While the New York Comic Con grabbed most of the headlines over the past weekend, Alliance Game Distributors held a very successful trade event that attracted hundreds of game store and comic shop owners, managers, and employees to Fort Wayne, Indiana’s Grand Wayne Center for the 2010 Alliance Open House.

 

The event was sponsored by Mayfair Games, Bastion Studios, Closet Nerd Games, Glowfly Games, Posthuman Studios, Wildfire Games, Wizards of the Coast, WizKids/NECA, Cryptozoic Entertainment, the Games Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Days of Wonder and Queen Games.  It offered retailers to learn about upcoming products from dozens of suppliers, meet with Alliance and Diamond personnel, attend “Better Retailing” workshops, playtest games, watch demos, check out new products in the Exhibit Hall, and interact with and learn from fellow retailers on and off the floor.

 

Highlights included 2 “Demo-to-Demo” sessions from Mayfair Games, Fantasy Flight Game’s schedule for 2010 and beyond, and WotC’s presentation on their Wizards Play Network.  At the Friday night dinner attendees listened to presentations from Bastion and WizKids and participated in a massive demo of Mayfair’s Family Business as each person at the dinner received a copy of the game to take home.

 

Saturday’s breakfast was sponsored by Cryptozoic Entertainment and Sandstorm Productions (representing sponsors Closet Nerd Games, Glowfly Games, Posthuman Studios, and Wildfire Games).  Lunch was sponsored by GAMA, while Wizards of the Coast hosted the evening meal and provided more details about the Wizards Play Network plus information on the Deck Builder’s Toolkit, Free Sample Kits, and the upcoming “Walk-Through” Demo Kits.

 

Charity auctions at the event raised $3681 for three different charities including the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  Attendees also received a Web of Spider-Man “Buy-it-by-the Brick figure from WizKids Marvel HeroClix line.