The Game Industry Forum, managed by D.P. Vern Vernazzaro, has entered into an agreement with Wizards of the Coast to provide ongoing retailer oriented programming at GenCon, North America's largest gaming convention.  Seminars, panels and roundtable discussions will cover a wide range of subjects of interest and use to both new and experienced hobby game retailers.  Time will be provided to let retailers communicate with each other to share information, experiences and a few war stories.  Continuing the tradition from last year's retailer programming, a session of the Game Industry Forum Live will give forum members a chance to talk face to face.

 

The programming at the 2001 GenCon will be mainly seminars and roundtables.  The Game Industry Forums and Wizards of the Coast will work together to offer a much wider variety of retailer oriented events for future years.  Many of the volunteers working on this effort will be the same ones working on the proposed multi-industry retailer association (see 'Comic and Game Retailers Talk').  This new organization will be invited to participate in future GenCon retailer programming. 

 

The purpose of this joint effort is to help hobby game retailers become better retailers, encourage more communication within this industry and allow for retailers, manufacturers and distributors to interact in a professional atmosphere.  The game Industry Forums is a volunteer effort by hobby game industry professionals for hobby game industry professionals.  It is sponsored by Adventure Knight LLC, managed by D.P. 'Vern' Vernazzaro and advised by a committee composed of professionals from all tiers of the hobby game industry.