Convention News
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Last chance to pre-register for Orccon 2024
Pre reg cuts off end of day Monday! (Feb 12) You may pre reg here
End of day is PST. The system turns off at 24:00 Monday (aka February 12, 2024) or 0:00 Tuesday (aka February 13, 2024).
Orccon 2024 T-Shirt Posted!
See it here.
We posted this a while ago but didn't announce it here. The 2024 annual shirt has been postponed until Gamex.
Join the official Strategicon Discord server!
We've launched an official Discord server. Join it here.
The link to join the server is also at the bottom of the page. We figured this a good way to stay in touch during the time between the conventions and at the shows themselves. Feel free to come in and kick the virtual tires, as it were.
Thank you for a fantastic Gateway and a wonderful 2023!
Gateway 2023 was the largest post-pandemic show we've had and it was a lot of fun. All our shows were back to over 80 percent pre-pandemic numbers.
We're not back to where we were, but we're on course. Gateway was just shy of 2100 attendees. Plus, it was a lot of fun. Thanks all. On to 2024!
Last Call! Pre Register for Gateway 2023
Pre reg cuts off end of day TODAY! You may pre reg here
End of day is PDT. The system turns off at midnight tonight/tomorrow morning (i.e. 24:00 Monday or 0:00 Tuesday).
Last chance to pre-register for Gateway 2023!
Pre reg cuts off end of day Monday. You may pre reg here .
Gateway 2023 T-Shirts Posted!
See it here.
We posted this a while ago but forgot to announce it here. We still have a few annual shirts too.
Web site back online
We think everything is working. Please let us know if you experience any issues
We will be tweaking some things over the next few days and you might see some unexpected warning text. We are fixing these as fast as we can find them.
Update for July 5, 2023: found and fixed a bug with group discounts -- they should be available again.
Last chance to pre-register for Gamex 2023!
Pre reg cuts off end of day Monday. You may pre reg here .
Gamex 2023 T-Shirts Posted!
See it here.
We posted this a while ago but forgot to announce it here. We still have the annual shirt too.
COVID policy updated
With the termination of the state’s COVID-19 State of Emergency, all mandates have been dropped. Please see the covid policy page.
Individual departments and games may have stricter requirements as the situation warrants. Please see event descriptions for any exceptions.
Gamex 2023 room block active
After a slight delay, the room block at the LAX Hilton for Gamex 2023 is open for reservations. Register for them here.
Orccon 2023 topped 2000 attendees!
Thank you everyone for a great con. Fun was had. Attendance doubled year over year.
We're now at 80 percent of our normal pre-pandemic attendance. We topped 700 events and we're on course for a full recovery in 2023. Thank you all so much for the support. We'll see at Gamex in May.
Last chance to pre-register for Orccon 2023!
Pre reg cuts off Monday. You may pre reg here .
Orccon 2023 T-Shirts Posted!
See them here.
The annual shirt has returned! We decided to commemorate the con experience of the last few years (too soon?). Not for the humor impaired.
Hilton room block sold out
The Orccon 2023 room block is sold out.
No more rooms are available to us as we sold greater than what was allotted to us by a bit. The last time we sold out our room block was Orccon 2020, so things are slowly returning to "normal".
More Rooms Available!
We had sold out, but were able to get some more rooms added at the same price.
Hotel registration still closes later this week. The rooms should be up shortly, if they're not already.
Event submission deadline is Friday!
Last chance to submit games for Orccon 2023. Game pre reg goes live Saturday at noon PST.
Last call for pre reg at the existing rates
We will soon be raising the convention rates for 2023. However, we will honor the old rates through the end of the month.
As we announced at the last two cons, we will be raising rates for 2023. These will go into effect soon, but not before October 1, as promised. This is just a reminder that this is coming and that now is the last chance to pre reg at the current rates.
Thank you for a fantastic Gateway 2022!
Fun was had. Attendance doubled year over year.
For the first time since before the pandemic all departments were up and running. We had over 600 events and we're on course for a full recovery in 2023. Thank you all so much for the support. We'll see at Orccon in February.
Last day to pre-register for Gateway 2022!
Pre reg cuts off tonight. You may pre reg here .
The Gateway 2022 Room Block is Open!
The room block at the LAX Hilton for Gateway 2022 is open for reservations.
There's a couple of events competing for room space that weekend, so book early for best selection. We cannot expand the block, so when it's gone, it's gone.
Thank you for a great Gamex 2022
Strategicon just wants to say "thank you" to our gaming community for a great Gamex 2022. A lot of games were played and great deal of fun was had. This show continued our progress recovering from the pandemic and signals the culmination of our initial rebuilding phase. Now on to Gateway!
Last weekend to pre-register for Gamex 2022!
Pre reg cuts off Monday. You may pre reg here .
We Need More Volunteers!
Want your badge reimbursed? Then help us with Gamex 2022! Spaces available just about everywhere. You can volunteer here.
COVID policy updated.
Executive summary: Mask mandate dropped, vaccination requirement the same as before. Please see the covid policy page.
Hotel Deadline Extended until Feb 11!
With the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl the room crunch has eased.
Phone in reservations have been enabled as well.
The Orccon 2022 Room Block is Open!
The room block at the LAX Hilton for Orccon 2022 is open for reservations. You must have a badge to reserve a room.
Hotel Block to Open ... Now?
We opened the hotel block and ran into a problem with the Hilton's room registration system. We will open back up once that's fixed.
Update: the Hilton say the block will be active Monday
Orccon 2022 Hotel room block to open soon
The block will open in the next few days. Reservations will require a badge and must be done through this web site.
Because the Super Bowl will be held in Los Angeles the weekend before the convention there is a much higher demand than usual for hotel rooms in the area. We are doing what we can to make sure our attendees have a chance to get rooms in our block. So, for this show, much like we do when the NBA All Star game is on the same weekend in Los Angeles, we are restricting access to the room block. There will be no phone-in reservations available initially.
We wanted to get the word out so people had a chance to purchase badges before we opened up the block.
More details to follow soon.
Thank you all for a wonderful Gateway 2021
We had a good time and most importantly, no one came down with COVID-19.
We'll see you at Orccon 2022
The Gateway 2021 Hotel Block is Open!
The room block at the LAX Hilton for Gateway 2021 is open for reservations.
Gateway 2021: Where We Stand
For the safety of all our participants COVID-19 vaccination as well as masks in all public areas will be required inasmuch as they can be.
Gateway 2021 will be live. We will return to the LAX Hilton September 3rd - 6th, 2021, for the first time since Orccon 2020.
Given that we are emerging from a pandemic, and given the security and well-being of our attendees is our primary concern, we are going to err on the side of caution. Therefore, we will require all participants who are eligible for vaccination arrive at the convention fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and that all participants remain masked in all public areas of the convention venue.
Please keep in mind that we have immunocompromised participants and that we do not wish to endanger anyone by not taking proper precautions. Many games will last for hours with participants in close proximity facing one another, inside, without outdoor ventilation. There will be little to no social distancing possible for the convention events to run at all like normal.
We concede that this is an evolving situation. Much can change between now and the convention. However, if you object to these conditions, we ask that you do not register for Gateway 2021 at this time. If you plan to attend Gateway 2021 and are not yet vaccinated, now is the time to start looking into the best vaccination plan for you and your family and make preparations accordingly.
It is possible that convention preregistration will be required and that no tickets will be available at the door. The hotel allows cancellation of rooms up to 24 hours before scheduled arrival.
Given the fluidity of the situation we will provide updates and more details as they become available.
Thank you for sticking with us over the past year. We do this for our attendees, and there would be no convention without all of you. Be safe and be well, and hopefully we will see you all in September.
Live show badges migrated
All badges purchased for future conventions previous to pandemic lockdown and the shows going virtual have been forwarded to the next physical cons.
Please check and verify. The system only can display 3 shows worth of badges, so for those of you that have badges for Gamex 2022 they will not display until after Gamex 2021.
Given how our dates got scrambled, and that some people will not be able to make say Gateway as opposed to Gamex, we have some flexibility to migrate badges as necessary to future shows. If this situation applies to you please contact us and we can migrate badges forward as necessary.
More virtual badges found!
If you pre-reg'd for Gamex 2020 at Orccon 2020 you now have virtual badges for Gamex 2021. Somehow this got skipped. Fixed now.
As always, we have a few that don't have accounts in our pre reg system. If you are one of those few people, please contact us if you'd like a virtual badge.
All of these badges will appear as expected once we restore the live badges starting for gateway 2021.
Virtual Gamex 2021 Game Pre Registration is on!
You may now preregister for events!
Yes, we know it's early -- we set up the timetables thinking/hoping we'd be live this con. Events are still being added. Consider this a warm-up for the live shows.
Virtual Gamex 2021 convention registration is live.
As a bonus, all paid physical con badges for Gamex 2020 now have complimentary Virtual Badges for Gamex 2021.
If all goes according to plan this will be the last virtual show. Gamex 2020 badges will be redeemable starting at Gateway 2021, but we'll be fairly flexible on this.
As per usual, please check to make sure any virtual badge you expect to be there actually is and contact us immediately if there's a problem
Gamex 2021 to be virtual, Gateway 2021 to be live!
Gamex 2021 has to be virtual given the restrictions on events in place until mid June 2021. Once those restrictions are lifted we can begin live conventions again.
We had held out hope that Gamex could have been live but the just released (April 15) guidelines from LA County Health for events in the initial opening phases make an event like Gamex all but impossible to hold live.
We believe these restrictions will be sufficiently lifted by September so that a live Gateway with some restrictions will be possible.
Virtual Orccon 2021 Game Pre Registration is on!
You may now preregister for events!
Error in badge migration for Orccon 2021
Over 50 people were affected. Fixed. Please verify and let us know if you see any other issues.
It's amazing what one typo can screw up.
Existing Orccon 2021 badges migrated forward
All physical con badges have been migrated forward in the same fashion as Gateway 2020.
We don't know when the current COVID-19 crisis is going to end. So this time, we migrated all Orccon 2021 badges to Orccon 2026 (and to be clear, this is a placeholder date -- it will change). We will migrate them back appropriately once we know when we get to resume live conventions. In addition, all previous holders of paid Orccon 2021 badges are now registered for Virtual Orccon 2021 for free as a thank you for bearing through this with us.
If there are any issues with the virtual badges please contact us.
Orccon 2021 Virtual Con is on!
Not much different than Gateway 2020
Convention registration is on (only $5!) as is adding events. We'll turn on game pre reg January 30th. We have (non virtual) Tshirts too!
We will be using Discord as our central hub. Discord requires accounts, but they are not specific to an event/server -- they are for all of Discord. Discord runs on Mac, PC, iOS and Android. You will need a Discord account in order to access the Orccon 2021 server. You can set up a Discord account well in advance so if you want to get started early, download Discord and create an account.
All holders of paid live convention badges from Gamex 2020 through Orccon 2021 badges will be registered for Virtual Orccon 2021 for free as a thank you for bearing through this with us. The migration will happen shortly.
Orccon 2021 Going Virtual due to COVID-19
The physical show has been cancelled. We will be doing a virtual convention on those dates. More details once we know them.
We're hoping that this is the last show that will have to go virtual. While we cannot say for certain, signs are good that Gamex 2021 will be a return to a physical gaming convention.
Gateway 2020 T-Shirts Posted!
See it here.
It's been up for ages but no one posted a link to it....
Virtual Gateway 2020 Game Pre Registration is On!
You may now preregister for events!
Paypal hiccup
Due to a security change on our end paypal was leaving transactions showing as "Pending". This has been fixed.
We made things so secure paypal could not talk back to us. All transactions have gone through and the badges updated accordingly. The problem started late August 19th. It's now fixed. Please verify and let us know if you see any issues.
Gateway 2020 Virtual Con is on!
Some changes from Gamex. We'll be adding more details here, more to follow
Convention registration is on (only $5!) as is adding events. We'll turn on pre reg August 29th. We have (non virtual) Tshirts too! The initial art is done and we'll post it soon.
We will be using Discord as our central hub. Discord requires accounts, but they are not specific to an event/server -- they are for all of Discord. Discord runs on Mac, PC, iOS and Android. You will need a Discord account in order to access the Gateway 2020 server. You can set up a Discord account well in advance so if you want to get started early, download Discord and create an account.
Existing Gateway 2020 badges migrated forward
Unlike Gamex 2020, we planned a little further ahead.
We don't know when the current COVID-19 crisis is going to end. So this time, we migrated all Gateway 2020 badges to Gateway 2025 (and to be clear, this is a placeholder date -- it will hopefully change). We will migrate them back appropriately once we know when we get to resume live conventions. In addition, all previous holders of paid Gateway 2020 badges are now registered for Virtual Gateway 2020 for free as a thank you for bearing through this with us.
Gateway 2020 Going Virtual due to COVID-19
The physical show has been cancelled. We will be doing a virtual convention on those dates. More details once we know them.
A word from the Strategicon ownership
Black Lives Matter.
A simple concept, but regrettably something that some people forget or don't understand. So let us remain clear -- Black Lives Matter.
It's not complicated. We live in a society that has systemically devalued Black Lives for over 300 years. It's appalling this continues and it has to stop.
As recent events have amply demonstrated we must address this injustice. Fixing it will be hard but our country will be better and stronger for it.
Eric M. Aldrich I
Mark K. Hyman
Majority owners, Strategicon
Gamex 2020 Virtual Registration Hours
Convention registration will be open roughly 8 am to just before midnight, PDT, daily
Another learning experience -- we need some sleep. Convention and event registration will shut down while we do. The system is not fully automatic as it was set up for a face-to-face game convention and is not the system we normally use during the show itself. So we batch up both sending out emails about the Discord server and event approvals. Both require some human intervention. Sorry for the inconvenience.
The Event Registration system will actually stay on full time, but no one will be checking it during these hours, so don't expect approvals to happen. The con reg system will be off for new badges.
First Gamex 2020 SNAFU! Discord link changed
Whoops. Sorry about that -- email resent.
Gamex 2020 link to Discord server will be sent Friday morning
Hopefully by 9 am.
Gamex 2020 Virtual Con is on!
We'll be adding more details here, more to follow
Convention registration is on (free!) as is adding events. We'll turn on pre reg next weekend. We have (non virtual) Tshirts too! The art is done and we'll post them soon.
We will be using Discord as our central hub. Discord requires accounts, but they are not specific to an event/server -- they are for all of Discord. Discord runs on Mac, PC, iOS and Android. You will need a Discord account in order to access the Gamex 2020 server. You can set up a Discord account well in advance so if you want to get started early, download Discord and create an account.
Gamex 2020 Badge Migration Complete
If you had a paid badge for Gamex 2020, it has been transferred to Gateway 2020 or beyond.
All paid Gamex 2020 badges have been migrated to the next convention you did not have a badge for. All requests for refunds have been completed. If you see any issues with the badge migration please contact us immediately.
Gamex 2020 Cancelled
Gamex 2020 is cancelled due to the situation surrounding the Coronavirus
Unfortunately, given the current circumstances in California related to the Coronavirus, Gamex 2020 will not be happening. Thank you very much for your interest and support of Strategicion gaming conventions!
We will be doing some form of a virtual convention in the same time frame as Gamex. At this point we have very little in the way of details on this but will send out more information when we have it a little more put together.
If you have already pre-registered for Gamex 2020 you can apply that registration to any one of our next three gaming conventions! If you would prefer to have a refund you can email us and we will give you a full refund.
The Hilton is cancelling rooms in the block, but if you have a room reserved you should verify it is cancelled.
Last chance to preregister for Orccon 2020 is today!
Save some money and preregister for the con.
Orccon 2020 Room Block Sold Out!
There are some rooms still available at the Hilton through their web site, but the Orccon 2020 block is sold out.
Last chance to preregister for Gateway 2019 is today!
Save some money and preregister for the con.
Gateway 2019 T-Shirt Posted!
See it here. Yes, it's been up for a while -- we forgot to announce it.
Last chance to preregister for Gamex 2019 is today!
Save some money and preregister for the con.
Volunteers Requested!
Want your badge reimbursed? Then help us with Gamex 2019!
Part of what makes this con so great is our great volunteers! You can be one of these very important people too! Artemis, Collectables, Family Area, Miniatures, Party Games, and Video Games would appreciate more volunteers. The Game Library would also like help packing up on Monday. Donate 8 hours your time across one or more departments for a full badge refund. Interested? Please submit your interest on the volunteer page.
Event Pre-Reg Working Again!
Due to an update made on Monday, May 6, the event pre-reg was accidentally turned off. It's now back on.
Last call for rooms at Gamex 2019
We're down to the last few rooms. When they are gone they are gone. Register for them here.
Orccon 2019 pre reg ends tonight!
Today is the last day to preregister for Orccon 2019.
Paypal Registration Was Broken -- Fixed Now
It appears the Paypal confirmation code was not working due to a change made by Paypal. We've fixed the issue and have entered the badges affected.
All badge purchases are fine -- they just weren't reflected on the web site. It was a systemic failure that affected badges purchased from September until noonish today (5 December 2018). No one's badge will be lost and we have all the necessary information. We processed the the affected badges by hand.
Current status: All badges fixed. Please verify and if you find any issues let us know immediately.
Volunteers Needed!
Strategicon always needs volunteers! If you're interested in helping us out now or in the future, please visit our Volunteer page for more details.
Gamex 2018 T-Shirts Posted!
See them here.
The annual shirt is more expensive this year ($20) due to the expense of the tie-dye shirts. The Gamex shirt is still $15.
Oops -- Gamex 2018 is May 25 to 28th
We sent out an email earlier today that had the dates for Gamex 2018 wrong. The dates should read May 25 to 28, 2018. All other dates in the email are correct. Sorry for the confusion.
Parking update!
The front of the Hilton is now open. Construction is not complete, but all is operational.
The front of the Hilton was temporarily inaccessible (canvassed off) due to renovations. The Hilton officially opened the renovated front of the build Friday around 6 pm.
Orccon 2018 T-Shirts Posted!
See them here.
The annual shirt is more expensive this year ($20) due to the expense of the tie-dye shirts. The Orccon shirt is still $15.
Orccon 2018 Game Preregistration is On!
You may now preregister for events!
We had a slight hiccup to start with -- but it's fixed now.
Hotel Rooms Sold Out
We are officially sold out of hotel rooms for Orccon 2018.
Rooms may become available due to cancelations, but the hotel itself is completely sold out for the weekend.
Web site upgrade in progress
The long-awaited front-end web site upgrade is now live!
Last year we overhauled the back end of the web site, installing and upgrading software as needed. Now the other shoe drops and our overhauled front end design gets to see the light of day. Some stuff will undoubtedly be broken, but we'll be fixing it as quickly as we can. Enjoy! Send us your comments and if you find things broken let us know by contacting the webmaster.
Big web site update going on
We've completely updated the back end of the web site.
Our long-overdue web site upgrade is in progress. The underlying software has been updated and we believe everything is working. However, if anyone notices anything amiss, please contact the webmaster.
Web site experienced DNS issues
While the web site was fine, getting here was a bit haphazard.
Early Wednesday morning someone restored an out-of-date backup for one of our DNS servers, resulting in no one being able to find that DNS server and therefore us (and several other affected sites). It has been corrected but since the bad change propagated all the way up to the top of the .net domain, things took a bit of time to return to normal.
We apologize for the inconvenience. You may have received duplicate marketing emails as this is how we initially discovered the problem.
Hilton Hotel Food Policy Enforcement
Going forward, convention staff must enforce the Hilton’s outside food policy. The convention can and will be fined for individual infractions, so your cooperation is imperative.
Absolutely NO outside food or beverage items, including alcohol, are permitted in public and convention areas. This includes the hotel lobby, registration and gaming areas, meeting rooms, theater and dealer room. If you wish to have food in any of these areas, it must be purchased from the hotel.
Any attendee, staff member or exhibitor bringing coolers, fast food bags, bottles, cases of beer or soft drinks, delivery boxes, grocery items or other outside food into public convention areas will be directed to take it back to their hotel rooms or the third-floor Courtyard.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Strategicon staffOrccon 2016 shirts are up!
Would you believe four shirts? We got carried away. See them here.
Gateway 2015 largest show of year!
Gateway 2015 Breaks Records, Was Enormous
Los Angeles-based gaming convention Gateway 2015 drew 2,100 attendees, continuing a seven-year growth streak. Strategicon Conventions, which comprises Gateway, Orccon and Gamex, has seen attendance increase 10% year-over-year since 2009. We are delighted to see the community grow; thank you for joining us. Huzzah, and onward!
$10.80 parking at Airport Spectrum parking
Parking is tight at the hotel right now. But the parking lot between the Hilton and the Marriott is $10.80 a day normally.
Second room block sold out
We've opened a third block but that's all there is.
Initial room block sold out!
Second block opened, but when that's gone there will be no more rooms at the hotel
We have sold out our initial block of rooms for Gamex 2015. We have negotiated a second block of rooms but it's the last of what's available at the hotel and it's not as inexpensive as the first block.
2000!
For the first time since the 1990s, Orccon had over 2000 attendees.
We are delighted to announce that Orccon 2015 entertained more than 2,000 attendees, making it our largest show in two decades. Many thanks to our hosts at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport hotel, as well as our attendees, volunteers, sponsors, vendors and staff. We couldn't have done it without you and look forward to more adventures ahead.
Second Hotel Room Block Sold Out
Our second block of rooms has sold out. We are working to get more, but at this time we do not know if that's possible
Room block sold out!
Second block opened, but when that's gone there will be no more rooms at the hotel
We have sold out our initial block of rooms for Orccon 2015. We have negotiated a second block of rooms but it's the last of what's available at the hotel and it's not as inexpensive as the first block.
Thank you for a record breaking Gateway 2014
Gateway had its largest attendance of this millennia, topping 1800 people.
Just 3 years ago we were ecstatic that we broke 1200 attendees. We've now topped 1800, coming in just barely under Orccon 2014. All three Strategicon conventions had their best years in quite some time, with Gamex topping 1500 (just missing 1600) for the first time since the mid 1990s. Thanks to all our attendees, volunteers, vendors and staff. We couldn't have done it without you.
Parking Info Updated!
We've completely updated our parking information for the Hilton and the surrounding area.
We have Gateway 2014 TShirts!
Two designs! See them here
When ordering specify which design(s) you'd like. If you've already ordered we'll contact you!
Server Upgrade Complete
Still restoring things as we find them broken, but the relocation and hardware upgrade is complete.
Server Maintenance!
We are upgrading and relocating the server this weekend, so the web site will be down for a bit at one point.
We have TShirts!
Two designs! See them here
When ordering specify which design(s) you'd like. If you've already ordered we'll contact you!
Hotel Room Reservations Due Friday
Just $99 for a room with two doubles or a one king-sized bed. Sign up via the "Hotel" link to the left.
Hotel Room Reg Update
The group link is finally up! Yeah, better late than never.
If you've already registered with the hotel, you can go through this and save some additional cash or call the hotel and move your reservation into the group block. Remember, if you find a cheaper rate, let us know and we receive credit for the room.
Gateway 2012 largest of century!
Gateway hit 1560 attendees this year, making it the largest Gateway of the century! For the third year in a row Gateway was the largest game convention in California. Thanks everyone -- we'll see you in February.
Why Isn't My Favorite Board Game Listed?
Games previously run by the Board Game department are not going to be scheduled without a GM.
The board game department has enacted a new policy. Only games claimed by a GM will be run. There are over 100 games that ran at Orccon 2012, that will not be run Gamex 2012 if someone doesn't offer to run the event. Some of these games are usually run at all three of our conventions.
For a list of games that don't appear to be on the Gamex 2012 schedule go to http://www.strategicon.net/index.php?goto=events_needing_gm.
General game submission closes in 2 days.
Any submissions after that will have to be sent to the board game department stratcon_boardgames@strategicon.net directly and are not guaranteed to be approved.
T-Shirt preview up!
We have Four (yes, four!) different T-Shirt designs this year. We're printing three of them to order only, so if you're interested, check them out right here!
Thank you for a great Gateway 2011
We broke 1250 attendees, making this the largest Gateway convention since 2002.
For the second year in a row we were the largest game convention in California on Labor Day weekend. Thanks to all our attendees. See you at Orccon 2012!
Warhammer 40k Apocalypse
SoCal Crusaders will be running an Apocalypse seminar Friday and games of Apocalypse on Saturday & Sunday. Come check it out!
We're the SoCal Crusaders, and we'll run the Apocalypse seminar Fri from 5pm to 9pm. Saturday will be our first Apocalypse game, open to the all, register at 10am, starts at 11am-max 10,000pts with our gaming group's rules set (found at blood-crusade.webs.com). We'll of course have copies of our rules for all to view. The game Saturday will then play from 11am to 10pm, if that much time is needed. Sunday will be same time registration, 10am, game starts 11am, open to all, 10,000pts max, etc. Sunday's game will end at 6pm. Both days will be separate Scenarios/Games.
Gamex Needs Volunteers!
Volunteer to become part of our success at Gamex '11.
We are looking for enthusiastic people who want to get involved in making Strategicon Gaming Conventions better and more fun. Do you think you have what it takes? Let us know. Click the "Volunteer" link on the menu at the left or go to http://www.strategicon.net/index.php?goto=volunteer and sign up.
FoW National Qualifier
Strategicon will be hosting a Flames of War, National Qualifier at Gamex 2011
Strategicon will be hosting a Flames of War, National Qualifier at Gamex 2011. This will be a 4-round tournament on May 28th. This will be a 2000 point mid war doubles tournament. Teams of 2. Each player is allowed to bring one 1000 point list. Team members can lend up to 100 points to the other.
Orccon 2011 Room Block Sold Out
We are attempting to procure more rooms, but as of February 2, we have sold out our block at the Sheraton. We have procured some overflow rooms at both the Sheraton and Radisson, but they are $159 and $169, respectively. Still cheaper than the going rate, however.
Game pre reg is on!
War Times Journal at Orccon
War Times Journal will be at Orccon running a hypothetical Trafalgar 1900 scenario using their Quickfire pre-dreadnought naval rules. Stop by and check it out on Sunday at 1pm in the Miniatures area.
The War Times Journal is an on-line magazine which covers all periods of military history and military science. They offer in depth articles and free on-line wargaming resources, as well as a store where you can buy gaming miniatures and books, and a portal to related sites. Check out their website at www.wjt.com
Site back up!
Thank goodness for backups. We had a disk crash on our primary server. All seems to be normal and we believe all data has been recovered.
More gaming while waiting for Orccon
There's always more fun to be had!
Though our next convention is still months away there is plenty of good gaming going on between now and then.
Magic The Gathering players rejoice! Sun Mesa is running a pre-release for Scars of Mirrodin this weekend at the LAX Radisson. Same place that Gateway was held! If you haven't played Magic for a while then a pre-release is a great time to get back into the game. Hope to see you all there.
Two great game conventions outside the Los Angeles area are happening soon. RinCon happens October 8-10 in Tucson Arizona and NeonCon happens November 4-7 in Las Vegas.
If you are looking for other gaming options, look into one of the many gaming groups throughout Southern California. For a partial list go to our registration page and scroll down. While you are there you can go ahead and register for Orccon as well.
Gateway 2010: Thank You For a GREAT Con!
Largest and most successful Gateway in years!
Hello Everybody!! (Yes this means you!)
Thanks to all who attended Gateway 2010 and made it a huge success. We had over 1200 attendees which was a great way to close out 2010.
We want to hear your stories. Find us on facebook as "Strategicon Conventions" and tell us your stories from Gateway.
Let us reflect on some of the great things that happened at Gateway ... Hmmm ... Where to start.
We had Tom Lehman and Looney Labs as our Guests of Honor and what outstanding guests they were. Tom was running in or playing games all weekend, including the hugely succesful Pandemic LARP and Race for the Galaxy. Looney Labs was Demoing their new Back to the Future Card Game and teaching/playing their other games all weekend. Also, who could forget the great Andy vs Everybody event!
It was great to see HMGS at our convention with many many games throughout the weekend. We launched over 100 roleplaying events as well! Sun Mesa Events ran our Magic events for the first time and our attendance at these events almost doubled from Gamex to Gateway. We look forward to seeing what they will have in store for us at Orccon. Speaking of Orccon is it not just a mere 161 days away?
If 161 days seems like a long time to wait for your next gaming convention fix you might want to check out Neoncon. Their convention is coming up in November and their games count towards the Strategicon points race and Jack Butler awards. Find them at www.neoncon.com.
Soon enough though it will be time for Orccon. We will have over 500 events and we look forward to settling into our new home at the Sheraton for all of our conventions in 2011. Again, thanks for coming if you did and either way we will see you at Orccon. You can even pre-register now if you would like, same bat channel ... www.strategicon.net.
David Zevin goes to Catan World Championships
Gamex 2010 Catan winner David Zevin,will be among those representing the U.S. at the 2010 World Wide Championship in Germany. Details.
Family Games Day - Sunday, Sept. 5
Families get in at a reduced rate -- $50 for the whole family! *One or two parents and up to five kids ages 16 and under. Details.
New Additions to Games Libraries
More Games in our Library from Mayfair, Rio Grande, Minion, and others.
Added since Gamex - From Mayfair Games: Settlers of America, Pillars of the Earth, Domaine, Before The Wind, Lemming Mafia. From Rio Grande Games: Tobago, Krysis & Dream Factory. From Minion Games: Sole Mio and Nile, Sturgeon, Those Pesky Humans and Legitimacy. Also Road Kill Rally, Rattus, Magical Athlete, and Speicherstadt.
Event Pre Reg is ON!
Assuming the router stays up....
Mini-Wars at Gateway 2010
Gateway will host the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society / Pacific Southwest (HMGS/PSW) Mini-Wars convention this Labor Day weekend.
Gateway will host the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society / Pacific Southwest (HMGS/PSW) Mini-Wars fall convention this year with a wide range of historical miniatures games this Labor Day weekend. In honor of the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Steven Reid and Gary Archer will present "Royal Air Force to the Rescue" a "Check Your 6" WWII airpower game. If you like your history from a more ancient time, how about knights and longbow men meeting on the muddy fields of France? Dave Maupin and Greg Kildare will present "Agincourt, the Band of Brothers". The rules are Piquet: come and join this fascinating game on Saturday morning. Make sure and check the Gateway website for additional exciting games.
Meet the Best Settler!
An interview with the winner of the Settlers of Catan SoCal National Championship Qualifier David Zevin
Sunday is Family Game Day
Sunday, May 30, families get in at a reduced rate -- $50 for the whole family. More.
Gamex Hosts Catan Pre-Qualifier
Your chance to qualify for U.S., then Worldwide Catan Championships!
Math Trade at Gamex 2010
Trade games you don't want for the games you do want! Everybody wins... http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/54556/math-trade-for-strategicons-gamex-2010-attendees More about how a math trade works is available on the link.
Archival conbooks posted
The convention booklets for 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 are now available.
Sheraton Gateway Hotel Special Rate
Until May 14, get a special $99 room (double occupancy) registration at the Sheraton Gateway for Gamex 2010. Triple occupancy $119 $139 for four people. Parking with room - valet $15/day (regular $24) self-parking overnight is $11.
Pre-reg Now for Gamex 2010
Don't wait and end up paying more. Pre-register now for Gamex 2010 at the bargain price of $40 for the entire weekend. Save $5 more if you're a member of one of the registered game groups!
Event preregistration for Orccon 2010 is open!
You may now preregister for events at Orccon 2010!
Online Hotel Registration Is On
$109 room registration with parking included for one car is now available for Orccon 2010. This is subject to change.
Miniatures Boot Camp Returns for Orccon!
Our successful Miniatures Boot Camp will be back for Orccon. The boot camp games provide attendees the opportunity to learn from experienced and welcoming players. Ask questions, try out tactics, or test-drive a game you are on the fence about. At Gateway we offered Flames of War, Warmachine, Uncharted Seas, and many others. Check back often with the website to see our offerings for Orccon 2010!
Malifaux at Orccon
Malifaux is the hottest miniature game to come out of Gencon Indianapolis in 2009. This is a diceless 28mm miniature system wrapped around Wyrd Miniature games (http://www.wyrd-games.net ) line of miniatures. Wyrd Miniatures will be sponsoring demo games at Orccon!
What is Malifaux (Mal-i-foe)? It's a skirmish sized tabletop miniature game (5-8 figures per side is about right for your average game) played using "heroic" 32mm figures. The game is built for play on a 3 foot by 3 foot table with a decent amount of terrain - 2-3 small/medium pieces per square foot. Using a unique diceless combat system, Malifaux is a fun and challenging game.
Warmachine/Hordes
That right, Warmachine and Hordes is back at Orrcon, and its new and better than ever!! With the release of the new Mark II version of the rules sets from Privateer Press (http://www.privateerpress.com) the game system and tournament rules set have been updated to reflect player feedback and has been improved and updated!! ORCCON is sponsoring an official Privateer Press 25 point tournament on Saturday of the convention.
(From the Privateer Press web site (http://privateerpress.com/warmachine/the-game)
In the past six years of WARMACHINE, the game has grown rapidly, and we feel the time has come to reevaluate and retool in preparation for the upcoming years of full metal combat. We have chosen to tighten the bolts on both the general game rules and the individual model rules to make every model as compelling as possible and to perfect the WARMACHINE experience, stated Jason Soles, Privateer Press lead developer.
The public will got their first look at the WARMACHINE Mk II rules in April 2009 through an open field test, allowing players to become familiar with the changes while providing feedback that will assist Privateer Press in making final adjustments to WARMACHINE Mk II before going to press. Privateer Press released a pre-press WARMACHINE Mk II PDF to the general Public in September 2009. The Hordes Mk II field test goes live at the end of November 2009.
The Official WARMACHINE: Prime Mk II printed rulebook is to be released to the public in early 2010. The new edition of HORDES will follow later in the year. All tournaments, leagues, and release events that make up Privateer Press organized play will adopt the new editions in January 2010 (just in time for ORCCON).
Uncharted Seas
This is the heir apparent for everyones small scale fantasy Man-o-war. The scale is slightly larger, but it brings everyones favorite races back into play with Humans, elves, orcs and dwarfs playing a central theme.
From the designers web site: http://www.spartangames.co.uk/uncharted.htm
The Uncharted Seas is a fast paced, action packed game of naval tactical combat set in a world of high fantasy. Using superb resin and white metal miniatures, and controlled by fast and easy to learn rules, the game allows you to wage war with fantastical squadrons of mighty warships.
Choose from one of several races, including the Iron Dwarfs with their steam powered ironclads, Orc Raiders with their grotesque machines of war, the ever powerful Dragon Lords, an ancient race of magical seafarers, Imperial Humans hell bent on grabbing as much land as they can and the Thaniras Elves with their sleek ships of war.
The whole premise of The Uncharted Seas rules is deliver a fun and fast game. The aim is to have a game finished within in 1.5 to 2 hours or longer if you want to play multi-player games or use much bigger fleets.
The decks of cards (given away with each fleet bought) play an important role in the game, but you can play without them. The recommendation is that you DO use the cards as they add a wonderful color to game proceedings and a certain fog of war.
IN SUMMARY
The game is hugely good fun to play. You can get up and running quickly, the rules do not have any grossly overcomplicated mechanics to confuse or befuddle you and the models look great! More upgrades are planned, and this includes models such as submarines, war platforms, troop ships, Dreadnoughts, Airships and so on. Spartan games is also working on a supplement to the core rule book that supports all of the new models that are coming out, but always makes these rules available for free download from their online site.
Broadside Bash at Orccon
The Broadside Bash is an official Games Workshop Independent Grand Tournament circuit. It is being run by Pacific Marauders (http://www.broadsidebash.com). This is the 3rd annual Grand Tournament hosted by Orccon and the Pacific Marauders.
This years event will include the three major game systems produced by Games Workshop: Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy and War of the Rings. This will be a two-day tournament with 3 games being played on Saturday, and the final 2 games being played on Sunday. See the Broadside Bashs web site for further information and updates
Rio Grande Games Design Competition
Enter your game in the national Rio Grande Game Design contest!
Event preregistration for Gateway 2009 is open!
You may now preregister for events at Gateway 2009!
David E. Woolcott Memorial Acquire Tournament
The International Hotel Chain Entrepreneurs' game was one of Dave's favorites.
David E. Woolcott, a dear friend of Strategicon for many years passed away recently and his close friends have wanted to memorialize him -- with an Acquire tournament named in his honor.
Acquire, designed in the 1960s by Sid Sackson, pits hotel entrepeneurs against one another in a race to take over and be taken over by other hotel chains, all in a race to acquire the most money. Investing in the right hotel chain at the right time is key -- you'll need luck and skill to win. It takes 15 minutes to learn much longer to master. If you've never played, come and see if you're a natural at hostile takeovers ...
Learn more about AcquireSunday Night Settlers
Sunday night Settlers of Catan. $100 First Prize!
At Gateway 2009, Sunday night will see a huge Settlers of Catan tournament. Trade wood for sheep and build the longest road in this thrilling classic board game. Be the best settler and win $100!
Monday Morning Mega Dominion Returns!
Our Monday morning Mega-Dominion tourney was a massive success with over 30 players! We are committed to making Mondays even bigger with more events and tournaments. Come play Dominion at 9am Monday and compete for the $100 First Prize!
Pre reg is on!
Time to sign up for the games you want to play.
Hotel Registration closes today!
You must register with the Sheraton by 5 pm today to get the convention rate.
Flea Market back to normal times
The Saturday and Sunday flea markets return to their normal times of 10 am to 2 pm.
Gamex 2009 at the Sheraton Gateway
We're moving for one show to the Sheraton Gateway, which is half a block east of the Radisson. More details soon.
Game pre registration is on!
Had a brief false start, but it's really on now.
Flea Market Time Change
The Saturday and Sunday flea markets have been moved to the evening from 7 to 9 pm.
Hotel Registration deadline extended, parking added!
The hotel registration deadline has been extended to January 30th and the price of valet parking of one car is now included in the room price.
The Radisson is now including one valet parking spot per room for the Orccon. Valet parking is normally $20 a night so this is a real value and makes staying at the hotel much more economical and convenient.
Michael Schacht Guest of Honor for Orccon 2009!
Designer of Zooloretto (2007 Spiel des Jahres winner) and over 100 other great games will be the Guest of Honor for Orccon 2009
Gateway 2008 was Great!
Games were played, fun was had. We even had parking. On to Orccon 2009!
Gateway Registration is closed
We'll see you at the con.
Parking under construction
The Radisson just received the permits to start construction. More details.
The Radisson just received the permits to begin construction on the parking lot and plans to start tomorrow (August 19, 2008). There will be a retroactive drop in the room price of at least $10 per night. There will be 200 spots still available on site and there will be other parking available off site. We'll post more as we know more.
Last Call for Events and Hotel
Friday August 15, 2008 is the last day to sign up to run events and register for the hotel at the special con discount rate. Parking for 1 or 2 cars is included in the room rate.
Early bird registration and fee increase
We're holding rates steady until July 31, but after that pre reg fees will go up by $5 across the board.
After July 31, all pre reg fees will increase by $5. At the door rates will go up from $40 to $50. Obviously, we're trying to encourage people to pre-register for the convention.
We're adopting a pricing structure used by many other California-based gaming conventions in that we'll offer "early bird" rates for those that pre reg 60 days before the con (we're making an exception for this con as we're just introducing this).
We've also increased the fee for children 12 and under from free to $5 in order to cover the admin costs. A side benefit of this is that it allows children under 12 to be preregistered at the same time their parents sign up. This rate will be constant and will not fluctuate (i.e. it will be $5 for Early Bird and normal pre reg and at the door).
Gamex a blast!
Fun was had. On to Gateway!
Pre-reg is closed
See you at Gamex 2008!
Parking normal -- no construction
$10 parking as normal at the Radisson.
Hotel rates reduced!
Due to construction on the Radisson's parking lot, hotel room rates for Gamex 2009 have been reduced to $99 per night. Also, the registration deadline has been pushed back to May 9. For more information, see the Hotel page.
Puffing Billy returns to Gamex 2008
Come join us for a Train Gamers Association Puffing Billy Tournament. Play train games in several categories, and join in the fun. We will also have 18XX, Empire Builder, and Ticket to Ride championships going on within the Puffing Billy Tournament. Check it out the Puffing Billy Events.
Orccon a blast! On to Gamex!
Thanks to everyone who attended. We hope you had as much fun as we did. Now it's time to get ready for Gamex.
Orccon opens today!
Only $40 at the door for the whole weekend. Special one-day rates available. Check it out on the Registation page.
Orccon registration closed
We'll see you at the con!
Reminder: Orccon pre-reg about to close
Orccon pre-registration will close late night Monday, February 11. Event pre-registration will close late night Tuesday, February 12.
Special Guest: Ed Teixeira
Ed Teixeira of Two Hour Wargames is the creator of the popular Chain Reaction Engine. Ed won an Origins Award for "All Things Zombie" and his games include Six-Gun Sound, Black Powder Battles, Montjoie!, Nuts! and 5150. Come play with Ed and prove that the games of Two Hour Wargames can indeed be played in 2 hours! Check it out on the Events page.
War College Saturday!
Joseph Miranda and Jon Compton present ways to model conflict in the modern world. Check it out on the Events page.
Event Pre Reg is OPEN!
Make sure you login first. The Pre-registration page is here.
Event Pre Reg to open Tomorrow!
Orccon 2008's event pre-registration will be turned on around noon on Saturday February 2, 2008. The Pre-registration page is here.
Orccon 2008 hosts Broadside Bash
Warhammer Fantasy and 40K fans, check out the Broadside Bash. It's a 2 day independent Grand Tournament for both games. Only 50 people are allowed in each game, so sign up here now, or miss out!
Protospiel West returns to Orccon 2008
Orccon 2008 welcomes the Return of the Protospiel West Game Design Sessions on Sunday February 17. To get involved check out the details on the Events page.
Play with the Creator at Orccon 2008
Play the games with the people who created them. Several events available. You can see them listed on the Events page.
Orccon 2008 brings back M&M
Mustangs and Messerschmitts returns after a prolonged absence. Check it out under Events.
Orccon 2008 welcomes RSI
Running both their Duel 2 and Dwarves vs Orcs games, check them out in the ballroom at the con.
Gateway 2007 registration is now closed
Event preregistration is now available
Introducing Play with the Creator
New at Gateway 2007, "Play with the Creator" events allow you to enjoy your favorite game designs with the people behind the games. It's your chance to learn secret strategies, fun trivia, and the history of the game. Some designers are hosting playtests of their newest creations and they are looking for your feedback. Search for them on the events page.
Going to the Star Wars Celebration? Come to Gamex too -- for half price.
"That's not the convention you are looking for..."
"That's not the convention we're looking for"
"You can go along to Gamex now..."
"We can go to Gamex now."
Strategicon welcomes those of you who are attending Star Wars Celebration over Memorial Day weekend and would like to offer a special deal to you. Present your Star Wars Celebration badge at the registration desk and receive half off admission for the day or the whole con. It's that simple. Join us for a game or two and relax for a bit. May the Force be with you, always.
Gamex 2007 Official Classic
Dungeons & Dragons Tournament
Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8:00pm
Dare "Trial by Donjon" and win DVDs of The Hobbit, Black Arrow or the Odyssey!
Come Playtest a NEW Roleplaying Game
Space Blade: Far Future Fantasy
Saturday and Sunday at 10:00am
Help the author to create a better game
Strategicon forum is live!
We've added a forum to discuss the Southern California gaming scene and our conventions. So check out the forum by clicking on the link to the left. We hope to hear from you.
Under New Management
Strategicon and its three Los Angeles-based game conventions have been sold to Knight Errant Enterprises, LLC, of Long Beach. Orccon, Gamex and Gateway are under new management starting in 2007. Read more . . .