A Note from the Director
It was about 10 years ago, summer of 2013, when I first uttered the word “TsunamiCon” to my fellow podcasters on Metagamers Anonymous. We’d been casting pods about gaming for over a year at this point, and I had been inspired by a show I listened to out of Chicago to connect with a local game store – The Burrow – and launch our Tsunami GameDays. We were working on our second such event, and I remember telling my crew about a con in St. Louis that had been constructed by the hosts of a podcast. And I said… “I see TsunamiCon in our future.”
It got a good laugh.
We weren’t the kind of people who launched major events. Those took money. And vision. And a lot of work. It wasn’t until after we met Shaun and Eli at one of our early GameDay events that a plan started to take shape. I had more than a decade of experience planning events when I was in radio, but I’d never even been to a game con. Shaun and Eli, on the other hand, had helped run the gaming at several conventions over the years, and the idea of building one from the ground up was appealing. Jonikka helped me run the numbers and we started working on a game plan.
In the spring of 2014 we launched our startup. I had seen another convention out of Waco, TX, launch a Kickstarter campaign to pre-sell tickets, and I realized that we had finally (potentially) solved the last big problem: raising capital. None of us had much money to put into the endeavor, and it would take a large injection of cash up front to secure a venue, print programs, merchandise, promotional materials, pay for hotel rooms, catering, equipment, signage – the list went on and on!
And that’s how we did it. Kickstarter.
I know it may be hard believe if you’ve never been in the business, but in 10 years we’ve never made a dime on TsunamiCon. As we grew the convention became more expensive, and any money we made – which wasn’t much! – went right back into the event. In a very real sense, it’s a labor of love… and we know that our community gets that. Because so many of our friends and fellow gamers volunteer their time, energy, and yes, CASH, into helping make TsunamiCon an amazing place to spend a weekend in Wichita.
The Pandemic hit us hard, of course. The costs of running an event have skyrocketed, while our attendance numbers took a dive. It took everything we had and then some to make 2021 happen… we gave until it hurt, and in some ways we’re still reeling. But there was never a question that we’d made a run at Year 10. This event means a lot to us and our community, and we owe it to ourselves to keep on giving.
But we need money. It’s been a few years since we turned to Kickstarter for help, but we want more than anything to make this year’s event successful, and the cost of entry is daunting. Kickstarter represents our first best chance at putting together the bare minimum funds to kick things into motion, and we the community to pull together.
So pledge. Get your friends and family on board. If you’re not sure about how Kickstarter works, ask us. Share the campaign. On Facebook. On Twitter. To your Instagram followers, on TikTok – wherever you can! It’s important. Not to line anybody’s pockets or make anyone feel important, but just to help provide our local gaming community a place to get immersed in gaming fun and frivolity for three amazing days!
This campaign has been a grind, but it’s far from over!
On Crowdfunding, Game Registration, and Returning to the Holiday Inn
The past few weeks have been very nose-to-the-proverbial-grindstone as we started working on logistics for this year’s convention. We are all truly excited to be sharing this experience again with our Wichita gaming community! It’s hard to believe that this October marks our 10th year with TsunamiCon.
We still have some major obstacles to overcome. Many venues were booked up before we even hosted our 2021 event – including last year’s venue – and for a while our only hope was a cancellation. Fortunately, the Holiday Inn came to our rescue. We held our second event at their hotel back in 2015, and we left on really good terms… but they are pricey. In 2016 we shopped around because we could barely afford the space. It’s definitely worth noting that we’re looking at a very high price tag this year as well. And we need your help.
For TsunamiCon 2023 we’ve launched a Kickstarter to help meet the bare minimum funding we need to make it happen. And it’s not a small figure. We’ve raised prices a few bucks on some products, but the last thing we want to do is make it harder on our community to hang out all weekend and play games with us. It’s important that you can afford to be there and help us make 2023 another great year for the con.
Badges are currently available exclusively on the Kickstarter page, including some very nice packages for merch and VIG options. We absolutely must hit our funding goal, so we need everyone to pledge now and help us get the word out. Let your friends and family know; if the platform seems intimidating, let us know and we’ll help you with the details. It’s all super easy, and as long as we hit our goal you’ll be charged on the day the Kickstarter comes to a close. We even have some vendor booths and sponsorships available on the campaign page.
Finally, by popular demand, we’ve opened up event registration for GMs who want to get games on the schedule early. It’s pretty early in the game, so to speak, but I don’t mind getting events on the schedule now and showcasing some of the fun that will be available at the con. So submit your games now, if you are so inclined. This goes for panels and other events. too.
Ideally, we’ll reach our goal quickly and start building some additional funds to bring more features and guests to the con. Keep an eye out for further updates to learn more about how you can help make TsunamiCon 2023 an unqualified success!
Announcing TsunamiCon 2023!
It’s time once again, my friends, to gather together with dice firmly in hand and celebrate the tradition of the Wichita game con! TSUNAMICON 2023 is happening October 20th thru 22nd! This year we make our long overdue return to the hallowed halls of the Holiday Inn Wichita East I-35! So batten down the hatches, me hearties! We’re once again preparing to ship off for another year of grand adventure!
Early VIG tickets are currently available for those who want to get in early on the action, and we’ll have early vendor registration up soon as well. They’ll only be posted for a limited time, however! Soon we’ll launch this year’s crowdfunding campaign. This one’s gonna cost us more than a few dabloons, so get ready to spread the word far and wide and snatch up each and every one of your gamer friends to get in on the action!
Keep yer eyes locked on the horizon and our website and social media pages for updates, including our next GameDay event coming yer way soon!
TSUNAMICON 2022 | We’re Back!
It has been nearly three years since we’ve gathered en masse to celebrate our unique and amazing hobby. We’ve weathered numerous cancellations, venues shutting down, a massive shift entirely into cyberspace (with all the hiccups that naturally extend from that grand endeavor), and a fine-tuned existential dread that some things will never be what they once were… And yet, we still gather around tables in our homes and local hobby shops to adventure, rabble-rouse, skirmish, and trade wood for sheep with reckless abandon.
So it’s official: TsunamiCon is back again for another round of gaming goodness this October 21st, 22nd and 23rd. This year we are descending on the historic Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview in downtown Wichita, just across from Century II. We’ll be filling their grandiose 9,000-square-foot ballroom to the brim with gaming tables and special events, and using the adjacent Riverview Room – with it’s picturesque view of the east bank – as our Marketplace and Guild Hall. We have also secured a special hospitality room for our VIGs, and will be working with the hotel restaurant and caterers to provide excellent food and snack options throughout the con.
Early VIG badges are now available, and tickets will go on sale soon enough. We’ll be making announcements in the weeks ahead regarding featured events and special guests. As always, if there is a special game, panel, or event you would like to bring to the con, reach out to us at events@tsunamicon.org to discuss the particulars. If we can fit it in and it feels like it belongs at our event, we will. We will also open game registration soon, allowing GMs to list games and events for attendees to join. It’s never a bad idea to plan your convention experience in advance to get the most out of the experience.
Stay tuned, friends. And be sure to spread the good news! TsunamiCon is back for 2022!
Announcing TsunamiCon 2021 Virtual Con
Are you ready for the main event? Join the crew of TsunamiCon, Wichita’s premiere tabletop gaming convention, for our fall convention. In the wake of the continuing public health crisis, TsunamiCon 2021 will once again be entirely virtual.
TsunamiCon attendees can enjoy a number of fun and exciting events throughout the weekend – brought right to your computer and/or mobile device! Including a variety of tabletop games and RPGs, Featured Events, Demos, Special Guests, Organized Play, Live Entertainment, Panels, Contests and Giveaways, and more…!
TsunamiCon 2021 Virtual Con is scheduled for the weekend of October 22nd thru 24th, and registration and event submission is now open! Keep an eye on our website (www.TsuanmiCon.org) and our social media feeds for updates and information.
Announcing our Spring 2021 Virtual Con!
Join the crew of TsunamiCon, Wichita’s premiere tabletop gaming convention, for our newest gaming adventure. In the wake of the continuing public health crisis, our 2021 events will be entirely virtual – starting with our very first springtime convention!
Tsunami GameFaire attendees can enjoy a number of fun and exciting events throughout the weekend – brought right to your computer and/or mobile device! Including a variety of tabletop games and RPGs, Featured Events, Demos, Special Guests, Organized Play, Live Entertainment, Panels, Contests and Giveaways, and more…!
Our inaugural Tsunami GameFaire event is scheduled for the weekend of April 30th thru May 2md, and registration and event submission is now open! Keep an eye on our website (www.TsuanmiCon.org) and our social media feeds for updates and information.
Got Merch?
Every year at TsunamiCon we have offered official merchandise to help celebrate and commemorate your hometown game con, and we feel that 2020 should be no exception! As such, we are producing a limited number of TsunamiCon T-shirts and dice to enhance your convention experience this year, despite moving to an entirely virtual format. Shirts and dice are currently available for purchase, but we’ll be printing to order so buy now! Our current plan is to take orders through the 20th of September.
This year’s T-shirt will be available in a wide assortment of sizes in maroon or midnight blue, and will feature our TsunamiCon 2020 Virtual Logo with Homeslice looking on from above. You won’t want to miss out! Get your merch today!
Incidentally, we are offering premium badges for a limited time that also include this merchandise.
Note that shipping is included in the price.
Badges and Game Submissions
Ladies and gentlemen… start your engines! Or at least start paddling toward shore!
TSUNAMICON 2020 Virtual Con is just over two months away, and the crew is working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring you a fantastic program with featured guests, fantastic swag, cool events, and plenty of great gaming opportunities. Now we’ve started gathering down on the beach and taking a long, hard look at our virtual playground – and you are welcome to join us!
Badges are now available! A weekend pass for TsunamiCon 2020 is only $5. That’s an insane value! You get THREE DAYS of scheduled gaming, access to our special features and events, plenty of opportunities to socialize with your fellow gamers, and a chance to win some cool prizes! Be sure to check out our expanded badge options, as well – our higher tiers include actual physical merchandise shipped right to your door! And if you just want your $5 badge and a T-shirt, that’s also an option!
GAME MASTERS! It’s also time to start submitting your games for TsunamiCon weekend.
The tide is rolling in, and we have to be ready for some serious fun once the wave finally gets here! So grab your virtual gear and get ready for TsunamiCon 2020! Huzzah!!
TsunamiCon 2020 Update
I have been getting this question a lot lately, and rightly so. TsunamiCon 2020. What’s the plan?
I apologize for the radio silence to date. In the current socioeconomic climate, the uncertainty regarding a fall event has been weighing heavily on us all. During a brief managers’ meeting this past week, we reached the difficult decision not to pursue a fall 2020 schedule for our annual game convention in Wichita. The current crisis has left us uncertain of the viability of an October event and unable to reliably pursue fundraising efforts this summer. TsunamiCon has always been a grass roots con that requires annual fundraising efforts to be sustainable, and time is working against us at this point.
We are shifting our focus instead to an online event for October 16th thru 18th. TsunamiCon(line) 2020 will include a schedule of online games meeting our typical standards of variety and excellence, using the tools and platforms available to us in a virtual setting. We will also focus on innovative ways to create expansive gaming experiences, and we will try to build a program that includes celebrity guests, panels, and social gatherings.
There will be a small registration fee, with premium tickets available that include digital swag and limited merch, and I will take pre-orders for official TsunamiCon 2020 merchandise. We will have more information on this event in the weeks ahead.
The gaming community that has grown around our little convention has become very special to us, and we will sorely miss hanging out with our friends and supporters at this year’s event. I hope that you are weathering the current crisis in good health, and that you are continuing to find ways to incorporate gaming opportunities into your life. We look forward to seeing everyone in person again next year.
Yours in Gaming,
Erik Carl, Director
TsunamiCon LLC