Fall Convention Season Preview: GaymerX and GeekGirlCon

Convention season is year-round, but there’s a definite uptick in my neck of the woods in the Fall. Monthly, there is some new Comic Con offering opportunities to meet TV and movie personalities, listen to folks chatter about their favorite things, and have your comic book signed by the best in the business. Oh, and cosplay! Always more cosplay! Here on the West Coast, I’m particularly excited about two upcoming conventions that focus on the intersection of nerdity and inclusion. If you’re in the area and have a few bucks in your pocket, consider attending. Conventions have really become a cornerstone of the nerd experience. Gaymer X Santa Clara, California September 30th – October 2nd, 2016 Website: http://gaymerx.com

GaymerX is the first ever LGBTQ-focused gaming convention. While many of the panels revolve around queer issues or queer game developers, GaymerX and the GX events are made for everyone and everyone is welcome! Founded in 2012 by Matt Conn via Kickstarter the convention is in its 4th year, having also spun off an Australian version this year. The con features more than 100 speakers, many from BioWare and Bethesda. There will be competitive gamers and visual designers on panels as well, tackling significant issues, like accessibility in gaming, the evolution of the gaming industry, and the art of characterization. Outside of the panels and events, the convention floor will be full of game previews from Blizzard, Oculus, Microsoft, Harmonix, Atari, and Funomena;…