Lucy TobierJohn TuftsIndianapolis Star
Updated Aug. 1, 2026, 9:21 p.m. ET
Gen Con, a four-day convention for all things gaming, got a surprise on Saturday, Aug. 1: rain pouring through the ceiling.
Attendees were playing Everdell, Canvas and Bloodrage when the water began pouring into the large space used for game testing. As it continued, staff wheeled in large carts in an attempt to catch some of the rainfall. After the leak stopped and the sun quickly came out in downtown Indianapolis, staff armed with mops and vacuums began to battle puddles.
The damage to the hall and games is unclear. IndyStar could not reach Gen Con organizers before publication. However, one vendor said he was confident the convention would resume Aug. 2 as scheduled.
Ben Rathbone, who works for Tycoon Games and whose table was near the impromptu waterfall, said it was a “deluge.” He said he was able to move most of the games out of the way and received minimal damage. Despite the rain, the games will continue.
“Once everything’s back and dry again, we’re going to come back and play more games,” Rathbone said.
Alex Blandin, who has been coming to the convention from New Hampshire since 2012, posted a video from inside the hall. He said flooding for about 20 minutes happened in multiple areas, including entrances, and soaked hallway carpets. He also said convention organizers evacuated attendees in Lucas Oil Stadium to tunnels between the stadium and convention center.
“Not long after, the whole venue actually started flooding,” Blandin said in an interview with IndyStar.
The downpour at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Hall B happened shortly before an Indianapolis tornado warning. Attendees were told through a loudspeaker announcement to move away from windows and exterior rooms for safety.
Across central Indiana, there areflood warnings until Aug. 2. More storms may be coming throughout the week until Aug. 7.
Gen Con, running since 2003, is the largest convention in Indiana with over 70,000 visitors. It’s also the largest, and longest-running, tabletop gaming convention in North America.
