71,000 Nerds Can't Be Wrong

I live in Indianapolis. And this past weekend, GenCon transformed Circle City into a vibrant hub of creativity and passion. For those unfamiliar, GenCon is the original, longest-running gaming convention in North America. This year, over 71,000 people attended, and downtown Indy came alive with the most fantastic, costume-clad, dice-rolling, card-slinging, and joy-filled crowd imaginable. 

But GenCon isn’t just about games. It’s about the glorious, glittery, gobsmackulous feeling of walking into a space where you don’t have to explain yourself. You don’t need to downplay your weird hobbies or hide your level 37 Dungeon Master status. You can be your full, gloriously nerdacious self — and people will high-five you for it. 

This is a place where authenticity isn’t just accepted, it’s the main currency. 

The magic of GenCon is that it becomes a four-day bubble where community is forged at lightning speed. Strangers become teammates, one-off conversations turn into lifelong friendships, and laughter echoes from every corner. In a world that often pressures us to blend in, GenCon says, “Nah, friend. Crank the quirk to 11.” And in doing so, it teaches us that finding your people is less about changing who you are and more about finding the right room to walk into. 

So whether your thing is painting tiny goblin miniatures, trading cards like your life depends on it, or just rocking a cape because capes are awesome, GenCon reminds us of an essential truth: joy lives where authenticity thrives. And if that means embracing your own brand of nerdsplosion, well… roll for charisma and get in the game.