If you love games, come to one of our local playtest events sometime, even if you don’t design games yourself. I get so much joy from playing someone’s prototype because I can see the essence of the game before it’s coated in a glossy finish. If, like me, you believe games are art, playing unpublished games lets you see the artists’ fingerprints. – from the editor
This weekend: Unpub and Awesomecon
Unpublished Games Festival 2026
March 12 (designers)
March 13-15 (everyone)
Lithicum Heights, MD: Marriott BWI
Play the games of tomorrow, today! And help make them better with your feedback. It’s the nation’s premier event for board game prototypes, featuring both award-winning and up-and-coming designers. Our region’s very own Connie Vogelmann (Apiary, Wyrmspan) will deliver the keynote. Play games – give feedback – win prizes – join a pro-am game jam – get excited about the art and the craft of tabletop game design! Free admission for players.
Register for Unpub (optional for players, but appreciated)
Awesome Con 2026
March 13-15
Washington, DC: Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, DC’s Comic Con, Awesome Con is a 3-day celebration of geek culture. This year, Game Kastle (College Park) hosts the Tabletop Arena, and local designers will be there to demo our games alongside “Speed Friending” and “Board Game Speed Dating” events:
Arcana by Level Zero Gaming: Fri 1pm & 5pm
Army Men by High Level Games: Sat 10.30am & Sun 1pm
F#$% I am a Sucker for Hexagons in Space by Mothspire: Fri 6pm
Ghost Pirates by Tim Rodriguez: Fri 1pm
May I Enter by High Level Games: Fri 4pm & Sat 4pm
Nightbringer by Hartley Llosa: Fri & Sat
The Old Ways Must Go by Mothspire: Fri 6pm & Sat 1pm
Tarot x Gamer by Samphire: Fri 1:30pm & Sat 1:30pm
Other happenings
Wed, Mar 11
Wingspan Americas Release Party ft. Elizabeth Hargrave
Celebrate the new Wingspan expansion: Americas! This expansion includes birds from Mexico, Central & South America, and the Caribbean. Designer Elizabeth Hargrave will be on-hand to sign copies and chat about all things Wingspan! This is a free event with no registration, but tables to play Wingspan will be first come, first serve.
6:00pm-9:00pm
Thu, Mar 12
Indie Board Game Showcase
Washington, DC: Dacha Navy Yard
6:30-10:00pm
Apr 10-12
Circle DC 2025: a conference on history, education & play
Hosted by Fort Circle Games
Washington, DC: Folger Shakespeare Library
May 16
1d4 Con: The gaming convention of the Shenandoah Valley
Martinsburg, WV: Holiday Inn
May 23-24
GameFace Con: Baltimore’s biggest annual indie tabletop game convention.
Baltimore, MD: Peabody Heights Brewery
Designed in the DMV creates community among game designers, local retailers, and fans of tabletop games. Our games catalog, put together with volunteer labor, showcases games made by people right here in the DC-MD-VA region. (We consider anyone in any part of those states the “DMV” for the sake of simplicity).
If you should be in this catalog, reach out to us!
Playtesting!
Sat, Mar 21
Break My Game: public playtesting event
Washington, DC: Labyrinth Games & Puzzles
11:00am-5:00pm
Sat, Mar 21, Apr 18
Break My Game: public playtesting event
Frederick, MD: C. Burr Artz Public Library
12:00-3:00pm
Sat, Mar 28
Break My Game: public playtesting event
Richmond, VA: One-Eyed Jacques
12:00-3:00pm
Sun, Apr 12, May 10
Break My Game: public playtesting event
Manassas, VA: Crossroads Tabletop Tavern
3:00-6:00pm
Mon, Apr 13, May 11
Break My Game: public playtesting event
Baltimore, MD: Creative Alliance
6:00-10:00pm
Sun, Apr 19, May 17
Break My Game: public playtesting event
College Park, MD: Game Kastle
1:00-6:00pm
DMV-based crowdfund campaigns
Arcana by Level Zero Gaming: Shape new realities through the science of spellcraft
🔜 Soot and Charms: Boston by Graftbound Press: Fight for justice in this alternate history, urban fantasy TTRPG for fans of Mistborn Era 2, Shanghai Noon, & the Dresden Files.
Still want more?
Follow the Tabletop Designers of the DMV starter pack on BSky.