SDCC 2023 Recap: Den of Geek’s Impressive Lineup of Events and Activations Powers-up SDCC
By DRWHO42
Den of Geek, a top-flight publisher and content provider in the fandom community, came to San Diego Comic-Con with an ambitious and impressive lineup of panels, activations, and events which were diverse in their theme and appeal to delight SDCC attendees. Events were planned for each day of the con, with the exception of Sunday.
The lineup blended well to accompany programming starting with the “kickoff event” which occurred on the Wednesday Evening with their Spice Punk event in collaboration with Project K, the sci-fi movie from India. While there was a lot of buzz in the fandom community about the film prior to SDCC, the panel and subsequent party increased interest for those who attended.
One of the underlying aspects of any convention is the connection of attendees to vendors. Gamers who attend SDCC to try out the latest game publishers have to offer had a great activation to add to their con adventures. Den of Geek hosted two unique events to help connect guests with the latest offerings in tabletop and online gaming. For one event, Den of Geek teamed up with Funko Games at the Skybox Lounge for an afternoon event where guests tried out the latest in tabletop from Funko Games such as Star Wars Rivals while enjoying exclusively crafted beer from Mission Brewery. Guests mingling in between games or soaking in the afternoon sun while enjoying the view from the Skybox, looking over the ballpark and the Gaslamp, networked and engaged in interesting conversations. I have a great chat with Chris Longo, Den of Geek’s Director of Editorial and Partnerships, about his recent interview with Idris Elba in advance of the premiere of his latest series Hijack and also had an interesting conversation about the potential influence of AI in the entertainment industry.
The other event was the Gala Games activation, hosted in partnership with Gala Games, a leader in web3 entertainment. The gaming-based activation, located at Mission Brewery, ran Thursday through Saturday of SDCC. The location had several gaming stations set up and provided a welcoming space for those looking for a break from the exhibit hall floor. The games available for play included The Walking Dead Empires and Spider Tanks. An excellent selection of Mission Brewery’s craft beer and tacos were available in-between landing multi-combo hits or while lounging and talking with fellow guests. I personally enjoyed playing Spider Tanks along with several sips of Mission Brewery’s specialized IPAs in between respawns.
The finale event was the annual National Geographic Comic-Con Lounge. In collaboration with Den of Geek, the Nat Geo event took place on the rooftop of Margaritaville with Bertie Gregory (Animals Up Close) and Jeff Jenkins (Never Say Never) on hand for the festivities. The line for the event stretched around the block and once inside guests were treated to a relaxing daytime lounge with fun photo ops, delicious food, and memorable swag to take home.
In reflection, Den of Geek and their partners came to SDCC with an ambitious lineup of events which has certainly left a positive impression on guests who attended their events. In speaking with several people at the various events there was a mutual sense of admiration and delight with the lineup of panels, parties, and activations Den of Geek offered. It is difficult to host several diverse events during a single SDCC but the team delivered an exceptional and memorable experience which hope they continue in future San Diego Comic-Cons and beyond.
Did you attend any of the Den of Geek Activations or Party events during SDCC? Join the conversation on the FoCC Forum and let us know how much fun you had.
