Creators and fans get their game on at Play NYC

NEW YORK -- Play NYC is one of New York's biggest gaming conventions and celebrations. The three-day-long event's goal is to unite creators and fans. In 2024, it returned for a ninth year, this time in partnership with Anime NYC at the Jacob Javits Center.

Attendees range from casual gamers to industry insiders. Everyone who shows up has a chance to connect with studios and creators, large and small.

Playcrafting Executive Director Kristi Pryde organizes the event and says it's a one-of-a-kind opportunity in the Tri State area for "developers come and showcase their games, getting real time feedback from other developers and gamers."

The event aims to promote all types of games: Digital, board, card and beyond. George Li, co-founder of Rabble Game likes to connect directly with gamers. His new, reality-dating-show-based board game "Lovesick" sold out at the show. He says the best part is the face-to-face interactions.

"You can actually show a game and then play a couple rounds to give people a taste of what our games actually play like."

Game creators and developers return to Play NYC year after year, throughout a games development process, so attendees can go hands-on with projects years before they hit store shelves.