EndGame is nestled in a really charming area within the historic district of Oakland that draws you towards the bright orange logo on a quiet corner near the Oakland Convention Center. Walking in, you’re greeted by a host of puzzles and board games with ample gaming space on mezzanines above the retail floor, creating roughly a 60/40 split in the massive 4200 sq. ft. area. Walking around the store, you see signs clearly identifying the types of games in that particular section, each emblazoned with the orange and white logo of the store. Each type of game has its own dedicated space with new or interesting products displayed prominently as you enter that section of the store. The gaming area above the retail space is essentially two platforms connected by a bridge, one dedicated to traditional gaming tables and the other featuring a wide range of miniature gaming tables with shelves of terrain for various genres. I wish I’d had my camera, as the space itself is amazingly well done and really draws the gamer into the store.

As engaging as the space itself is, my main reason for getting to EndGame was the opportunity to talk with one of its owners, Chris Hanrahan. Chris is well known within the hobby industry, having been involved with GAMA for a number of years and providing early funding to both Catalyst Game Labs, co-owner of Indie Press Revolution and One Bad Egg and is a frequent podcaster on various gaming topics (particularly 2D6 Feet in a Random Direction and That’s How We Roll). Our conversation covered a number of topics and featured a lot of the challenges facing retailers, like competition from Internet retailers, crappy publisher marketing practices, the odd distributor-retailer dynamic created by the current economic downturn and the habit of some miniature manufacturers to act like they hate their customers. More interestingly, was the discussion on what makes EndGame work. “The biggest thing we have going for us is our community” says Hanrahan and its easy to believe he’s right. Based on his research with advertisers, Hanrahan believes that “this area [the Bay Area] has one of the highest densities for gamers in the country,” a hypothesis that seems born out by the staggering number of game stores in the combined metro area: 30! But beyond the raw location, EndGame goes out of their way to create community. In the time I spent at the store, I had the chance to speak with a number of regulars, including one Warhammer Fantasy player preparing to head off to the Big Waaagh! in Memphis. After the customer had left, another of EndGame’s employees (Chris was helping another customer) pulled me aside and told me all about the customer’s army and how everyone thought it had a real chance at winning the Player’s Choice award – its the sort of attention that shows a deep interest in the activities and interests of the customer. But EndGame does more than just show an interest in its customers. “When I tell them [other retailers] how we build community here, they’re really surprised. Its a lot of hard work!” This “hard work” includes a dizzying number of activities, full enough to satisfy the most avid gamer:

• Quarterly Mini Cons are probably the best known EndGame outreach program – essentially, each Mini Con is a one-day role playing con featuring pre-registration and 7-8 tables of RPG goodness over a full day
• While the Mini Cons are impressive, its the annual Anniversary Party that is the main attraction, featuring food, tons of gaming of all types and door prizes, the Anniversary Party is a massive “thank you” to the community
• Young Generals is a fairly neat program where young children get to play in structured miniature games for about 3 hours under the direct supervision of one of EndGame’s staff – no parental supervision required; the event costs $5, but this is immediately converted into store credit that can be accumulated for larger purchases
• EndGame has become so well known for throwing small scale cons in its store that other organizations host small, regional cons in the store as well (Good Omens and the East Bay Games Day are two examples this month alone!)
• A dedicated night for board games with great participation and a selection of games available from the store drives a good bit of midweek traffic
• As with any store, EndGame offers open play for various games throughout the week
• The newest EndGame event, the Swap Meet, is a fascinating event – customers bring in their miniatures and accessories and wheel and deal for a few hours before breaking out a few games

EndGame doesn’t stop at ensuring that they have a top notch retail space – just check out their website. Every week, new releases are announced on the front page with full descriptions. Events are posted well in advance and are updated as they occur. They actually use their forums to talk with their customers (and allow customers to talk with each other) about whatever – not just store business. Heck, the main page of the site even features their Twitter feed, simultaneously letting you know that you can follow @endgameoakland and giving you the latest breaking information.

Its probably not fair to say that every store should be like EndGame, but I would definitely propose that there’s at least a few things every store could learn. Thanks to Chris and the EndGame crew for taking the time to show me around (and the customer base for showing me how bad I really am at Race for the Galaxy!).

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Far be it from me to suggest that the internet won’t do as a source of gaming info. Yet even so, I would agree that there’s something uniquely simple and pleasant about holding a print magazine in your hands, reading it in bed (or that other room in your house), and recklessly stuffing it into your pocket or briefcase. And in terms of gaming magazines, Kobold Quarterly is absolutely top notch.

In case you’re not familiar with it, Kobold Quarterly is edited and published by Wolfgang Baur and focuses on Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying, including 3.5, Paizo’s Pathfinder, and 4th Edition. Regular features include “Ecology Of…” monster articles and an “Ask the Kobold” advice column. Interspersed with interviews, optional rules, inspiring art, setting material, and product reviews, the magazine is at once both familiar and current.

Soon to be published issue number 10 continues to build on this successful formula. I had an opportunity this week to read a prepress copy and found some wonderful stuff. In particular I enjoyed the new Wicked Fantasy series, which launched this issue with a twisted take on Halflings. On the surface, Haffuns are just like you’d expect—short, subservient, and adept at slight-of-hand. The race’s mysterious origins, though, hide a darker secret. Many have infiltrated diplomatic circles and royal courts, while those known as Wipla reject polite society in favor of adventure and the Yffur are pint-sized ruthless street gangs. Other articles I enjoyed were one on the history and advantages of the halberd, a background piece on gelatinous cubes (including a how-to on care and breeding), and a selection of 4E skill challenges fit for dungeon adventures.

The only thing missing is Finieous Fingers.

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Hampshire, UK: 69 year-old half blind pensioner waiting for his friends to show up at their usual card game beats up a 34 year-old attacker wielding a knife. (source)

Oakland, CA: 18 year-old on Ecstasy shoots and kills his friend during a game of dominoes. (source) Also in Oakland: One man shoots dead another at a dice game played at a mutual friend. (source)

Dover, DE: Man gets 66 years for robbing a card game: 11 victims, 3 years mandatory sentence each for “displaying a weapon”, and 3 years mandatory sentence each for “possessing a weapon”. (source)

Akron, OH: 70 year old Euchre game suddenly raided by police for illegal gambling. A policeman who was playing there was tipped off and left the game before the raid. (source)

Houma, LA: SUV swerves to avoid dog, hits car, car goes flying through barbershop window injuring four men playing dominoes. (source)

Plant City, FL: Four men playing a “board game” are shot by two intruders. (source)

Muncie, IN: Intoxicated 18 year-old boy chokes and beats his girlfriend over a game of Uno. (source)

Morganton, NC: Comics and collectibles store broken into and box with 1,200 Yu-Gi-Oh cards stolen. (source)

Elgin, IL: Man threatens to pull gun after police tell him to stop playing Craps. (source)

Austin, TX: Two men rob an illegal game room just before police come to shut it down. (source)

San Diego, CA: Four men sentenced and fined for cheating at card games in casinos to the tune of $2.5 million. (source)

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: 1 ringleader, and 39 apparently unknowing staff, all sentenced for participating in illegal online card game gambling ring. (source)

Rochester, NY: 4 men shot at a dice game. (source)

Iowa City, IO: Murder trial pushed back; last October one guy murdered another over a Chess game. He put the guys head between hs knees and squeezed. (source)

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Wow, did this get a lot of coverage: BGN, Koster, Techcrunch!

The Game Crafter promises on-demand game printing, like Lulu does for books and Cafe Press does for tees.

Send them designs, pick the components, and they’ll sell the game and split the profits with you. Or you can order copies of your own game at cost. And you still own the rights to your game, so you can take it to a publisher when you want. A series of videos takes you through the steps.

Fantastic way to get a neat prototype, if nothing else.

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