EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
RetroGameCon is more than just a vendor show - it's a fully-featured convention experience with Panels, Tournaments, Cosplay, Trivia, Live Music, High Score Contests, Tabletop Gaming, Scavenger Hunts, a Charity Auction, Free Play Consoles, Vintage Computer Exhibits, and much more! There is enough to stay busy from the moment the doors open to the final minutes of the show!
*See Official Schedule for Event Times & Details*
PINBALL ARCADE by Skill Shot
Pinball & Arcade provided by Skill Shot Arcade. Dozens of classic to modern pinball machines and arcade cabinets set to free play, plus an official IFPA sanctioned pinball tournament!
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A perfect place to hang out in between panels, stage events, tournaments, and vendor shopping!
CONSOLE FREE PLAY
Tons of consoles from all eras of gaming set up for free play all weekend! Revisit childhood classics, plus rare and obscure games and systems. Expect to see classics like Atari, NES, SNES, N64, GameCube, Sega Genesis, Dreamcast, Saturn, and Sega CD, plus all generations of Playstation, XBox, and more. You'll even see not-so-common consoles like Turbografx, 3DO, Atari 5200 & 7800, Atari and Commodore microcomputers, plus historic consoles like the Magnavox Odyssey and Fairchild Channel F.
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All these, meticulously cleaned, tested, and maintained by our volunteer staff, set up for you to play all weekend!
COSPLAY
RGC features both Adult and Kids cosplay contests (Sponsored by Larger than Life), a cosplay death match event on stage, a free cosplay photo shoot, and panels. There's also a Cosplayer Lounge downstairs from the expo hall!
(Photo Credit: Amelia Beamish)
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ESPORTS BY ELITE GAMING & ATTACK FROM ALL SIDES
Competitive gaming is offered all weekend, with Smash and fighting game events by Attack From All Sides, plus Rocket League and other eSports competitions by Elite Gaming.
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*Separate registration fee and/or early registration may apply for certain tournaments*
VINTAGE COMPUTING EXHIBIT
RetroGameCon is the home of the largest interactive vintage computing exhibit on the East Coast with 50+ playable historic classic computer systems, ranging from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s. Expect to see IBM PC, Apple II, Commodore, Tandy, Amiga, and more legendary (and notorious) computer systems from all eras of computer gaming.
EXTRA LIFE CHARITY RAFFLES
& AUCTION
Every year, we raise funds for Extra Life, a gaming charity that benefits Children's Miracle Network hospitals at the local level. We are proud to be part of helping to heal sick kids through the power of play at the Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital in downtown Syracuse. Don't miss our fun and unique charity auction on Sunday!
PANELS AND GUEST TALKS
25+ panel discussions including ones on game design, voice acting, cosplay, game collecting, gaming history, and much more. All of our special guests will present a panel for 2023. See official program schedule for panel times.
*Panel presentations take place downstairs from the main expo hall*
MASSIVE VENDOR MARKETPLACE
Over 100 individual vendors at nearly 300 tables bring a huge selection of video games, accessories, consoles, art prints, crafts, toys, tabletop games and supplies, and more! Small businesses from all over the Northeast converge to create a huge and varied gaming marketplace!
TABLETOP GAMING, TCGS & RPGS
The Tabletop Gaming section of the con, presented by Play the Game, Read the Story features a huge board game lending library, Play-To-Win games, board game tournaments, demos of locally developed games, D&D sessions, miniature painting, Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon events, plus more great activities! A great way to unwind and take a break from the craziness of the vendor marketplace!
STAGE EVENTS
The Main Stage in the expo hall features our cosplay contest stage walks, awards, & photo shoots, trivia contests on each day, cosplay death match event, live music, the charity auction, DJ sets, and more!
FREE TOURNAMENTS &
HIGH SCORE CHALLENGES
The RGC Free Play area features over a dozen free-to-enter tournaments and high score contests, including Mario Kart, Tetris, Mortal Kombat, Starfox Super Weekend, and other great games!
Game DEV SHOWCASE &
GAME JAM
Our Game Dev Showcase features retro and modern games developed by small, independent game designers.
LIVE MUSIC
RGC features several live music acts on both days of the con, plus special performances exclusive to our official After Party, just down the road at our official hotel, the Crowne Plaza Syracuse! Check the MUSIC section of the site to see who is performing this year.
TATtOOS, Scavenger Hunts, Kid's Crafts, and Other Stuff!
You won't run out of things to do at this event. RGC has plenty of other activities you can take part in, including on-site tattooing, a special kid's crafts and activities section, a convention-wide scavenger hunt, and more stuff to keep you busy from the moment the doors open to the final minutes of the show!
AFTER PARTY (2024 Details TBA)
Featuring cash bar with gaming drink specials, hot food concessions, Artist Drink N' Draw, and a chance to meet and hang with RGC special guests and staff. Plus, exclusive live music performances!
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*Separate admission ticket required - VIPs get in free!*
