Announcing AGHcon – The First Ever Adventure Game Convention and Hall of Fame in the United States!
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Update: Due to an opportunity to host a Sierra reunion in conjunction with the convention, the date has now been moved to July 27-28. Same venue, just a little later with a whole lot more of your favourite developers on hand! Stay tuned for additional details.
What do E3, gamescom, PAX and the Game Developers Conference all have in common? Simple: NONE of them are devoted exclusively to adventures! For fans in the UK, AdventureX has provided a wonderful opportunity for genre fans to congregate and geek out over their favourite point-and-clicks, but those in North America have been sadly left out.
Until now.
It is our great pleasure to announce that we will be hosting the Adventure Game Hotspot Convention (or AGHcon for short), the first ever adventure game convention in the United States!
Cool, right? You probably have questions. Luckily, we’ve got answers! (To some of them, at least. Others will have to wait.)
When is it?
A two-day weekend event held April 20-21, 2024 (Please note disclaimer at top of article: now July 27-28, 2024!)
Yes, that’s NEXT year, not this year. These things take a lot of time to plan!
Where is it?
The William W. Philip Hall on the Tacoma campus of the University of Washington Tacoma, located about 30 miles outside of Seattle.
It’s a beautiful area in the Pacific Northwest, with a lovely view of the mountains if you squint hard enough on a clear day. Not overly crowded, but with lots of restaurants and nearby accommodations available.
What’s it all about?
Like AdventureX has done so nicely in the UK, we’re looking to bring together passionate gamers and developers (and some pesky press people, if they insist) in one place to celebrate the genre we all know and love. It won’t be a giant, ear-splitting neon extravaganza, of course, but a more intimate setting where you can actually meet and talk with your industry idols and fellow fans.
The facility has several rooms available, including a main hall where game demos and evening presentations will take place, and side rooms for guest talks, panels, and (hopefully) another nostalgia-fueled surprise!
Game Demos: There will be display tables/booths for at least 40 different developers to show off their current projects in person. Not only will you get to see and perhaps play new games in development before everyone else, the real thrill is in chatting first-hand with the developers themselves – an opportunity you’ll likely never get anywhere else.
Guest Talks and Panels: Throughout both days, a variety of acclaimed industry insiders will give talks and group panels about their areas of interest and expertise, with audience participation welcome. Names and topics still TBD, but we will say that already several “must see” guests have expressed their desire to participate!
Evening Presentations: We’ll cap off each day with a special presentation in the main hall. The second night will remain under wraps for now (cue suspenseful music), but the first night will be the inaugural unveiling of the …
Adventure Game Hall of Fame
That’s right, we’ll be launching an officially licenced Hall of Fame for the most acclaimed adventure game creators, games, and even characters!
The first round of inductees will be announced at this convention, but like the Oscars, Grammys, or any major sports league, annual voting will be overseen by a committee and carried out by a diverse group of people throughout the industry, with new candidates added each year. Which adventure game luminaries and their creations will christen the Hall in 2024? Be there to find out! (Well, you’ll find out anyway, but be there to see it LIVE!)
Who all will be there?
Great question! (So were the others.) With the convention a little over a year away, we’re still in the very early stages of planning, so we’re not naming names just yet. But early invitations have started going out, and already interest is strong, so we have high hopes for a ridiculous wealth of talent to be on hand, including top new developers and some legendary figures sure to make you feel giddy on sight!
Other FAQs
My, but you’re an inquisitive lot! Must be adventure gamers.
How do I get tickets, and how much is this going to cost me?
All pricing and ticket information will be announced later this year with an advanced purchase option. Tickets will be available in full-weekend, single-day, and possibly even morning-only varieties with variable pricing. We need to cover our costs, but we want everyone to be able to afford it!
How certain is this to happen?
As close to 100% as is mathematically possible for an event a year away. The venue is already booked, and we’re committed to making this work!
I’m an über-fan and I’d like to do more than just attend! Can I help in any way?
We sure hope so! These events benefit enormously from volunteer contributions, so please get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss possibilities for how you can take part.
I’m too far away to attend but I’d still like to help. How can I do that?
Ditto the answer above. There’s plenty to do ahead of time, and the more hands on deck to help out, the better. Give us a shout and let’s talk!
I’m a developer and you schmucks haven’t invited me yet. Why not, and can I come anyway?
Heck yeah! We’ve just scraped the surface of our early invite list, so no disrespect intended. If you’re a developer and are interested in participating in any capacity – showing games, giving talks, even being a sponsor – please LET US KNOW!
Where can I learn more in the coming months?
We’ve got a dedicated convention page that is now active and will be filled in throughout the year as guests, games, and other new information is confirmed.
Better yet, follow us on social media and stay up to date on all the latest announcements as they happen:
Twitter (@AGHotspot)
Facebook (Adventure Game Hotspot)
Instagram (adventure_game_hotspot)
What is an adventure game?
Argh! The age-old debate rears its ugly head again. But entirely fair to ask in this context. Let's just say that our definition will be pretty broad, including any games primarily driven by their stories, puzzles, and/or exploration, in any combination. Maybe a little action? Why not, but rest assured we'll be there to celebrate games far more like Gabriel Knight than Fortnite.
Even with all these questions, you haven’t addressed the one I want answered! What’s the matter with you?
Is that your question? Even top psychologists can’t figure that out. But if you mean ANOTHER question, then feel free to ask in the comments below (login/registration required, but painless), on our Discord, or even on our brand new forums, which we’ll be launching soon! A special subforum will be dedicated solely to all-things-AGHcon.
Alternatively, you can use our convention page’s contact form, or email Joshua Cleveland or Jack Allin directly.
We welcome any and all feedback, input, questions, concerns, and anything and everything in between. This is a huge undertaking, and we’re learning as we go. Mistakes will be made, but like any self-respecting adventure gamers, we won’t give up until we get it right. And ultimately a good time will be had by all!
You’ve rambled so long, I’ve forgotten where and when again.
Okay, this is it. Mark your calendars: Adventure Game Hotspot Convention, April 20-21, 2024 (now July 27-28!) in Tacoma, Washington
We hope to see you there!
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awesome
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Incredible. Really hope I get to make it and be among my people!
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