# Gary Con 2026 Recap

**Source:** Stern Pinball  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2026-03-25  
**Duration:** 1m 56s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k9qK56H2bo

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## Analysis

Stern Pinball attended Gary Con 2026, a Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast convention in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin organized by Gary Gygax's son Lou. Stern showcased their Dungeons and Dragons pinball machine, which drew long lines of players. A signed D&D machine was auctioned for $10,000 to benefit Children's Wisconsin Foundation.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Stern Pinball had multiple Dungeons and Dragons pinball machines at Gary Con 2026 — _Stern Pinball video narrator states 'We had a whole bunch of Dungeons and Dragons pinball machines and people were lined up to play it.'_
- [HIGH] A signed Dungeons and Dragons pinball machine was auctioned for $10,000 at Gary Con 2026 — _Video shows charity auction: 'A Dungeons and Dragons pinball machine from Stern Pinball. $10,000.'_
- [HIGH] The D&D pinball machine generated significant player interest and long wait lines at the event — _Narrator states 'people were lined up to play it' and visitor testimonies praise the game's appeal_
- [HIGH] Auction proceeds benefited Children's Wisconsin Foundation — _Narrator states signed machine would 'raise money for Children's Wisconsin Foundation'_

### Notable Quotes

> "I think just the nostalgia of having a Dungeons and Dragons pinball machine, it fits my nerdiness."
> — **Event attendee**, early in video
> _Captures appeal of D&D IP in pinball format to target community_

> "It's neat that they let you keep going and adding your stuff up. It's really user friendly, which I really like."
> — **Event attendee**, mid-video
> _Positive feedback on game mechanics and accessibility_

> "A Dungeons and Dragons pinball machine from Stern Pinball. $10,000."
> — **Auctioneer**, charity auction segment
> _Confirms auction price and establishes charitable purpose_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Dungeons and Dragons pinball machine; primary exhibitor at Gary Con 2026 |
| Gary Con 2026 | event | Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast convention held in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin |
| Dungeons and Dragons | product | Pinball machine IP/theme by Stern Pinball; star attraction at Gary Con 2026 |
| Children's Wisconsin Foundation | organization | Charity beneficiary of Gary Con 2026 D&D pinball machine auction |
| Lou Gygax | person | Son of Gary Gygax; organizer of Gary Con convention |
| Gary Gygax | person | Dungeons and Dragons co-creator; namesake of Gary Con; referenced in 'Tower of Gygax' D&D module |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Stern Pinball's Dungeons and Dragons machine, Event marketing and community engagement
- **Secondary:** Charity fundraising through pinball, IP licensing and theme appeal, Player feedback and accessibility

### Sentiment

**Neutral** (0)

### Signals

- **[event_signal]** Stern Pinball successfully deployed multiple D&D machines at Gary Con 2026 with strong player engagement and long lines (confidence: high) — Video documentation of event presence, attendee testimonies, and charity auction results
- **[product_strategy]** Stern strategically positioned D&D IP in niche community (D&D enthusiasts) aligned with game's thematic appeal (confidence: high) — Gary Con is dedicated D&D convention; attendees express strong thematic alignment and nostalgia factor
- **[community_signal]** High-profile D&D machine attracted significant community interest; signed limited machine achieved $10,000 charity auction price (confidence: high) — Auction result and player testimonies showing strong demand and collector interest
- **[market_signal]** D&D IP continues to hold strong appeal in niche entertainment communities; cross-market synergy between TTRPGs and pinball demonstrated (confidence: medium) — Successful event execution, long player lines, and strong charity auction result suggest sustained IP value
- **[business_signal]** Stern Pinball leveraging product and events for charitable fundraising, building brand goodwill (confidence: high) — Auction of signed machine benefiting Children's Wisconsin Foundation

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## Transcript

We're at Garycon in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Garycon is not a convention of Gary's. It's a convention of Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts organized by Gary Gygax's son, Lou. We had a whole bunch of Dungeons and Dragons pinball machines and people were lined up to play it. [music] I think just the nostalgia of having a Dungeons and Dragons pinball machine, it fits my nerdiness. It's just something that's just right up my alley. It's neat that they let you keep going and adding your stuff up. It's really user friendly, which I really like, but it's it's just so cool to watch. Even if you're not the one playing, it's awesome. We're signing a bunch of beautiful uh back art uh for the Dungeons and Dragons pinball game that we're going to auction at our charity auction here to raise money for Children's Wisconsin Foundation. A Dungeons and Dragons pinball machine from Stern Pinball. $10,000. Give the man a hand. [music] Gary's like, "Do you want to DM for the Tower of Gygax?" And I'm like, "Sure, sure. Sign me up." I haven't DM'd [music] advanced D and D in 30, 40 years. I'm digging out my dice. I'm pulling out my monster manual and my DM's guide and my players handbook [music] from ages ago. Oh my god.

_(Acquisition: youtube_auto_sub, Enrichment: v4)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 36e87f8d-39b7-4c55-a383-bca3fb97fed8*