INDIANAPOLIS — The best four days in gaming broke records once again as they marked their 20th year in the Circle City.
Gen Con hosted over 70,000 unique attendees over their four day event Aug. 3-6 at the Indiana Convention Center, according to a release issued by the convention on Monday. They estimate a nearly $75 million economic impact for restaurants, hotels and local businesses in Indianapolis from this year's event.
The event has also extended their contract with the city of Indianapolis through 2030.
“The Gen Con attendee experience is continually at the forefront of our decision-making,” said David Hoppe, president of Gen Con. “We are excited to announce that Gen Con will be extending its stay in Indianapolis through 2030. I am eager to see the continued growth and success that will come from our partnership with a city that has supported us over the last 20 years.”
“Twenty years ago, when Gen Con first came to Indy, they were a 20,000-person hobby gaming show,” said Leonard Hoops, president & CEO of Visit Indy. “Today, it is a 70,000-person cultural phenomenon. Indy and Gen Con have grown together, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to do so in the future. Keeping this global event in Indy has been a team effort and the Pan Am convention center and hotel project has been an indispensable part of that. We greatly value our decades-long partnership with Gen Con.”
This year's event featured more than 570 publishers and vendors.
This year's event raised nearly $35,000 for Indy Reads and Game Pathways. Gen Con officials say they have raised over $425,000 for charity since 2003.
Gen Con was founded in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in 1968 but has been held in Indianapolis every year since 2003.
The event will return to Indianapolis August 1-4, 2024.
Additional upcoming convention dates:
- Gen Con 2025: July 31 – August 3, 2025
- Gen Con 2026: July 30 – August 2, 2026
