Gaming Conventions Faces Crisis Amid Trump Immigration Decisions, Tariffs

The state of the convention season in 2025 remains uncertain, as travel policies and tariffs continue to pressure creators, add costs and make business harder by the day.

Board game and TTRPG game conventions are a staple of the tabletop and board game industries. Events like the Game Manufacturers' Association’s Origins, GenCon, and even the PAX series of conventions are regular mainstays for creators, fans, and publishers to meet in a single space, share new games and enjoy one another’s company. There are a number of smaller conventions across the states, which offer cheaper alternatives to big conventions while offering similar chances to play games. The summer is typically considered the busiest time for gaming conventions, both in the tabletop and video game space.

However, a looming cloud above the industry could severely affect turnout and further damage their bottom line in the coming months.

Trump Administration Effects on Tourism

The Trump Administration has held a fairly aggressive approach to tourists, visitors and international business, with several people reporting increased scrutiny from officials and even some being taken into custody in recent months. It’s had a chilling effect on travel so far.

Professors from Ireland and Australia have declined to attend U.S. academic events due to fears that the current administration will interrogate and arrest them. Conference centers have reported that several executive meetings have been cancelled, leading to a significant loss in revenue for the spaces. Canadians are also canceling trips to the U.S. en masse due to Trump’s remarks about making the country the “51st State.”

International tourism to the United States dropped 10% as of April 2025, reflecting the souring mood that former U.S. allies are developing for the country.

And I suspect it is only going to get worse as the Trump administration continue to engage in questionable conduct around deportation and treatment of prisoners.

Trump Immigration Effects on Conventions

Will the Trump immigration policy affect turnout and attendance at gaming and comic conventions? While we believe there is a good case for “yes,” the effects have not been seen yet.

 TTRPG Insider reached out to several of the biggest convention organizers to figure out what effect the Trump policies are having on events.

“We saw no significant drop in attendance this year due to the policies of the current administration,” a spokesperson for the Wisconsin-based gaming convention Adepticon told TTRPG Insider. “ In fact, AdeptiCon 2025 (hosted from March 26 to March 30) was the largest event we have hosted to date, drawing just over 10,000 people.” At least three Canadian attendees had to cancel due to U.S.-Canada relations, and a single Europe-based hobby instructor canceled classes due to Trump’s policies (among other reasons), the spokesperson confirmed.

Adepticon noted that “most attendees committed to this event even before inauguration day” and that there may not have been enough time for Trump’s policies to impact their travel plans.

Conventions also appear unprepared, as it is unclear what the convention leadership can do to stop federal agents from arresting visitors and immigrants, although at least one convention is trying to offer what little support it can.

Seattle Worldcon, a science fiction convention based out of Washington, published a blog post addressing the Trump Administration’s policies, noting that it would offer virtual options to immigrants and LGBT people who felt unsafe traveling there as well as providing safe spaces and resources on-site for helping anyone who might be targeted by the current administration.

“We all care deeply about our community and about Worldcon and are working diligently to navigate all of the waters that surround us,” Worldcon chair Kathy Bond wrote. “but we are also human with all the fallibility, blind spots, and competing demands on our time that entails. This is a time to support each other.”

Tariffs: Tightening the Belt

There is also the matter of tariffs. Most Americans are growing concerned about the increasing price of tariffs and their effects on budgets. While the state of tariffs in the United States continues to fluctuate daily, it’s not unreasonable to presume that Americans will likely have to make significant cuts to their budgets to make ends meet. That includes buying games and attending conventions.

The tariffs have already caused some game developers to close their doors and others to lay off staff. Many publishers are seeking ways to save money, cut costs, and ensure they can keep open. That might mean a significant travel cost cut for events like PAX or GenCon.

By the time GenCon arrives in August, it seems entirely likely that (if Trump doesn’t blink) tariffs and economic uncertainties will remain in play, and people will have to decide whether they intend to attend, or if they’ll cancel in order to save money.

But can game makers still pull out of events? Exhibitors for GenCon, for example, had to register for 2025’s event by the end of October, which means they did not have a chance to evaluate whether they can attend based on political factors. The booth space at GenCon costs each company thousands of dollars and requires staffing, books, shipping of materials and other costs. In other words, cancelling is not an option without the risk of a serious economic loss.

Major TTRPG vendors appear to be moving forward as planned. Call of Cthulhu publisher Chaosium confirmed that it intends to “a number of smaller regional conventions around the world” as well as big ones like Gamehole, Origins, PAX Unplugged and GenCon.

Modiphius also confirmed that their convention plans are “unaffected.”

It will likely take weeks or months to see if these policies impact this particular part of the gaming and fandom industry. But we pray that the conventions and the communities backing them will join in solidarity to challenge any potential issues that may arise in the coming weeks.

TTRPG Insider intends to keep a close eye on the convention scene in 2025. If you hear any scoops or know anyone adjusting their policy regarding gaming conventions this year, do let me know! My email is [email protected].