GAMA News

Co-Sponsored by Asmodee North America

We hope that you will join us March 14-18th for the 2022 GAMA EXPO held at the Peppermill Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. We wanted to share some highlights you can look forward to at GAMA EXPO 2022. • Welcome Kickoff session on Monday March 14, meet the board of directors and learn about what GAMA has been up to since we last met at EXPO 2020. • Retailer Cocktail Reception with Power Retailer Awards

Presentation. • More than 100 hours of Peer-to-Peer educational seminars

Learn from your fellow industry professionals! • Two days of Exhibit Hall with more than 160 publishers, distributors and industry service providers. • Four Game Nights to demo and learn about the latest games and products • Premier Presentations from two dozen publishers and distributors • Retailer Appreciation Box with dozens of games and product samples for qualifying retail stores. • TCGplayer Seller Appreciation Night • PSI Game Night • Wise Wizard Tournament • Asmodee Tournament • Press First Look Room to showcase your hot new game • Diversity & Inclusion Reception • And networking with hundreds of fellow industry professionals

As a reminder, each member company of GAMA received two free badges for GAMA EXPO as part of their membership. Additional badges are only $100 each. For more information on becoming a member of GAMA or to register for the trade show, please visit our website at https://www.gama.org/page/gamaexpo. If you have any questions about the show, please email us at registration@gama.org

GAMA Board Election

In March of 2022 we will be holding elections to fill six seats on our board of directors. Under the new bylaws adopted in July 2021, the board will be comprised of twelve directors elected from the six voting membership groups: creators, media & event organizers, manufacturers, publishers, retailers, and wholesale.

Each membership group will have two representatives on board, elected to two-year terms. As part of a transition plan six directors were elected fall of 2021, with the remaining six to be elected in March 2022. Over the next few weeks, we will release information on how these elections will be conducted for each voting membership group. Look at our website or social media platforms for details.

Monthly Member Networking Is Back

Join fellow members on the first Thursday of each month at 1pm pacific and 4pm eastern, for a member networking session. Come meet other tabletop industry peers and grow your professional network. Upcoming dates: February 3rd, March 3rd and April 7th. All sessions will be held online at https://gamanetworking.spatial.chat.

Get Involved

The best way to help grow the programs and services GAMA offers the tabletop games industry is to join one of our committees or workgroups. These member led initiatives offer great opportunity to network with other industry professionals to grow the industry as well as expand those playing and purchasing your games and products. To join any of these projects or groups, please send an email to the GAMA office at ed@gama.org and we will connect you with the chair of each committee.

Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design

Chair: John Rogers, Arcane Wonders Hall of Fame Curator: Mike Elliott (HOF inductee 2017) Purpose: The Origins Award & Hall of Fame were created to recognize outstanding work in the tabletop game industry and are presented by the AAGAD during the Origins Game Fair.

Advocacy Committee

Chair: Stephan Brissaud, President GAMA Purpose: Helps direct association government relations, advocacy, and lobbying efforts to support the hobby games industry. Potential issues the committee is tasked with include tariffs, customs, product import/export, product labeling laws, Intellectual Property Rights, counterfeit product sales, etc.

Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Chair: Mark Truman, Magpie Games Purpose: Investigates how best to reach out to underrepresented communities within the game industry and to create pathways of success within the organization. The committee is comprised of three teams: • Pathways - oversees the Horizons

Fellows and other mentoring/ accessibility programs • Education - coordinates D&I related educational programs and resources for members • Accountability – works with GAMA leadership to advise on ways to make the organization live up to its vision of “A game on every table, a table for everyone.”

Educational Advisory Committee

Chair: Julie Ahern, Greenbrier Games Purpose: Work with GAMA staff to identify educational topics and opportunities to create a robust training program to assist retail stores, distributors, publishers, media & events, manufacturers, and designers in effectively operating in the hobby games industry.

Environmental Sustainability Workgroup

Chair: Eric Price, Japanime Games Purpose: To propose recommendations on how to reduce the environmental impact of the industry by looking at production, packaging, shipping, and other factors. The workgroup will conduct a focus group at GAMA EXPO 2022 as well as bring together the various elements of the industry with the goal of having a report for the membership by the end of 2022.

GAMA Member Services Workgroup

Chair: Chris Materni, GAMA Deputy Director Purpose: The workgroup will review current and potential programs and services offered by the association with the goal to increase the value proposition offered members. They will solicit ideas on programs and service from the new membership groups established by the 2021 Bylaws revisions.

Market Expansion Committee

Chair: Bree Goldman, Lucky Duck Games Purpose: To research the most effective and efficient marketing and outreach methods to promote the play of tabletop games and increase the number of people who regularly play games.