Gaming Stage

Welcome to the information page for FanimeCon’s Gaming Stage! Not only is it one of the primary showcases for our convention’s top talent in competitive events, but it’s where we host recreational events too. Those who are looking for a place to play can meet others while their moments are showcased on a grand stage. Come chill out while you watch eGaming’s tournament finals or show us what you’ve got! Either way, you’re sure to have a blast!

All sign-ups for events hosted on the Gaming Stage will be run by a specific department of origin. For example, PC and console games should report to eGaming, while board and card games should report to Tabletop. If you need directions to the sign-ups for those events or want to sign up for one of our events, please ask one of our friendly staff members located at our Gaming Stage/Broadcast Operations Desk.

For our sister departments please see the links below:

Gaming Hall
Arcade
eGaming (Console/PC Gaming)
Tabletop (Gaming Hall & Tournament Room Events)

Gaming Stage Rules

As per Gaming Hall regulations, please follow the FanimeCon Code of Conduct, and COVID-Specific Rules & Policies at all times on the Gaming Stage. FanimeCon reserves the right to modify the rules below at any time, in the interest of safety:

COVID-Specific Rules

  • Masks: This is a mask-required location, as per the Code of Conduct.
  • You may remove your mask for brief moments for food bites, drinking sips, and taking medication.
  • Social Distancing: Please maintain appropriate social distancing and respect the boundaries of other people.
  • Please follow staff instructions in the event that line control or crowd control is needed.
  • Hand Sanitizers: Fixed hand sanitizer stations will be available for all to use.
  • We recommend using hand sanitizer and/or washing your hands before and after playing games.
  • Please notify a staffer if a hand sanitizer station is not functional or empty.
  • Enhanced Cleaning: Gaming Hall staff and equipment partners will be cleaning input devices, games, and stage microphones to the best of our staff’s abilities.

Location Rules

  • The Gaming Hall is a harassment-free zone. Please be a good human being!
  • If you feel unsafe or need to report a problem, please flag any FanimeCon staff member and they can assist you.
  • Gaming Hall staff reserve the right to ask attendees to leave the Gaming Hall due to safety concerns and/or potential Code of Conduct violations.
  • This extends to our events and tournaments, in particular “unsportsmanlike” conduct. This can result in being banned from future tournaments.
  • Staff reserve the right to call in security if required.
  • Please do not tamper with or move any equipment, tables, or chairs.
  • Please inform a Gaming Hall staffer if there is a malfunction or non-optimal gameplay on any equipment.
  • Please also DO NOT attempt to fix the problem; we have qualified staff to troubleshoot problems.
  • Events and Tournaments are free of charge. Sign-ups and information are located at the eGaming or Tabletop desks.
  • Please arrive 20-30 minutes early before any tournament for check-in!

Events

We’re so excited to have you all back to watch our stage and come back to participate! Below are our everyday events that you can look forward to. Further down are the special events for each day. Curious when exactly these are? Check the Pocket Guide or our poster at the Stage itself! Hope you stop on by!

Everyday

Good Morning Gamers

Each morning, we’ll deliver the news about the upcoming day– what will be on stage, where you’ll want to be, and when it’s all going down. Grab your coffee and join us as we say, “Good Morning, Gamers!”

Late Night Jackbox

It might be dark outside but the Gaming Stage is still lit up and ready for laughs. Stop by the stage, come together, and put those Jackbox skills to the test. Prepare your quips and be ready for some Fibbage, Trivia Murder Party, and many others!

Thursday

RNG Rally

Join us at the Gaming Stage and hop on stage as we play whatever suits the mood. Maybe we’ll be on Rainbow Road, at Final Destination, or in games unknown. Just because the stage is at our most casual, doesn’t mean the competition can’t get fierce!

Friday

Tabletop On Stage

We’re happy to have our friends from Tabletop Gaming join us on stage. They might be exhibiting a game or looking for people to hop in for a round. Make sure to stop by and see what they’re up to.

Duck Game

In the distant year of 1984, four ducks enter but only one emerges the victor. Grab a group of friends or vie for solo glory in a frenetic battle arena to determine who is the most fowl of them all.

Maid Cafe x Gaming Stage: Battle

Come watch as Team Solo Maid takes on the Gaming Stage Guardians in a best of three test of skill! Who will claim victory on Summoner’s Rift? Which stars will rise and which will fall in a Smash Crew Battle? If everything’s tied up after that, who will step in to break the tie? What will we even play?

Olive Roll Time Trial!

Defeating the gym challenge for Cortondo City is one thing, but defeating the Special Course requires true rolling expertise. Join us on stage to display your prowess whether you’re the smallest Smoliv or the strongest Arboliva. Are YOU on a Roll?

Octodad: Dad-liest Catch

Being an octopus pretending to be a dad is tough, but being one of four FanimeCon attendees, controlling a part of an octopus, and pretending to be a dad is even tougher. Show up with a group of friends or make new ones as we put two teams of four head-to-head to be the fastest and Dad-liest Catch!

Ultimate Chicken Horse

Ever wish you were a wall-jumping, arrow-dodging, trap-setting horse, besting your animal pals in a race through a peril-laden obstacle course that you all built together? Wish Granted! Ultimate Chicken Horse is a party platformer where you and your friends build the level as you play, placing deadly traps before trying to reach the end of the level. If you can make it but your friends can’t, you score points!

Saturday

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Double Dash

Mario Kart might have made it to the silver screen in 2023, but here on the Gaming Stage, let’s Kart like it’s 2003 – with a twist. Grab a buddy or make a new friend as you race in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sharing one controller between the two of you. Double the chaos, double the trouble, double the fun!

Tabletop on Stage: Pocket Paragons

Gaming Stage is happy to welcome our Tabletop friends to the stage as Solis Game Studios presents their flagship game, Pocket Paragons. Stop by and learn about this fast-paced, dueling card game in advance of their tournament later in the day.

Guest of Honor: The Completionist

Please join us in welcoming Jirard Khalil and Alex Faciane of the Super Beard Bros to the stage! Watch the masterful Completionist at work as he rushes to do what he does best and complete a Super Metroid Randomizer live and in-person! 

Monster Hunter Challenge with Maguma

Maguma returns to the Gaming Stage to challenge hunters (and their palico) to best the toughest monsters out there. But be warned: the real challenge is seldom in the game. Will you be able to tally up a victory or will you have to scramble your way back to camp?

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: TreeFu

The serene villagers of Animal Crossing are happy to trade items back and forth and build the world of their dreams. On the Smash stage though, all bets are off! Join us on stage to play a variant ruleset of Smash with maximum launch rate as you “trade” a tree back and forth in this hot-potato duel of the most violent Villager. 

Delibird’s Delivery Showdown

Dodge Swinubs and pick the priciest presents as you face off against your opponents in Pokémon Stadium 2: Delibird’s Delivery. Make sure to stick around as each half hour, we’ll pit our top delivery people against one another to bring home their very own adorable Delibird plush.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: King of the Hill

Do you have what it takes to not only step on stage, but to stay on stage? Pick that perfect kart, wheel, and glider combo and dodge those blue shells as we invite you to race your best on the Gaming Stage.

Mario Party Superstars

A returning favorite! Roll the dice with us on stage for a couple turns as we do our best to make sure a Very Hard computer player doesn’t walk away with the most stars. Whether you’re a mini-game wiz or just lucky with the dice, we’ll be happy to have you join us!

Sunday

Moving Out

“We like to move it, move it!” And by “it,” we mean boxes, fragiles and furniture! Think you can do better than your local moving company? In Moving Out, you and your fellow Movers are responsible for lifting, moving, and loading these precious cargo into the moving truck! Rakes and ghosts might get in your way but as long as you don’t drop things into the occasional pool, we’ll all do just fine!

Tabletop On Stage: Good Cop Bad Cop

In preparation for their tournament later today, Pull The Pin Games and our friends over at Tabletop are joining the Gaming Stage in presenting Good Cop Bad Cop. Learn about this hidden identity and deduction game as you suss out which cops are on your side.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Chaos Free-For-All

Eight players. Random character. Random stage. One Single JoyCon. Rise above the chaos in this skill-testing hectic free-for-all!

League of Legends Grand Tournament Finals

We are proud to host FanimeCon’s grand tournament finals. Join us as the finalists vie for victory on Summoner’s Rift. Stay up to date with the entire bracket at: https://www.start.gg/tournament/fanimecon-2023 

VALORANT Grand Tournament Finals

Help us as we welcome VALORANT to FanimeConwith the grand tournament finals on stage. Stay up to date with the entire bracket at: https://www.start.gg/tournament/fanimecon-2023 

Tabletop On Stage: D&D One-Shot

Sunday evening is the perfect time to grab some friends, your favorite set of math rocks, and play some Dungeons and Dragons. Sit back and relax as our friends from Tabletop run “One-Night, One-Shot,” a 5e D&D Werewolf game live on the Gaming Stage.

Monday

RNG Rally

Join us at the Gaming Stage and hop on stage as we play whatever suits the mood. Maybe we’ll be on Rainbow Road, at Final Destination, or in games unknown. Just because the stage is at our most casual, doesn’t mean the competition can’t get fierce!