Gen Con 2025 Recap: Thank you for An Unforgettable Weekend

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Erik's Curiosa

There are moments that remind us why we do what we do.

This year at Gen Con, we were deeply moved and more than a little overwhelmed by the passion, excitement, and support from the Sorcery: Contested Realm community.

From the first players in line on Thursday morning to the final event wrap-ups on Sunday evening, it was a weekend we’ll never forget.

We came to Indianapolis to unveil something special: Dragonlord, our boldest and most experimental release yet. A limited box filled with draconic might and the visionary art of Ed Beard Jr., it was met with incredible enthusiasm far beyond what we could have even imagined. We were blown away by the excitement and humbled by the demand for reproductions of Ed’s hand-painted creations.

A Message from Ed Beard Jr.

To mark the occasion, Ed recorded a personal message on the final day of the convention to thank everyone who supported Dragonlord and made the weekend so meaningful. From heartfelt conversations to long lines for signatures, your support for our artists means the world to us.

Crossroads Championships

In the event hall, the focus may have been on tactical gameplay, but it was clear that folks came ready for fun. While we had packed events throughout the event, and our first Crossroads Championship brought together 128 skilled players for a day of fierce competition, memorable moments, and genuine camaraderie. Congratulations to all who participated, and to our finalists for their incredible performances!

You can explore the Gen Con 2025 Crossroads Championship Top 8 Decklists below:

What We Learned

Events like this offer a valuable snapshot of how players are building and piloting decks, and we’re still actively combing through the data we have. While this is just one of six Crossroads events, it serves as a helpful touchpoint, validating some of our internal views, surfacing unexpected innovations, and helping shape the future of Sorcery gameplay and design.

We’re always excited when we have new insights to digest, and this event, coupled with the Crossroads events to come, will give us plenty to explore.


Across the 128 decklists entered into the Crossroads Championship, several standout cards emerged acrossed the Crossroads Championship. With Arthurian Legends and Dragonlords cards available, we’ve come a long way since our first Gen Con event in 2023!

We continue to see the prevalence of cards that require little or no elemental threshold, Ring of Morrigan and Torshammer Trinket being prime examples. Not only do they synergize well with each other, but they also slot seamlessly into Druid decks (see: the fearsome Torshammar Tawny!). Similarly, Ring of Morrigan finds tremendous value in recycling Trinket, creating a loop of replaceable pressure.

Cards like Daperyll Vampire and Grim Guisarme have understandably surged in popularity following the recent update allowing strikes to target sites. These changes ushered in a more midrange, minion-heavy tournament environment, which allowed Sorcery’s grid-based gameplay to really shine.

While upcoming Gothic cards like Swap and Day of Judgement were available in this Crossroads event, they were often manually added in primers or noted outside the standard decklist form. We’re still taking a closer peek at how their inclusion may have influenced deckbuilding, as Swap in particular has the potential to turn long-standing staples into liabilities when played into the realm.

When it comes to Atlas cards, adaptability is king. Valley of Delight and Mirror Realm outshone the Towers - a testament to the importance of being able to meet element thresholds and adapt on the battlefield.

One of the most exciting aspects of events like this is seeing which Avatars players choose to bring into the fray, and what that says about Sorcery’s evolving meta.

Across 128 participants, natured called and the Druid led the pack by a large margin, with 29 players opting to harness the power of nature’s wrath. Following closely were Sorcerer (17), Battlemage (12), and Elementalist (9), each offering their strengths and weaknesses. All Avatars except the Spellslinger, Dragonlord, Avatar of Fire, and Avatar of Water saw play.

We can’t wait to see the community dive deeper into the findings from this event. Thanks to Gen Con volunteer David C. (Floating Skull), the Gen Con Crossroads event data has been collected and is available now in the Sorcery Discord’s #gen-con channel. If you’re analyzing decklists, breaking down trends, or sharing gameplay from the event, be sure to post your videos and insights in the Sorcery Facebook Group or on our Discord - we’re always watching!

Behind the Scenes: Artists, Volunteers, and Partners

First and foremost, thank you to Jeff A. Menges, whose contributions to Sorcery, both artistically and personally, continue to shape the soul of the game. Jeff was a joy to have at the booth, and you couldn’t ask for a better combination of talent, kindness, and industry wisdom. Keep an eye out of his work in our upcoming set, Gothic.

To our incredible volunteers: thank you for welcoming players, running demos, organizing events, and doing the thousand unseen things that keep our booth and events running. Your dedication is what turns a busy convention into a warm and inviting community space. And it’s safe to say, there is nothing at Gen Con quite like the Sorcery experience.

Until Next Time…

We return from Gen Con humbled, grateful, and inspired to keep building something extraordinary.

Whether you joined us in Indianapolis or cheered us on from afar, thank you. Sorcery: Contested Realm is more than a game. It’s a gathering of stories, and we’re thrilled to have you as a part of our tale.

Stay tuned for more updates on our upcoming events at SCGCon and Pax Australia.

See you all in the realm!

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