INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Time to prepare your dice and shuffle decks.

Gen Con, the largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention in North America, is back in the Circle City.

Over the next four days, Gen Con is expecting about 70,000 people to enjoy gaming, shopping, and cosplaying.

“There are people who are here to do tournament playing with their training card games,” said Stacia Kirby, a Gen Con spokesperson. “There are people here to see board games, and there are those here for the Anime Festival.”

Gen Con is a momentous celebration of gaming. The convention features an extensive exhibit hall boasting more than 500 vendors offering new and popular games, merchandise, costumes, and art.

“What we do have are over 20,000 gaming events that go on the entire four days, 24/7,” Kirby said. “So, those go on all over downtown Indianapolis.”

This year’s event honors the 50th anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), the game’s legacy, and the vibrant community it has spawned over five decades.

“It’s a big deal for us to have D&D become a stamp,” Kirby said. “I mean, how mainstream is that? So, there is a lot of celebrating, especially with a D&D Museum.”

Nickolas Moyer, a seasoned Dungeon and Dragons master and demo teacher, has been enjoying the game for nearly a decade. He says the comradery of playing imaginative games with others is a much needed escape.

“Anytime you have the excuse of getting people together, laughing at a table, that’s what brings me into it,” Moyer said. “This is a great way to do it. We get to be imaginative and have fun with it, and running the games like this is absolutely amazing. It gives me the power to ensure everyone is having fun.”

Moyer says games like Dungeons and Dragons are designed to cater to individuals with disabilities, showcasing a blend of creativity and adaptation that makes the experience truly accessible to all.

“I play a game with someone who has Tourette’s,” Moyer said. “In the game, you can be anything, and he wanted to be a poet. We were all there backing him up, advising him to pick this class with these rules.”

As the dice rolls and the tales continue to unfold over the next few days, game demo teachers like Moyer are creating a space where every player, regardless of ability, can immerse themselves in the magic of Dungeons and Dragons.