Game Fair \| August 5–8, 1999{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| MEC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| >22,000 \|Wizards of the Coast is purchased by Hasbro after the convention. Hasbro now owns Gen Con.
2000 Gen Con Game Fair \| August 10–13, 2000{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| MEC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| 21,000 (projected) \|
2001 Gen Con Game Fair \| August 2–5, 2001{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| MEC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| 25,000 \|
2002 Gen Con Game Fair \| August 8–11, 2002{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| MEC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn\|Laws\|2007\|p=130}} \| 23,000 \| Gen Con's last year in Wisconsin, 35th year of the convention. Peter Adkison purchases Gen Con from Hasbro.

class="wikitable"

Event

! Date

! Location

! Approximate
attendance

! Notes

"Gen Con 0"

| August 1967{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=8}}

| Gary Gygax's Home
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=8}}

| 12{{efn|name=Gen Con 1967}}

Gen Con I

| August 24, 1968{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=8}}

| Horticultural Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=8}}

| 96{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=11}}{{efn|name=Gen Con 1968}}

| First official year of Gen Con

Gen Con II

| August 23–24, 1969

| Horticultural Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=8}}

| 187{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=25}}{{efn|name=Gen Con 1969}}{{efn|name=Gen Con 1969b}}

| First two-day Gen Con

Gen Con III

| August 22–23, 1970{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=8}}

| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=8}}

| 250{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=33}}

Gen Con IV

| August 21–22, 1971{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=16}}

| American Legion Memorial Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=16}}

| 300{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=52}}

Gen Con V

| August 19–20, 1972{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=16}}

| George Williams College
Williams Bay, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=16}}

| 200{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=56}}

Gen Con VI

| August 18–19, 1973{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=16}}

| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall/Legion Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=16}}

| 300{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=77}}

| Tactical Studies Rules (a partnership and predecessor of TSR, Inc.) founded later that year.

Gen Con VII

| August 23–25, 1974{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=16}}

| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall/Legion Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=16}}

| 350{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=475}}

| Dungeons & Dragons published; the first three-day Gen Con

Gen Con VIII

| August 22–24, 1975{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=24}}

| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall/Legion Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=24}}

| 900{{sfn|Peterson|2012|p=530}}

Gen Con IX

| August 20–22, 1976{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=24}}

| Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall/Legion Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=24}}

| 1,300

| TSR takes ownership of convention

Gen Con X

| August 18–21, 1977{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=24}}

| Playboy Resort/Horticultural Hall/Guild Hall
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=24}}

| 2,300

| First four-day Gen Con

Gen Con XI

| August 17–20, 1978{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| 2,000

| Moved to Parkside location

Gen Con XII

| August 16–19, 1979{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| >2,000

Gen Con XIII

| August 21–24, 1980{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| 4,500

Gen Con XIV

| August 13–16, 1981{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| 5,000

Gen Con XV

| August 19–22, 1982{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| >3,000

Gen Con XVI

| August 18–21, 1983{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| >3,000

Gen Con 17

| Aug. 16–19, 1984{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| University of Wisconsin–Parkside{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=38}}

| 3,600

Gen Con 18

| August 22–25, 1985{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=72}}

| MECCA (Milwaukee Exposition & Convention Center & Arena), Milwaukee, Wisconsin{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=72}}

| 5,000

| Moved to MECCA

Gen Con 19

| August 14–17, 1986{{sfn|Laws|2007|p=72}}