The Best Four Days in Gaming: Gen Con 2026
Gen Con is a record-breaking gaming convention that brings together game enthusiasts from around the globe. Known as "The Best Four Days in Gaming," the 2026 event is set for July 30 – August 2 and will fill Downtown Indianapolis with excitement, creativity, and play.
Community and Creative Connections
One of the highlights of Gen Con is the chance to meet the creative minds behind the games. It’s a thrill to discover new works by artists, storytellers, filmmakers, and game designers. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gamer, you’ll find everything from classic card games to digital masterpieces.
Gamers Unite: The Fort Wayne Connection
Among the prominent companies at Gen Con is Goodman Games, a publisher with deep roots in Indiana. Based in Fort Wayne, Goodman Games is a staple in the industry and will have a major presence at the convention this year.
Did You Know? Goodman Games has partnered with Valparaiso University to offer a unique internship program. Based at their Fort Wayne warehouse, this program gives students hands-on experience in every aspect of the industry—from product design to international distribution.
Indiana Gamers Win International Honors
The partnership between Goodman Games and local education is already yielding world-class results. Recently, two Valparaiso University students won top honors in an international RPG writing competition:
Nolan Brezina (1st Place): For the Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) adventure, Creeping Dread.
Bryanna Bass (3rd Place): For The Sirens of Huntby Gulf.
These award-winning designs began as assignments in the English 280: Writing Roleplaying Games course. This innovative class is led by Martin Buinicki, Ph.D., the Richard P. Baepler Distinguished Professor in the Humanities. The competition was judged by industry veterans, including Michael Curtis, the Director of Product Development for Goodman Games.
It’s truly inspiring to see what imagination can accomplish when educators, students, and industry leaders work together. This spirit of collaboration is what makes the Indiana gaming scene so unique.
As you prepare for your trip to Indianapolis, remember that Gen Con is about more than just games—it’s about giving back.
The convention as a whole is broadening to various types of games not only tabletop or card games but also video games. Which creates an opportunity for different types of gamers to get together and share ideas or concepts about their favorite form of gaming. So if you see someone at a booth and they have minimal customers try asking them about their game and play it. That’s a great way to give back to your fellow gamer and possibly find a new game to play with the new friends you met.
Plan Your Gen Con Adventure
See you at the table!
Visit Fort Wayne
Explore attractions, events and recreation to experience at the Visit Fort Wayne website.
By Josh Schubert and Eric Worley
When: July 30 – August 2, 2026
News and Updates - Visit the Gen Con website Goodman Games
For all the game excitement, activities and events to join across the state go to the Visit Indiana website.
