More than 70,000 people will converge on downtown Indianapolis this week for Gen Con, the largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention in North America.
That’s a lot of people navigating Indy’s ongoing construction projects, especially when you consider the Indiana State Fair starts right around the same time.
If you’re a local Indy resident, or from out of state dressed as a spiky haired anime character, here’s what to know about Gen Con: scoring tickets, where to park and what to do if you (shudder) lose your coveted badge.
When is Gen Con 2025?
Gen Con takes place at the Indiana Convention Center from July 31 to Aug. 3, 2025.
What is Gen Con?
Gen Con is a four-day event catering to enthusiasts of all things gaming (minus sports and gambling): tabletop and RPG’s (Role-Playing Games) as well as video, computer and trading card games.
If the game involves throwing dice while pretending to be an elven ranger or a moody rogue with a tragic backstory, this is your place.
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When is the exhibit hall open?
The Gen Con exhibit hall hours will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
How many people went to Gen Con in 2024?
Oh wow, a LOT. Gen Con drew in a record-breaking sold-out crowd of more than 71,000 attendees in 2024, according to a news release.
That’s roughly the equivalent of Muncie, Indiana’s total population (along with 6,000 of their pets), spending nearly a week in Circle City.
How many people could attend Gen Con in 2025?
Upwards of 70,000 people could once again attend Gen Con in 2025 for another record-breaking turnout. Four-day and single-day passes for Friday and Saturday have already sold out.
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“We are absolutely thrilled to see record-breaking turnout, a loaded Exhibit Hall, and nearly 30,000 exciting events for our attendees in 2025,” said David Hoppe, President of Gen Con in a news release.
“This incredible growth reflects the enthusiasm and increasing interest in the tabletop gaming community, and we are delighted to welcome thousands of attendees to celebrate our shared love for games,” Hoppe said.
Given Gen Con’s popularity, attendees might want to figure out where to park long before reaching the convention center.
Parking at Gen Con
iPark is Gen Con’s official parking partner, according to the convention organizers. Attendees can buy parking spaces online adjacent to Lucas Oil Stadium.
There also are more than a dozen other parking facilities within walking distance of Gen Con, including the Capitol Commons Garage and Marriott Garage along West Maryland Street.
Parking lots close to the Indiana Convention Center
How much does it cost to park in downtown Indianapolis?
The Downtown Indy website has a Park Whiz map that shows the cost of parking when you enter the date and time. You can see rates for Indianapolis parking at ParkWhiz.com, or download the Park Whiz app on your smart phone or mobile device.
What do people do at Indy Gen Con?
There’s lots to see and do at Gen Con, so make sure you pack a comfortable pair of shoes if you plan on attending this year’s convention.
Featured events and exhibits include game tournaments, a film festival, hundreds of exhibit booths, thousands of scheduled programs, a costume and cosplay contest, an art show, geek merch and more events than you can shake a lightsaber at.
Organizers say 2025’s convention will feature 565 exhibit hall booths, a life-size 10,000 square foot “True Dungeon” in Lucas Oil Stadium, one of the country’s largest sci-fi and fantasy art shows, a block party with food trucks on South Street, books with “Authors’ Avenue,” seminars, panels, and Q&As with industry and media celebrities.
How expensive is Gen Con? What to know about badges and event tickets
You’ll need to hurry if you want to attend Gen Con this year. As of Tuesday morning, only Thursday and Sunday passes remain.
No walk-up badge sales will be available, according to a news release. All sales must be completed online at GenCon.com.
This year, Gen Con badges cost the following:
Attendees participating in the convention’s more than 30,000 scheduled ticketed events can score those online at GenCon.com, the convention’s official website.
Some events are free. Gen Con attendees are strongly encouraged to check the availability of each event to ensure they’re not fully booked or sold out.
What happens if you lose your badge?
For starters, don’t. Gen Con cannot replace or refund lost, stolen, or forgotten badges or ticketed events per its terms of service. That means if your badge disappears, you have to buy a new one (assuming they’re still available) at full cost.
I can’t attend Gen Con in person. Is there a way to watch it online?
Yes! You can watch streamed online content both on the Gen Con Twitch channel and through Discord.
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Where is Gen Con?
The biggest four days in gaming takes place at the Indiana Convention Center, at 100 S. Capitol Ave., in downtown Indianapolis.
Is Gen Con always in Indianapolis?
Gen Con moved from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Indianapolis in 2003. The popular convention has been held in Circle City ever since, and that doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon. In 2023, Gen Con renewed its contract with Indianapolis through 2030.
Why is it called Gen Con?
What does the “Gen” in “Gen Con” mean? Generation Convention? Generic? Generousness? Genuflect? Actually, the answer lies in Wisconsin of all places.
Gen Con was founded in 1968 by Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax who met with friends to play games in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, according to event organizers.
Thus the name Gen (Geneva) Con (Convention) was adopted: Gen Con.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at JTuftsReports.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Gen Con Indy 2025 is this week. What to know about the four biggest days of gaming
Reporting by John Tufts, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
