We don’t have a booth this year but you can still find Hit ‘Em with a Shoe at Gen Con 2026! Here are the different events we’re involved with. Come check them out, pick up a signed copy of Gathering of Gamers, and be sure to check out the new game we’re working on. Its a bee themed RPG with the working title For the Good of the Hive!
Wednesday
If you’re an educator or a librarian visiting Gen Con for Trade Day be sure to stop by this seminar where Matt talks about building collections of serious games and how to encourage use of the collection:
| TRD26ND307054 | Building a Library Collection of Serious Games and What to Do with It |
Thursday
We have two events on Thursday, the first being a chance to pick up a signed copy of Gathering of Gamers and chat with author Matt Shoemaker about tabletop gaming and con history! This event takes place at 9am, just before the shopping mecca opens so you have time to grab a book and rush into the exhibitor hall if that’s your goal.
The second Thursday event is a seminar panel with Ben & Quarex from the podcast All Year I Dream About Gaming Conventions and Matt from Hit ‘Em With a Shoe. We’ll be discussing what we thing gaming conventions are going to look like in the future!
| ZED26ND302461 | Gathering of Gamers – Gen Con History Book Pickup & Q&A |
| SEM26ND307056 | What Will Conventions Look Like in 5 Years? |
Friday and Saturday Games
Then, at noon on both Friday and Saturday we’re hosting play testing sessions of For the Good of the Hive! Join us for this RPG where players take the roles of a group of super sisters from the same hive. Find out what it means to be a bee and work for the good of the hive where you try to do what’s best for your sisters with the short life you have. The game is inspired by RPGs like Bunnies & Burrows and The Warren and also takes elements from books like The Bees, Watership Down, The Adventures of Maya the Bee, and Semiosis. Come check out either of these sessions to see what game designs we’re working on next.
| RPG26ND307060 | The Sickness of Hive Willowbottom |
| RPG26ND307061 | Murder Hornets Attack Hive Willowbottom |
Saturday Seminar
If you want to hear more about Gen Con history, join authors Jon Peterson (Game Wizards, Playing at the World) and Matt Shoemaker as they talk about the 59 years Gen Con has been around. Come by to hear the history and see who joins them on the stage for the discussion.
| SEM26ND326514 | Gen Con History: 60 – 1 |
