Gen Con 2026, the largest tabletop gaming convention in North America, kicked off on July 30 in Indianapolis, bringing together over 70,000 fans and hundreds of publishers. This year’s event promises a wealth of new details and reveals for favorite TTRPGscollectible card games and board games along with exclusive announcements from industry leaders.
The convention’s Exhibit Hall is the heart of the event, where vendors from around the world showcase their latest products. Free demos are available throughout the weekend, but many products sell out almost immediately as eager shoppers line up for the first chance to purchase games that won’t be widely available for months.
The Hottest Games of the Year
Among the most anticipated releases are tie-ins with Star Trek and The Lord of the Rings. These games are generating significant buzz and are expected to be some of the hottest items of the year. For those unable to attend or who miss out, preorder links are available to make shopping a little easier.
Expanding the Cosmere Universe
Brotherwise Games has teamed up with Brandon Sanderson to launch the Cosmere Roleplaying Game allowing players to adventure across Sanderson’s many interconnected worlds. The game’s versatility has led to new projects, including one from legendary Dungeons & Dragons designer Keith Baker. Brotherwise is also providing free online rules and templates for designing games using the Plotweaver RPG System with an open alpha beginning on August 5.
Stormlight: War for Roshar
Another exciting adaptation of Sanderson’s work is Stormlight: War for Roshar an epic asymmetric board game from John D. Clair. Players will control heroes and villains from the series, playing out the fight between the Knights Radiant and Odium’s forces. The game is published by Brotherwise Games, known for previous adaptations like Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game and The Cosmere Roleplaying Game.
Magic’s Strategy Comes to D&D
Magic: The Gathering has seen massive success with its Universes Beyond sets, and now Wizards of the Coast is extending this strategy to Dungeons & Dragons. The book Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft was announced during Wizards of the Coast’s keynote presentation, featuring content from the MMORPG’s 22-year history, including the 2026 expansion, Midnight. The book introduces new species, subclasses, and spells, allowing players to become Death KnightsDemon Hunters and more.
Iconic Storytellers Return
Dungeons & Dragons is bringing back some of its most iconic storytellers for new adventures. This year’s Gen Con features a sold-out meetup with Matt Dinniman author of the popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Dinniman will be attending the convention all weekend, playing games with fans and livestreaming the new Dungeon Crawler Carl RPG from Renegade Game Studios.
Attendees can also look forward to a 1,000-drone light show over downtown Indy, a Dungeons & Dragons takeover of the Indiana Repertory Theater, and a Lord of the Rings-themed Hobbiton Summer Festival Magic: The Gathering activation in Lucas Oil Stadium. The annual Block Party is open to the public, featuring more than 40 local food trucks and businesses.
