PaizoCon
- See also: PaizoCon UK and PaizoCon France
PaizoCon is an annual gaming convention centered around the works of Paizo Inc. that has been held annually since 2008. It has been organized by Paizo since 2009. From 2020 onward, it has taken an online form in PaizoCon Online, where panels and games take place on the Paizo Events Discord server, as well as having panels livestreamed on Paizo's YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.
2008
Originally planned and coordinated by Tim Nightengale and Liz Courts as a fan gathering, the first PaizoCon was held April 26–27, 2008, at La Quinta Inn in Bellevue, Wash. Paizo staff and special guests, like Open Design publisher Wolfgang Baur, ran demo games and participated in panel discussions on the future of Paizo and the industry as a whole. PaizoCon 2008 had an intimate atmosphere, as attendance was limited to only 30 people.1
2009
After the smashing success of PaizoCon 2008, Paizo Events Manager Joshua J. Frost took over coordination of the sophomore convention and Paizo officially sponsored and ran the three day event from June 12–14, 2009 at the Coast Hotel in Bellevue, WA. In addition to the full Paizo staff, guests included RPG Superstar finalists Neil Spicer, Clinton Boomer, Rob McCreary, and Jason Nelson, Monte Cook, illustrator Eva Widermann, and freelance contributors Michael Kortes and Greg A. Vaughan. Friday night featured a special Pathfinder Society interactive, entitled "Grand Convocation," and Saturday night held a banquet reception wherein Jason Bulmahn previewed the forthcoming Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook and Paizo held a trivia contest. About 250 guests attended in 2009—an exponential increase from the previous year—but the event remained personal and intimate and was generally well received by all parties.2
2010
PaizoCon 2010 was held June 18–20, 2010, at the Coast Bellevue Hotel. There were a maximum of 500 guest badges. Previewed products included Ultimate Magic, the Advanced Player's Guide, and the Carrion Crown Adventure Path.
2011
PaizoCon 2011 was held June 10–12, 2011, at the Coast Bellevue Hotel. Guests of honor included Ed Greenwood, Tyler Walpole, Wolfgang Baur, Stan!, Dave Gross, and Kieran Yanner.
2012
PaizoCon 2012 was held July 6–8, 2012, at the Redmond Marriott Town Center. Wayne Reynolds, Richard Pett, Nicolas Logue, Wolfgang Baur, Stephen S. Greer, and Greg A. Vaughan were special guests.3
2013
PaizoCon 2013 was held July 5–7, 2013, at the Seattle Airport Marriott. Ben Wootten, Jim Zub, Tim Hitchcock, Greg A. Vaughan, Neil Spicer, and James Ernest were special guests.4
The convention featured more than 230 Pathfinder Society tables for PFS games and the debut of Season 5 PFS special Siege of the Diamond City.
The preview banquet included details about the Mummy's Mask Adventure Path, Strategy Guide, Mythic Adventures, Inner Sea Gods, the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, and a Pathfinder Online preview.
2014
PaizoCon 2014 was held July 4–6, 2014, at the Seattle Airport Marriott. Author and game designer Frank Mentzer (Dungeons & Dragons, TSR Creative advisor from 1980–1986, Roleplaying Game Association founder) was the guest of honor, and Jesper Ejsing was the artist guest of honor. Paizo CEO Lisa Stevens demonstrated an alpha build of Pathfinder Online, and the preview banquet showed off the Advanced Class Guide, Monster Codex, Pathfinder Unchained, Pathfinder Society Adventure Card Guild organized play program, and Giantslayer Adventure Path.
2015
PaizoCon 2015 was held May 22–25, 2015, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport.5 The convention expanded to a fourth day and larger venue. Brandon Hodge and Jason Engle are 2015's Guests of Honor, and Nicolas Logue, Greg A. Vaughan, Neil Spicer, Mike Selinker, and representatives of Obsidian Entertainment also attended.6
The Preview Banquet featured early looks at Occult Adventures, Inner Sea Races,7 Bestiary 5, Ultimate Intrigue, the Hell's Rebels and Hell's Vengeance Pathfinder Adventure Paths, the Year of the Serpent season of Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild, the Mummy's Mask Base Set and new class decks for the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, and Pathfinder Online. Ryan Costello and Jefferson Thacker of the Know Direction podcast were named Volunteers of the Year.8
2016
PaizoCon 2016 was held May 27–30, 2016.9
2017
PaizoCon 2017 was held May 26–29, 2017, in Seattle. Announced guests of honor included writer Amber E. Scott and artist Remko Troost.10 PaizoCon 2017 introduced the annual PaizoCon Puzzle Hunt.11
2018
PaizoCon 2018 included the second PaizoCon Puzzle Hunt.12
2019
PaizoCon 2019 was held May 24–27, 2019, in Seattle. Announced guests of honor included author Liane Merciel, artist Wayne Reynolds, and The Glass Cannon Podcast.13 PaizoCon 2019 included a Puzzle Hunt.14
2020
PaizoCon Online 2020 was an online convention. PaizoCon 2020 included a Puzzle Hunt.15
2021
PaizoCon Online 2021 was an online convention. PaizoCon 2021 included a Puzzle Hunt.16
2022
PaizoCon 2022 was the first hybrid PaizoCon, consisting of both PaizoCon Online's online activities and an in-person event at the DoubleTree hotel in Seattle. PaizoCon 2022 included a Puzzle Hunt and a crossword puzzle.1718
2023
PaizoCon Online 2023 was an online convention. PaizoCon 2023 did not have a Puzzle Hunt.
2024
PaizoCon Online 2024 was held May 24–27, 2024, as an online convention. It introduced "PaizoCon @", a program that brought PaizoCon Online gaming to a selection of in-person events. PaizoCon also partnered with a selection of local game stores.19
External links
References
- ↑ Mike McArtor. (May 1, 2008). PaizoCon 2008, Paizo Blog.
- ↑ Joshua J. Frost. (June 18, 2009). PaizoCon 2009: You Should'a Been There!, Paizo Blog.
- ↑ PaizoCon 2012 FAQ
- ↑ PaizoCon 2013 Special Guests
- ↑ Paizo staff at PaizoCon 2014, via Paizo user Squeaks. (July 4, 2014). PaizoCon 2015 Memorial Weekend, Paizo Messageboards.
- ↑ Paizo staff. (April 2, 2015). "PaizoCon 2015 Announces Additional Guests!", Paizo marketing email.
- ↑ Paizo staff. (January 16, 2015). PaizoCon 2015 Dates, Guests Announced, Paizo News.
- ↑ Erik Mona, PaizoCon 2015 Preview Banquet.
- ↑ Paizo staff. (May 22, 2015). PaizoCon 2015 program, inside rear cover.
- ↑ Paizo staff. (Retrieved December 2, 2016). PaizoCon, Paizo Inc.
- ↑ Jason Keeley and Joe Pasini. (December 15, 2017). I Want to Play a Game, Paizo blog.
- ↑ Jason Keeley and Joe Pasini. (July 19, 2018). Riddle Me This, Paizo blog.
- ↑ Sara Marie. (December 14, 2018). PaizoCon 2019 Announced!, Paizo blog.
- ↑ Jason Keeley and Joe Pasini. (October 16, 2019). Puzzle, Pieces, Paizo blog.
- ↑ Jason Keeley and Joe Pasini. PaizoCon 2020 Puzzle Hunt, PDF direct URL.
- ↑ Jason Keeley and Joe Pasini. PaizoCon 2021 Puzzle Hunt, PDF direct URL.
- ↑ Jason Keeley and Joe Pasini. PaizoCon 2022 Puzzle Hunt, PDF direct URL.
- ↑ Brian Bauman. PaizoCon 2022 Crossword, PDF direct URL.
- ↑ Save the Date: PaizoCon Online 2024!, Paizo Blog.