Origins Game Fair is an annual tabletop gaming convention hosted by the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and is held in Columbus, Ohio. On top of the thousands of gaming events scheduled throughout the week for attendees, Origins also offers a wide variety of professional programming and benefits for their members. Now, if you are on the fence about going, we're going to give you some good reasons you should go to this year's fair.
Quick Aside
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01 - HHP WILL BE THERE
Yes, Shane Collins (CEO) and Joseph Carro (Community Manager) will both be at the fair at our table in the vendor area every day until it's time to pack up. Come see us selling our Organic Towns books among our other popular products including miniatures, adventure campaign settings, and adventure collections, nerding out along with our fellow TTRPG enthusiasts, and maybe even playing a few games ourselves while we're there. Don't be a stranger! (I've heard there's cosplay there, so maybe you'll see me (Joe) suited up as Billy Butcher from The Boys or Obi-Wan Kenobi - not gonna commit just yet, but who knows! We will be at booth 625! (Check out the floor layout HERE)
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02 - OVER 5,000 EVENTS SCHEDULED
Yes, you read that correctly! If you mosey on over to the Origins Schedule of Events, you can search through every event they have scheduled so far and trust me when I say there's a little bit for everyone there. Building cosplay materials in a workshop, playing exciting card games or board games, as well as TTRPGs of course. The event is literally jam-packed with stuff to do and see each day you're going to be there.
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03 - SNEAK PEEK AT NEW GAMES SEEN FOR THE FIRST TIME
In addition to the thousands of events going on, Origins is where lots of game publishers debut new and exciting games that have not yet been released to the general public. You can also try demos of some games, and back other ones that haven't been produced yet. There's an entire list of available games to buy, demo, or back on their website which I'm linking here.
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04 - A GAME LIBRARY YOU CAN USE WHENEVER YOU WANT
Attendees with a valid badge will be able to peruse any of the games in the game library and play them whenever they wish. There is an entire list of games that are available for attendees to check out and play in the library at no extra cost, ensuring you won't ever run out of amazing games to keep you busy during your time at the fair. (I call dibs on 1775: Rebellion!)
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05 - ORIGINS FILM FESTIVAL
If you're a film nerd like me, then you appreciate any chance to watch a movie - especially in a place with lots of other like-minded people. Thankfully, if you need a break from the gaming and just want to relax with some cinema, Origins has a film festival where they "...showcase independent feature and short films of any genre related to gaming, sci-fi or fantasy. These films were submitted by many talented creative minds and have been narrowed down to the top finalists, presented to all Origins attendees during the show!". You can check out their entire film schedule, which is still currently TBD on their official website, but hopefully it'll be updated soon.
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06 - COSPLAY
I'm a huge fan of cosplay and a cosplayer myself, so I was excited to see that not only does Origins allow and encourage cosplay, but they also have several cosplay guests and even a cosplay contest. Seeing your favorite characters come to life by someone excited to portray them is a convention staple, and I for one hope I can manage to bring my own cosplay to our booth! Just make sure to check out the cosplay section on the website to make sure you're updated on when and where the cosplay events are going to happen.
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07 - SPECIAL GUESTS
Celebrities, popular writers and artists, and public figures sometimes show up at conventions to do autograph signings, photos, and meet and greets. Origins continues a convention tradition of having lots of nerdy, relevant special guests. Check out their website for the full list of guests and their bios. You're bound to find someone really cool!
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08 - COMEDY SHOWS
I'm a huge fan of stand-up comedy, so I was pretty psyched to see that they're going to have at least one night devoted to tickling our funny bones. Of course, make sure to check out the page for the schedule as it may change at any time (right now the website shows an old poster). Best of all, it's FREE!
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09 - ORIGINS AWARDS CEREMONY
The Origins Awards, if you're unfamiliar with them, are American awards for outstanding work in the gaming industry. If you're attending Origins, you'll be able to see or hear about all this year's winners, which you can find a list of the finalists on the website. If award shows and games are your thing, Origins has both!
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10 - COLUMBUS, OHIO
Yeah, Ohio has sort of a tongue-in-cheek rap on social media for being boring, but c'mon...look at that skyline! While you're in town for the convention, don't forget to check out some of the cool stuff to do in Columbus, such as shopping or dining at the Easton Town Center, checking out flora at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, nerding out at the COSI Center of Science and Industry, or hanging out in the historic German Village (food, pastries, and beer...oh my!). You're going to be surrounded by games and nerds and pop culture for upwards of a week, so it wouldn't kill you to get out and touch some grass! (I know I will)
Anyway, we're hoping to see everyone there that we can, maybe make some friends, maybe get into some gaming hijinx, and I hope enjoy some decent food. Look out for our booth! - Joe