On March 1, the 2025 Vandal Gaming Convention saw a successful day full of exciting competition, panels from industry professionals, vending and cosplay. Sponsored by the Dean of Students and Office of Information Technology, the event took place throughout almost the entirety of the Pitman Center. VGC is an annual…
On March 1, the 2025 Vandal Gaming Convention saw a successful day full of exciting competition, panels from industry professionals, vending and cosplay. Sponsored by the Dean of Students and Office of Information Technology, the event took place throughout almost the entirety of the Pitman Center. VGC is an annual… Read More Gaming
On March 1, the 2025 Vandal Gaming Convention saw a successful day full of exciting competition, panels from industry professionals, vending and cosplay. Sponsored by the Dean of Students and Office of Information Technology, the event took place throughout almost the entirety of the Pitman Center.
VGC is an annual event dedicated to gaming of all kinds. This includes tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons and Settlers of Catan as well as electronic games like Mario Kart and Street Fighter. Organizers were busy all day as the event ran for 13 hours with a myriad of attractions happening throughout.
Various University of Idaho departments set up shop at the convention, offering tournaments, freeplays and giveaways. The Center for Disability Access and Resources held a demo showing students how to make gaming more accessible, and the library offered their board game collection for anyone interested in some lower-stakes gaming.
Students got to be a part of the event as well, with Visual Technology and Design (VTD) majors showcasing their virtual projects and 3D prints.
Local businesses also got a taste of the VGC. Safari Pearl, a Moscow business that sells comics and games, offered painting, games and a cosplay contest. Hodgins Drug and Hobby, another local business and pharmacy, hosted several card game tournaments, including Pokémon and One Piece.
Wayne Ebenroth, the Director of Vandal Esports, discussed the importance of events like VGC with The Argonaut.
“Gaming is a section of society that doesn’t always get as much attention. It’s growing in terms of [national conventions], but in the board and video game communities there’s still a demand for events around the local region,” Ebenroth said.
Ebenroth estimated that around 1,000 individuals attended the event this year.
One of the main attractions that brought many attendees was Beak Bonk 2025, a large tournament primarily specializing in fighting games like Super Smash Bros, Tekken and Street Fighter, though conventional games like chess are also featured. One of the largest gaming tournaments of the Inland Northwest, Beak Bonk draws some of the most experienced players in the region.
While many events lasted a couple hours, Beak Bonk continued all day, beginning at 10 a.m. and concluding around 8:30 p.m. It was held in the International Ballroom, one of the only rooms big enough to hold such a large and rowdy occasion.
However, students and experienced players weren’t the only demographics in attendance. Samantha Hammes-Buehler, a Team Manager at the Esports Lab, said her favorite part of working the convention wasthe chance to interact with the many children who were present.
“I came to this as a kid, and now I get to give that experience back. One of the best parts of today is I’m seeing all these little faces that have been showing up to our local tournaments. And yes, with Beak Bonk we have some of the best players in the nation, but it’s also the place for kiddos to learn and blossom into future gamers,” Hammes-Buehler said.
At 2:30 p.m., a panel dedicated to a discussion on the gaming industry was held. Panelists included two UI VTD alums, Grayson Highbanks and Reilly Cisco, as well as David Korus, a veteran of over 25 years in the industry.
Major discussion points include how communication and collaboration are essential in the gaming industry, especially considering the tight turnarounds many development teams are expected to accomplish. Highbanks spoke on a four-month deadline he and others had to meet while working on weapons assets in Borderlands, a first-person shooter video game.
Artificial intelligence was another hot topic during the panel. Highbanks said that the standard of quality is so high for major video game distributors that it is often easier to do it yourself than debug AI-generated content. Cisco mentioned that AI is another “tool for an artist’s toolbox, not a replacement.”
The panelists also discussed how gaming has been a historically male-dominated industry. Korus said that diversity in the creative team makes higher quality games that appeal to wider audiences, but it’s hard to hire people who don’t apply, encouraging women who may be interested in the business to put themselves out there.
Director of IT Services Darren Kearney plays a large role in arranging each annual VGC. Having been there from the beginning, Kearney discussed how the convention has grown and what he does to better support students each year.
“The first time we did it, we were thinking small, maybe 30-40 students would show up. We ended up having 300 students attend. We realized it was an underserved community, which led us to intentionally plan these conventions with what students might want in mind,” Kearney said.
More than a space for gaming, the VGC is a place to make friends with like-minded individuals. Kearney shared that he loves talking to students and seeing them interact with one another.
“Sometimes it’s hard when you come to college, you don’t know anyone and you’re not sure you can find your tribe. And this event provides an environment where you might be able to do that,” Kearney said.
Alison Cranney can be reached at [email protected].
