GAMA, the Game Manufacturers Association of America, and Wizards of the Coast have settled their dispute over the Origins game convention.  Origins was begun by Avalon Hill and turned over to GAMA during its fourth year of existence.  GAMA then contracted with Ohio-based show management firm Andon, which had a rolling contract to manage the show that would have expired in 2005.  Wizards of the Coast bought out Andon and took over management of Origins during the 1990s.  But after Hasbro acquired WOTC the situation changed.  Last December WOTC decided that it no longer wished to manage a number of game conventions that it was involved in including Origins.

 

Under terms of the settlement just announced GAMA will take over all of WOTC's obligations in terms of hotel and other venue contracts associated with the Origins convention.  GAMA, which has been very successful in running its trade show (see 'GAMA Trade Show Opens Big'), will start managing the Origins convention on its own beginning in 2002.  GAMA now assumes control of all aspects of Origins, while WOTC remains committed to running just one major convention, GenCon, which it purchased along with TSR.  As part of the settlement WOTC will also provide GAMA with an undisclosed sum to cover costs and fees.