Find your gaming community!
Click the images/underlined words below to go to listed websites
So you like gaming or making games & wanna find others like you? Check out our comprehensive list of places to find those folks!
Start with our little community on this website!
Borrow gaming supplies & attend gaming events at your local library
Gaming supplies available to borrow:
PS4 games and Nintendo Switch games are available to borrow out at the front desk on the 1st floor
Gaming events:
Game nights: Every third Tuesday of the month 4pm-7pm
Metro Gaming for Students: once a month on Thursdays TBA
PS3 & Wii available to check out for use inside the library during normal operating hours.
PS4 & XBOX available only to use during teen gaming programs.
XBOX, Wii, PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch video game discs are available for checkout to play at home.
Teen Gaming at Ramsey County Libraries:
Normally: Tuesday 4-6PM @Shoreview, @Roseville, & Thursdays 4-6PM @Maplewood.
During COVID 19 shutdown: virtually via Zoom Board Games on Tuesdays 3-5PM, Video Games on Thursdays 5-7PM, & D&D on Sundays 12-3PM
Teen Gaming Parties @ Ramsey County Library: Maplewood, every 2nd Saturday of the month 2-4PM
Gaming supplies available to use in the Library
PS4, Nintendo Switch, Wii, & Xbox 360 games. These can be played during normal Createch hours.
Laptops, iPads, & VR headsets also available to use in Createch
Gaming events:
Createch @ Arlington Hills Community Center, Monday-Friday 3-8PM
Createch @ Sunray Library, Mondays 3:30-5:30PM
Createch @ Rondo Community Library, Tuesdays 3:30-5PM
Createch @ Rice Street Library, Wednesdays 3:30-5:30PM
Createch @ Highland Park Library, Thursdays 3:30-5:30PM
Join/make a gaming group online or in person
Join virtual/online groups
Recommended:
Facebook groups like: Black Girl Games
Discord Servers like: Combo Queens
Organizations like: Pandora's Mighty Soldiers (PMS) Clan & Smash Sisters
Check your local games & comic book shops for in person game nights
Recommended:
The Source Comics & Games Shop: they have an open gaming area in the back of the shop that's free to use outside game nights & game nights they host include weekly & monthly game nights such as DnD, Pokemon trading card game, family board game night, & more- view details on calendar here.
Quatrefoil Library: library & community center space for LGBTQIA+ folks, families, & allies. The host a Dungeon & Dragons club (observers welcome, but membership closed currently) and Game Nights monthly- view details on calendar here.
Dreamer's vault Games, Toys, & Comics shop: they host card trading games for Pokemon/Yu-Gi-oh/Magic, roleplaying game nights, and board game nights every week- view details on calendar here.
Gamerheadz - Place to buy all your classic games plus host events where you can play in tournaments on certain days.
Check out organizations pushing for gaming to do better
Any Key by Intel
Advocacy organization, funded by Intel and ESL (Electronic sports league-see get paid to game page), that supports diversity, inclusion, and equity in competitive gaming. We amplify, connect, and empower marginalized players and their allies through research and strategic initiatives.
A Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to helping underrepresented people gain visibility and access in the gaming industry. She takes donations and partners with conferences to get free passes for minority and female attendees.
Utilizes fun to bring inclusion and improved quality of life for people with disabilities through the power of video games.
The Media Indie Exchange (MIX) is all about the games – created by indies and indie game enthusiasts to provide a casual yet professional setting for developers to showcase their projects to top journalists and key folks in the industry. With a particular focus on showcasing games that promote diversity & inclusion such as through their online conference Guerilla Collective.
A non-profit organization which aims to support and increase the number of women in computer science by equipping young women with the necessary computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities. We work toward closing the gender employment difference in technology, and to change the image of what a programmer looks like.
A non-profit organization which aims to prove to the world that girls of every color have the skills to become the programmers of tomorrow. By promoting classes and programs we hope to grow the number of women of color working in technology and give underprivileged girls a chance to become the masters of their technological worlds.
A non-profit game studio on a mission to use game-related content to build awareness of charitable opportunities for gamers.
Attend a convention!
What are cons?
Conventions (cons) can occur for all kinds of topics, but the cons we are talking about are fandom(collection of fans who share common love/interest for a show, movie, comic, game, etc.) /nerd/geek/comic cons or entertainment expos for cosplayers, fanartists, gamers, & nerd/geek fans to come together and share their passions for a weekend.
Why attend a convention?
Great way to meet other fans of gaming, anime, & all things geeky & nerdy!
Show your fandom pride or support a local artist by buying merchandise (e.g. art prints, jewelry, plushies, etc.) for your favorite show, movie, comic or game (see dealers room and exhibit halls)
Talk and learn more about your favorite fandoms with programs on various topics (e.g. cosplay masquerade ball, meetups with creators, etc.)
Improve your gaming skills in a lowkey environment with tabletop gaming and video game playing rooms.
How do I attend?
Participants can get tickets for one day or all weekend or even just hang out in the lobby/outside with friends for free, and either commute in or stay in a room at the conventions hosting hotel with a group of friends.
Check out a list of cons that occur in MN below, all of them include gaming in some flavor, but we have sorted them further based on what they are most focused on/fans attended by.
Gaming focused conventions
Date/time: August 28th-30th
Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel In Minneapolis (1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403)
Comic/superhero focused conventions
Date/time: May 18th-19th 10-6PM
Location: MN State Fairground Grandstand (1265 Snelling Ave, Falcon Heights, MN 55108)
Date/time: October 10th 10am-6PM
Location: MN State Fairground Grandstand (1265 Snelling Ave, Falcon Heights, MN 55108)
Anime focused conventions
Date/time: May 22nd-24th
Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel In Minneapolis (1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403)
Date/time: October 16th-18th
Location: Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West (3131 Campus Dr, Plymouth, MN 55441)
General conventions (includes booths & events for comics, science fiction, gaming, anime, cartoons, etc.)
Date/time: September 4-6
Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel In Minneapolis (1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403)
Date/time: November 6th-8th
Location: Minneapolis Convention Center (1301 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55403)