Whether you’re retro, competitive, tabletop or anything in-between, you’ll find it all at Generation Games, Sydney’s premier new gaming event. Book your passes now for April 20th and 21st at the International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour. Tickets and more info here.
The first-ever Generation Games is nearly upon us, taking place this weekend at the International Convention Centre Sydney. This brand-new event promises to give Sydney-siders and visiting fans of everything gaming the ultimate convention experience with a truckload of stuff to see and do, whether you’re into modern video games, retro classics, tabletop RPGs and card games or just love interacting with everyone in this huge and diverse community.
With so much on, we’ve put together a primer on just what Generation Games is about, what you can expect from the show, and importantly how to get there and get in.
When And Where Is It On?
Generation Games is happening this weekend on the 20th and 21st of April, 2024, and will take place at the International Convention Centre Sydney in Darling Harbour, open to ticket-holders from 9AM to 5PM each day. Tickets will also be available at the door!
ICC is well-located no matter what mode of transport you use to get there. It’s a short walk from Central or Town Hall stations, has its own bus and light rail stops, and is surrounded by secure car parks. Being a Darling Harbour location, ferries and water taxis are also a great option. You can find out more to help plan your trip on the ICC Sydney website.
What’s There To See And Do?
There’ll be a huge amount of exciting stuff happening at Generation Games, from playable console and retro games, to indie showcases, tabletop tutorials, heaps of merch and other goodies to buy and some pretty neat interactive features. Below is just a taste of what you’ll find when you head in this weekend:
D&D Epic: Generation Games D&D Epic – The Grand Tapestry is set to be Australia’s biggest ever game of Dungeons and Dragons. Taking place over the entire weekend of Generation Games 2024, 160 Adventurers playing over 40 sessions will quest together in a shared world, where the decisions, successes and failures you experience in your session affect the future generations of heroes in later rounds.
Taking part in D&D epic will be free, registrations are open right now and filling up fast so head here if you’re keen.
Indie Dev Zone: Generation Games’ Indie Dev Zone will spotlight some fantastic local indie developers and their games, with the chance for attendees to play and chat about them with the creators. Some of the games you’ll be able to play include The Godfeather, Which Way Up: Galaxy Games and Dolven. You can take a look at what’s coming on the Indie Dev Zone page here.
Similarly to the Indie Dev Zone, the Tabletop Gaming Developers Australia Space will feature passionate local tabletop developers showing off their own projects. Take a look here.
Community Zone: The Community Zone will be a dedicated spot where everyone can come together with their communities. Strike up a fireside chat about your favourite games, join the cosplay meetups and snap some photos, or just rock up and make some new friends. There will also be a special spot decked out with beanbags for some light BYO handheld gaming. You can find out more about the Community Zone here.
Tabletop RPG Zone: Dungeons and Dragons NSW will be in attendance, running learn-to-play one shot adventure sessions for budding D&D players who want to dive into the game for the first time, as well as some higher-level one shot adventures for the experienced players. Find out more here.
Trading Card Games: Check out some fantastic TCG action with games like Magic the Gathering. Receive guidance from seasoned players, play in the Commander Free Play area, and if you’re confident you can enter sealed tournaments to win prizes.
Find out more about the TCG action at Generation Games right here.
Dr Pickles Tattoo Mystery Hole Experience: Yes, it’s exactly how it sounds. Brave attendees will have the opportunity to put their arm in a mystery hole where the end result is a tattoo. If you’re game, you can learn more right here. Naturally, this one’s 18+ only.
Side Quests: Sign up and set off on a free Side Quest with Epic Armoury. Search for real-life NPCs, acquire gold coins for completing quests around the show and then exchange these fake coins for real prizes.
Just Dance Stage: Open for free play all weekend, dance as a group, or show of your skills solo.
Retro Gaming Zone: The Retro Gaming Lounge will have a collection of retro gaming consoles to try out all weekend, from NES to N64, Sega Mega Drive to Atari 7800 and more.
Freeplay – Consoles, PC, VR and Tournaments: A mix of consoles and PCs will be available for freeplay across the weekend! Try out a PS5, Xbox, Switch or MSI gaming laptops with some of the latest games. Free-to-play tournaments will also be taking place in the Console Freeplay area across the weekend, and there will be VR free play available courtesy of Entermission Sydney. Find out more about that right here.
Speedrunning: Watch some of the Speedrunning showcases featuring of Australia’s top speedrunners across the weekend, and try your hand at some speedrunning in the retro gaming area with Pikeblue with prizes to be won for the fastest times.
Paint & Take Miniatures: Free paint & take miniature sessions available to take part in over the weekend thanks to Aetherworks!
Merch: A range of exclusive Generation Games merch will also be available. You can take a look at the products and designs that’ll be on offer here.
…And Heaps More! Make sure you visit the Generation Games website for up-to-date information on everything that’s happening during the show.
Where Are The Tickets?
Tickets to Generation Games are available right now, and can be found here. Early bird pricing for single-day and weekend passes can be found below:
Saturday
- Child Admission – Early Bird – $22.50
- General Admission – Early Bird – $42.50
- Family Bundle – Early Bird – $107
Sunday
- Child Admission – Early Bird – $22.50
- General Admission – Early Bird – $42.50
- Family Bundle – Early Bird – $107
Weekend
- Child Admission – Early Bird – $37.50
- General Admission – Early Bird – $67.50
- Family Bundle – Early Bird – $172.50
A Day 1 Edition Pass is also available for $119 which includes the following for 1 person (adult or child):
- General Admission for Saturday and Sunday
- Exclusive Generation Games Lanyard
- Exclusive Generation Games T-shirt
- Exclusive Generation Games Tote Bag
- Complimentary cloaking at the Generation Games Cloak Room
