Third GaymerX Coming Despite Earlier Financial Worries

[roseofbattle]

Third GaymerX Coming Despite Earlier Financial Worries

GaymerX3 returns as GX3: Everyone Games after several companies pledged to sponsor the convention before it launched.

GaymerX organizers announced in April this year that GaymerX2 would be the final one. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/133717-GaymerX2-Convention-Will-Be-the-Last] In a way, they were right; there is no more GaymerX convention. Instead, next year the convention will be called GX3: Everyone Games. Organizers have started a Kickstarter for the 2015 LGBT-inclusive convention open to everyone.

Organizers believed this year's GaymerX would be the last due to financial problems. The convention was held in a venue that was extremely costly and was too large for the attendance. Organizers admitted that the first year they tried to figure out what to do on the fly, whereas this year they overestimated attendance. For GX3, they feel confident they can hold next year's convention sustainably. The Kickstarter campaign will cover half of the projected expenses while sponsorships will cover the other half.

Thanks to Devolver Digital's $3,000 pledge one month ago [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136506-NIS-America-Pulls-GaymerX-Sponsorship-Devolver-Digital-Steps-Forward-Update], other game developers and companies stepped up to also pledge $3,000 in sponsorships toward GaymerX after oversights and miscommunications between NIS America and GaymerX left convention organizers short on money. The two managed to clear up the miscommunications, and NIS America fulfilled its $3,000 pledge for GaymerX2.

GX3 will be held in late 2015 in San Francisco, California, if it gets enough funding. Planned guests include Darren Young, Colleen Macklin, David Gaider, Ellen McLain, Alexis Ohanian, and Zach Weiner. Event organizers addressed their move away from the "gaymer" label in a statement on the Kickstarter campaign.

"We've become more and more aware that not all of our attendees identify with the 'gaymer' label," organizers wrote on the Kickstarter campaign page. "And while we love all our gay dude friends, we realize there are more people than that who want an awesome space to hang with their friends in a safe and diverse environment. We want to make sure we represent everyone who feels like they've been left out of mainstream gamer culture."

The crowdfunding campaign ends September 18 and is asking for $80,000 to make up half of the convention's costs.

Source: GX3 (Kickstarter) [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gaymercon/gx3-everyone-games]


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[zombiejoe]

Good for them for finding a way to get funding. I also appreciate the added welcoming of all peoples. "Cis" rejoice!

 

[KingWein22]

inb4 comment about the supposed necessity for straight-pride parades.

That out of the way, I'm disappointed that its in the Bay Area again, if only because I personally won't be able to attend. Maybe next year, assuming that it happens next year.

I was thinking more along the lines of:

inb4 San Fransisco and gay jokes

OT: Hopefully, this will go w/o a hitch.

 

[Nurb]

The term "gaymer" annoys me. I find it hard to believe they couldn't find a better name for it.

And before anyone attempts to lecture me, I'm not straight.

 

[RJ 17]

That out of the way, I'm disappointed that its in the Bay Area again, if only because I personally won't be able to attend. Maybe next year, assuming that it happens next year.

I believe the article says it's going to be in 2015, so you're good to go.

OT:
Personally I think changing the name was a good thing. Now before you all eat me alive, just hear me out. The entire purpose of this convention was because the LGBT gaming community didn't feel safe and welcome at the other conventions, I can understand and respect that. However calling your convention a Gaymer convention implies the same kind of exclusionary attitude towards the non-LGBT gaming community that the LGBT gaming community is trying to avoid. This new name is much more inclusive because it's right in the name: "Everyone Games". I've no doubt that the convention will still bring awareness and spotlight various things revolving around the LGBT gaming community, but now gamers that aren't part of that community won't feel like "Well it's a Gaymer con, so I shouldn't go."

 

[Vault101]

Personally I think changing the name was a good thing. Now before you all eat me alive, just hear me out. The entire purpose of this convention was because the LGBT gaming community didn't feel safe and welcome at the other conventions, I can understand and respect that.

However calling your convention a Gaymer convention implies the same kind of exclusionary attitude towards the non-LGBT

I don't think thats the only reason, somtimes people of a certain group want their own spaces...or more specifically [i/]spaces that cater to them[/i] I think is a better way of putting it , and theres nothing wrong with that...

that doesn't nessicaryly make it "exclusionary" it just makes it clear where the focus is

Good for them for finding a way to get funding. I also appreciate the added welcoming of all peoples. "Cis" rejoice!

at first I thourght they meant hetero people but then I figured some people may prefer "queer" or identify as trans or whatever so "gay" might not speak for the whole group...I can get that

also being "cis" as in "the gender I am born with" can be seperate from being gay/straight

 

[RJ 17]

Personally I think changing the name was a good thing. Now before you all eat me alive, just hear me out. The entire purpose of this convention was because the LGBT gaming community didn't feel safe and welcome at the other conventions, I can understand and respect that.

However calling your convention a Gaymer convention implies the same kind of exclusionary attitude towards the non-LGBT

I don't think thats the only reason, somtimes people of a certain group want their own spaces...or more specifically [i/]spaces that cater to them[/i] I think is a better way of putting it , and theres nothing wrong with that...

that doesn't nessicaryly make it "exclusionary" it just makes it clear where the focus is

Indeed there is nothing wrong with that, and that's not what I'm trying to get at. I don't begrudge them at all for wanting their own convention that revolves around their community. But that's why I used the term "implies". I doubt that there would be guards at the door checking people for the LGBT cards, but calling it a "Gaymer" Convention is off-putting to anyone who wouldn't consider themselves a "Gaymer". And that's exactly why I think the name change is a good idea. Pretty much for the reasons that the organizers were quoted as saying at the bottom of the article: "we realize that there are more people than that who want an awesome space to hang with their friends in a safe and diverse environment." Like I said, I'm sure the focus will still be on the LGBT community in the gaming culture, but with this name change it becomes clear that it's welcome to everyone.

 

[kenu12345]

Oh yay then I have I chance to actually go to one! Hopefully they have good panels like they did this year. Going to have to start saving up ^^

 

[SageRuffin]

I can pay $8.95 for this.

(Sorry... Evo 2013 joke.)