I would like to say that I am very happy with something I'm seeing more of at GenCon - and its even more pronounced this year than it has been in previous years:
Diversity.
My first few years at the show, it really did feel like it was almost whites-only.
It's good because our hobby should appeal to people of every race, creed, gender, orientation, etc. And GenCon should accurately reflect the hobby.
I don't know if the hobby itself has always been diverse and GenCon was a poor reflection of the hobby (which is very possible) or if the hobby has grown more diverse over the last decade (which is possible, too).
It's weird - I feel like I'm treading on thin ice a little bit writing about this, because I am (mostly) white, myself. But I guess that's probably another conversation for another time (and probably another place as well, but no promises).
Wherein Eric discusses Games, the Game Industry, Gamer Culture and anything else which catches his eye.
Definitely diversifying over the years, which could help explain the record sales years board games have been experiencing lately. I'm seeing many more women and ethnicities through the store doors as time goes on. Still relatively under-represented, but far more than when I started in the business. Glad to hear it's a nation-wide trend.
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