With Gen Con coming up next month, I have been thinking about what people are watching, talking about, and getting excited about in the gaming world.
Gen Con is always one of those events that reminds me how big this hobby really is. Board games, roleplaying games, trading card games, miniatures, publishers, artists, collectors, creators, and players all come together in one place. It is easy to look at the convention as one giant event, but to me it represents something deeper.
It shows how many different ways people find their way into gaming.
Some people come through Magic. Some come through Pokémon. Some come through Dungeons & Dragons or another RPG. Some are board game people. Some love painting miniatures. Some love collecting. Some love the social side. Some love the competition. Some just love being around people who understand why this stuff matters.
That is what I love about it.
The Hidden Lair has always been about more than just products on shelves. I started it because I wanted people to have a place where they could go and feel community without being judged. So when I look at the games people are excited about going into Gen Con, I do not just see products. I see possible tables, conversations, memories, and new reasons for people to gather.
Here are five specific games that seem to have a lot of attention going into Gen Con 2026.
1. Dungeon Crawler Carl RPG + Unstoppable
The first one that jumps out is Dungeon Crawler Carl.
If you follow tabletop crowdfunding, books, RPGs, or just general geek culture, this is one of those names that keeps showing up. Renegade Game Studios is bringing Dungeon Crawler Carl to the tabletop in two ways: an official tabletop RPG and Dungeon Crawler Carl: Unstoppable, a solo and cooperative card-crafting deck-builder.
That combination is interesting to me because it gives different kinds of players a way in. Some people are going to be drawn to the RPG side because they want to create characters and experience the chaos of that world at the table. Others may be more interested in the card game side because they like deck-building, solo play, cooperative play, or games that can hit the table without committing to a long campaign.
What really stands out is the amount of energy around it. When a tabletop project gets this much attention before Gen Con, it usually means people are not just curious. They are already emotionally invested in the world.
That is what good licensed games can do. They give fans a way to step into a story they already care about, but in a new format.
For The Hidden Lair crowd, I think this one is worth watching because it crosses several lanes at once: RPG players, deck-building fans, solo gamers, cooperative players, readers, collectors, and people who just like chaotic, over-the-top worlds.
So I want to ask: are you watching Dungeon Crawler Carl this year? Are you more interested in the RPG, the deck-builder, or just seeing what all the hype is about?
2. Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons — Ravenloft
This one feels like it could hit a lot of different groups at once.
Horrified already has a strong identity as a cooperative monster-fighting board game. Adding Dungeons & Dragons and Ravenloft gives it a darker, gothic fantasy flavor that a lot of people recognize immediately. Ravenloft means Strahd. It means horror. It means atmosphere. It means a setting that has stuck with D&D players for a long time.
What I like about this one is that it feels approachable while still having a strong theme. A lot of people may not want to jump into a full RPG campaign, but they would sit down for a cooperative board game set in a world that feels like D&D. That makes it a good bridge game.
It is also the kind of game that could work well for families, casual players, RPG fans, and board gamers who like teamwork. Cooperative games are great for stores because they create a different kind of table energy. Instead of everyone trying to beat each other, people are talking through decisions, reacting together, and trying to survive the game as a group.
That is one reason this one has my attention.
There is something fun about a game where the table is fighting the danger together. It creates moments where people cheer, groan, blame the dice, and remember what happened later.
For anyone who likes D&D, horror themes, cooperative board games, or the Horrified series, this seems like one to watch.
So I want to ask: does Ravenloft still pull you in as a setting? Would you rather play a full D&D campaign in that world, or sit down for a board game version of that gothic horror experience?
3. Fury of Dracula 5th Edition
Fury of Dracula is one of those titles that has history behind it.
A lot of games come and go, but some games keep finding new life because the core idea still works. One player is Dracula, moving secretly across Europe. The other players are hunters trying to track him down before it is too late. That alone is enough to create tension at the table.
Hidden movement games are interesting because they create a different emotional experience than a normal board game. There is suspicion. There is deduction. There is bluffing. There is that moment where players start asking, “Where is he really?” and everyone leans into the mystery.
That is the kind of thing that can make a table come alive.
The fifth edition has people watching because it brings back a beloved classic with updated presentation and a new chance for people to discover it. For longtime board gamers, that matters. For newer players, it may be the first time they actually get to experience why people still talk about this game.
I like seeing games like this return because they remind us that tabletop gaming has its own history. Not every exciting Gen Con release has to be brand new. Sometimes the excitement comes from seeing a respected game come back in a way that lets a new generation play it.
So I want to ask: have you ever played Fury of Dracula? Do you like hidden movement games, deduction games, horror themes, or games where one player becomes the villain everyone else is hunting?
4. Star Trek: Space Hunt
Star Trek: Space Hunt is interesting because it combines a familiar world with a style of game that already has a reputation for creating intense table moments.
The game uses the Captain Sonar system, which means real-time communication, hidden movement, deduction, teamwork, and pressure. Now put that inside Star Trek, with crews commanding ships from different eras of the franchise, and you can see why people are paying attention.
That is the kind of licensed game I like to see.
It is not just a theme pasted onto a box. The idea of crew members working together on a starship actually fits the kind of game being played. Communication matters. Roles matter. Timing matters. People have to work together, listen, react, and make decisions under pressure.
That feels like Star Trek.
This is also the kind of game that can create a loud, memorable table. Real-time games have a different energy. People are calling things out, trying to keep up, making mistakes, laughing, panicking, and then wanting to reset and try again.
For a local game store, that kind of game can be a lot of fun because people notice it. A table playing quietly is one thing. A table full of people trying to coordinate a starship battle is another.
So I want to ask: are you a Star Trek fan, and does this kind of team-based hidden movement game sound fun to you? Would you want to command the Enterprise, hunt another ship, or just be the person trying to keep the crew from falling apart?
5. Batman: Enemies of Gotham City
The last one I want to mention is Batman: Enemies of Gotham City.
Batman games are always going to get attention because the world is so recognizable. But what makes this one interesting is that it focuses on the villains. Instead of just playing as Batman or the heroes, players take control of Gotham’s villains as they try to take over the city while dealing with Batman’s interference.
That is a fun angle.
Batman’s villains are a huge part of why that world works. Joker, Penguin, Bane, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, and the rest of Gotham’s rogues gallery all bring different personalities to the table. A game that lets players lean into those characters has a natural hook.
This is also another example of familiar worlds bringing people into tabletop gaming. Someone may not be deep into board games, but they know Batman. They know Gotham. They know the villains. That recognition gives them a reason to stop and look.
And sometimes that is all it takes.
A familiar character gets someone curious. Then the game gets them sitting at the table. Then the people around the table make them want to come back.
That is how hobbies grow.
So I want to ask: if you could play as one Batman villain in a board game, who would you pick? Are you a Joker player, a Bane player, a Mr. Freeze player, a Penguin player, or someone else entirely?
What Are You Watching?
Those are five specific games I think are worth watching going into Gen Con 2026: Dungeon Crawler Carl RPG + Unstoppable, Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons — Ravenloft, Fury of Dracula 5th Edition, Star Trek: Space Hunt, and Batman: Enemies of Gotham City.
What I like about this list is that each one shows a different side of the hobby. RPGs, deck-building, cooperative horror, hidden movement, deduction, classic board gaming, Star Trek, Batman, D&D, and licensed worlds all show up here.
That is what makes Gen Con exciting. It is not just one type of gamer being served. It is a whole world of different tables.
So now I want to hear from you.
Which of these five are you most interested in?
Is there another Gen Con release you think people should be watching?
Would you want to see any of these at The Hidden Lair?
Drop a comment, send a message, or bring it up next time you are in the store. I want to know what people are excited about, because that is usually where the best conversations start.
