Sold-out Gen Con attendance eclipses 71,000 as convention eyes further growth
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Gen Con saw a sold-out, record crowd of more than 71,000 attendees this year, a spike in interest that comes as organizers plot efforts to grow the event even further.
Gen Con, a tabletop gaming convention that has been held in Indianapolis since 2003, featured more than 540 exhibitors and 24,000 distinct events during its run at the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium and a handful of downtown hotels from Aug. 1 to 4. The 2023 show drew about 70,000.
The attendance coincided with the 50th anniversary of fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons, with Gen Con hosting a slate of retrospective events, special guests, a pop-up museum and other opportunities for gamers. Gen Con has been closely tied to Dungeons & Dragons since the game debuted at the convention in 1974.
“Gen Con 2024 was a rousing success and we are once again humbled by the passion of our attendees and the hospitality of Indianapolis,” said David Hoppe, Gen Con’s president, in written comments. “We were proud to join with our attendees on the historic occasion of the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons to celebrate how much D&D and Gen Con have each grown in scale and cultural influence over the past five decades.”
Hoppe told IBJ in recent weeks that the show is “bursting at the seams,” as it awaits the completion of the Signia by Hilton and expansion of the convention center, now under construction at Pan Am Plaza. Both are expected to open in fall 2026.
He said talks are already underway about further expanding the show to take over the additional space and hotel rooms. The show is contracted to remain in Indianapolis through 2030, with next year’s event scheduled for July 31 to Aug. 3. Badges will go on sale in early 2025.