Platypus Mini-Con this weekend was a success, but the big convention will be coming this fall

• News Home
• More from News of the North

Sunday, January 29th, 2023 5:34pm

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Whatsapp

Warren can be seen wearing his platypus gaming merch and hat while families play games Sunday (Photo credit to Jasz Garrett/KINY )

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Platypus Mini-Con was held at Mendenhall Valley Library and the Douglas Public Library over this weekend.

Saturday was held at the Douglas Library and Sunday at the Mendenhall Valley Library.

Usually, there is one event per year, this last weekend of January. Since Centennial Hall is closed for renovations, the Board of Platypus Gaming decided to host a mini-con at the libraries instead. In September, they will host their Platypus Con at Centennial Hall.

The President and Founder of Platypus Gaming, Joshua Warren, talked with News of the North Sunday about how the weekend's events unfolded, and what to expect next.

"We wanted to mix it up and have it at both so people could easily come play games. We have had people come to both, which is pretty exciting. Probably the biggest game at the library we've had. This is just sort of a mini representation of it. September 8 through 10 this year and then we're hoping to get back to normal days in 2024. The library is three hours because that's essentially when they're open. When we're in Centennial Hall on Fridays we open at 6pm and we go till 2am. On Saturday we open at 10am and go to 2am. And then on Sunday we open at 10am and go till 6pm. Our peak year, the year before COVID, I think we had about 350. So between three and 400 people."

Warren said they have a variety of games available, and no experience is needed to play.

"We try to keep it at around 2,000 games in our library. So any age group. You want to play a complicated game, we have complicated games if you want to play a game that I can teach you in 30 seconds, we have those too. There are more games than just those. There's a lot of fun ones. We've definitely had people come in with no experience, and we're always happy. We can ask them essentially what they like doing. We can try to find a game that mirrors what they enjoy doing, whether it be like dudes fighting on a map, or maybe they always enjoyed playing cribbage as a kid, but I've loved seeing the support for a local nonprofit. So it's been great playing games and I always like seeing people really enjoy and socializing over a game." 

This weekend's event was free. This fall's convention will be ticketed.

"It's just for offsetting the cost of renting the hall because none of the staff is paid. It winds up being about $30 per person for the weekend, a little bit cheaper for a day ticket. If you follow us on our website, generally we have a pre-sale before we advertise it for like $5 off. Start paying attention in July, tickets will be on sale for a discount."

Volunteers are needed, especially people who'd like to teach others how to play games. Platypus Gaming is a non-profit organization. Warren said usually he has about 30 staff helping with ticketing, concessions, and teaching, but they need as many volunteers as they can get. If interested in volunteering, go to the website and fill out the contact form.

Above: Kate Enge, Warren's wife, learns how to play a new game.

More from News of the North

• Former Alaska State Trooper convicted of Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Second Degree

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - Former Alaska State Trooper Vance Peronto was convicted Friday of one count of attempted abuse of a minor in the second degree.

• The State intervenes in federal lawsuits that challenge Willow Project and opposes effort to stop construction

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - The state of Alaska filed to intervene Thursday and Friday in lawsuits that challenge the recent federal approval of the Willow Project, an oil development, estimated to produce more than 600 million barrels over 30 years and is described as the largest project in size and scale to be developed on the North Slope in more than 20 years.

• Indigenous artists help skateboarding earn stamp of approval

  PHOENIX (AP) - Years ago, skateboarding was branded as a hobby for rebels or stoners in city streets, schoolyards and back alleys. Those days are long gone.

• Sitka Police Department makes drug arrest, seizes cocaine street valued at $24,140

  Sitka, Alaska (KINY) - Michael Souza was arrested on two felony counts of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and one count of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree.

• 2 face charges in death of Alaska man after online post

  Klawock, Alaska (AP) - Two southeast Alaska men face charges in the beating death of a man who was attacked because of a social media post, according to an investigator's affidavit.

• Fatal fire in Fairbanks claims one life

  Fairbanks, Alaska (KINY) - On Friday, Mar. 24, at 11:07 a.m., Fairbanks Emergency Communication Center received an emergency call reporting a structure fire in the 300 block of Bonnifield Street.

• Juneau School District gives response to scam

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Superintendent Bridget Weiss with the Juneau School District joined Action Line to talk about a variety of topics.

• Senate Rules Committee Introduces Legislation to Fix Flaws in Alaska’s Oil Tax Structure

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Senate Rules Committee introduced legislation today to fix several flaws in Alaska’s oil tax structure. Senate Bill 114 would level the playing field by having all oil producers pay the same corporate income tax rate as corporations at 9.4%. This would only apply after the first $4 million in annual net income.

• Skagway preparing for its biggest cruise season yet

  Skagway, Alaska (KINY) - Jaime Bricker joined Dano on KINY's Morning Show to give a historic update on Skagway's cruise port.

• ConocoPhillips details gas leak cause, remedies at hearing

  Anchorage, Alaska (AP) - ConocoPhillips, which last week received U.S. government approval for the massive Willow oil drilling project in Alaska, detailed reasons for a natural gas leak at another North Slope field that prompted the evacuation of 300 employees last year.

• Anchorage man sentenced to 21 years for role in multistate drug trafficking organization

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - A federal District Court judge sentenced an Anchorage man to 21 years imprisonment followed by six years of supervised release on March 22, 2023, for his role in a drug trafficking organization that spanned multiple states

• New revenue estimate for Willow project presents rosier picture for Alaska treasury

  Juneau, Alaska (Alaska Beacon) - Changed assumptions about tax credits, oil prices and other factors result in an estimate of early cash losses over a shorter period than was previously predicted