Fun Times at Gen Con 2026

I know I have a ton to say about my time at Gen Con 2026, but ultimately "It was AWESOME!" will always be the best way to describe it.

I'm torn about Gen Con before I go... and even after I am back I still have to pause when people ask me about it.... It is just SO LARGE that I find it difficult to believe that you can have fun there.

But it is a specific kind of fun. A special kind of experience that seems to return what you put into it.

In the image above I didn't know anyone in this group... but we met up at 11PM on Friday night to run a session of True Dungeon and had a blast. The problem is... I don't go up to my friends and say, "Hey - you should go to this massive convention, meet up with a bunch of random people, and you'll definitely have a great time."

... except that is exactly what I did... And I've found that has started to become the best way to have fun when a convention or event starts to get this large.

I Couldn't Get Into Anything I Wanted

Nada. Zip.

I didn't get into any of the games I originally wanted to play.
I wasn't able to get the limited swag and exclusive items I thought I wanted.
I didn't have enough time to get to some of the shows and events I originally planned to attend...

Out of 20 events I had set on my wishlist, I got zero. I didn't believe I was going to enjoy Gen Con for weeks before I got there.

That all changed when I started creating the experiences I wanted to see.

Looking back - The biggest contributing factor to my enjoyment at Gen Con was being able and willing to run around the convention and engage with other players, DMs/GMs, vendors, and guests whenever I encountered them.

(And being a part of a great group like Gooey Cube... but more on them in a little bit.)

Thinking about it now - I want to encourage anyone that finds this entry to do just what I did.

Walk into the bar, restaurant, or food truck line - and talk to the person next to you. Ask the bartender how things have been going. Chat with the vendor about what they are doing there. Find some random quest or event happening and join in. Go to a live performance, or step outside and look for a light show.

Gen Con is an adventure, and you can pick the role you want to play in it.

So much is happening all around you at Gen Con that often you just need to pick a random direction in the exhibition hall, the convention center, or the stadium and you'll find an open seat and people looking to play a game or simply just chat.

Failing that, you might just find some good food or someone putting on a performance.

And sometimes... you might just find an awesome community you didn't expect... which is what happened to me two Gen Cons ago.

May All Your Adventures Be.... Sticky!

I was a Dungeon Master (or Game Master) for Gooey Cube this Gen Con. I've been prepping for this for over a year, and was glad when they brought me on board to run games for them. The Gooey Cube Community is an amazing group of people passionate about gaming, and I count myself lucky to have been a part of their events. Seriously - if you have a Facebook account, check out the Gooey Game Master's Den of Enlightenment.

Or watch some of their videos on Youtube!

Now let me be clear: being a Dungeon Master or Game Master at a convention - especially one as massive as Gen Con - is not going to automatically make the convention a fun and amazing time for everyone. But it can certainly ADD to your time there if you enjoy doing this already.

That's what happened to me. Not being able to get into the games I expected was one thing... but being able to run fun games for people that were hoping for a good time?

Even better.

Many of you might know that being a DM/GM is hard work. Doing it at a convention where every table is going to be people you won't know? That is cranking it up another level. It requires a lot of prep, you can easily forget to eat and drink, and you are not always guaranteed to have the same kind of games you might get at a home event... But you CAN have very interesting and unique experiences you can't get anywhere else.

When you enjoy something immensely, it will help you try new things, go new places, and change the way you interact with and see the world. Running games and teaching TTRPGs has helped me engage with people in new ways, and ultimately I found myself creating my own events at Gen Con...

....Hopefully I was enhancing other people's experiences as well!

I'm still not sure how to explain to people how I had a good time at Gen Con. When I describe my Gen Con experience, it doesn't always sound fun or engaging... some might even think it sounds lonely and overwhelming with a lot of hard work being a Dungeon Master on top of it... But there is just a certain kind of energy to it that gets you going if you can sense it and grab onto it.

So I'll end it this way: Everyone should go at least once and try to see if you can find that energy and adventure that comes from being a part of something you truly enjoy.

... and if you manage to meet some Gooey people along the way, even better!