By Jason Campbell
This past weekend I attended one day of TotalCon (aka Total CONfusion), a 4 day gaming convention held annually at the Best Western Royal Plaza in Marlborough, MA. TotalCon is a smaller regional convention but is the largest game convention in New England. I walked the vendor floor, visited with folks and ran a one-shot TTRPG in the afternoon.
Happy Anniversary, TotalCon!
2026 was the 40th anniversary of Total CONfusion, which began in 1987 at the Yankee Drummer in Auburn, MA, and moved to other local Universities and hotels as it steadily grew. Apart from the many games scheduled, TotalCon has a contest for all attendees that’s a combination of trivia game and scavenger hunt. It’s supported by a dedicated Facebook group and is managed through a Tabletop.Events system.
Tim Cask
The convention also honored Tim Kask with memorial posters at check in and tribute toasts.Tim Kask passed away at the end of 2025. Mr Kask was the first employee of TSR hobbies and a past special guest at Total CONfusion.
Games, Games and More Games
TotalCon is a small convention measured by the total number of attendees and the size of the venue but it’s still a very impressive convention in the number of gamers playing at all times. Many players come and stay at the hotel and play games all four days year after year.
Please allow some speculation as I don’t have accurate figures, but I would guess that there are more games played here than at the PAGE (Philadelphia Area Game Expo) that I attended in January, even though Page has twice the number of attendees.
The games played include board games and card games in addition to the many role playing games. There are game tournaments scheduled as well as independent sessions.
TotalCon Conclusion
This is my third year at TotalCon and I’m planning on being back next year. There’s a few advantages to a small local game convention. If you’re intimidated by large crowds or just feel mentally spent in a large convention space, smaller events might be better. There’s still a lot of games of all kinds going on constantly, and since most attendees are local, the people you meet are more likely to be those you might meet at a local game store or even interested in your in person game.
Crowdfunding – Traveller 5e
Shortly after I first encountered Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D first edition) I noticed other RPGs at the few nearby hobby stores. One of the first I picked up was The Traveller Book, the 1982 collected hardcover of one of the first science fiction roleplaying games. Those rules are famous for their perceived shortcomings, but the game itself is legendary in the history of TTRPGs.
In March 2026 the Traveller 5e campaign comes to Backerkit. This game will wrap the setting of Traveller in the familiar rules of the 5e system. Follow it to get information when it launches.
RPG news – DnD Beyond’s Development Roadmap
Wizards of the Coast recently announced its roadmap for future development. The biggest news is that the platform will be completely rebuilt. These sorts of efforts might trigger hopefulness and scepticism, but time will tell how this turns out.
Upcoming – TTRPG Book Club
This Wednesday (February 25th 8:30pm EST) we’re premiering a new show on Wes Allen’s DM Tales YouTube channel: TTRPG Book Club. A few of our friends will read and discuss a new Role-Playing game. This month we tackle Darrington Press’s Daggerheart. Tune in or catch the recorded show later, and let us know what you think in the comments!
What do you think? Do you have a topic for an article, review, interview, or gaming news item you’d like us to cover? Let us know in the comments, or at shadomainrpg@gmail.com
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