GenCon 2026: A Stack Up Thank You

GenCon is one of the largest and busiest conventions for board games, card games, and tabletop gaming in the United States. Held annually in Indianapolis, Indiana, it brings together gamers, publishers, vendors, cosplayers, and fans from across the country. We have covered GenCon for multiple years, enjoying everything from exciting new releases and beloved fan favorites to games that bring back childhood memories, amazing cosplay, and the many events that make this convention so special.

This year, however, I wanted to focus on something a little different: the vendors and companies that supported Stack Up's mission at this year's GenCon event. Over the years, countless vendors and businesses have donated their time, money, products, and resources to Stack Up. Their generosity helps keep our Supply Crate program running and allows us to fulfill veterans' requests for games and other items they can enjoy with friends, family, and fellow veterans.

This is by no means a complete list of the vendors who have supported Stack Up, nor is it presented in any particular order. These are just some of the companies that donated to us during GenCon 2026.

Let's jump right in.

GameHead

Starting things off is GameHead, a returning donor that welcomed Stack Up with open arms and boxes full of games ready to be shipped to veterans across the country.

Ryan, one of the owners, immediately recognized Stack Up when he saw my red Stack Up shirt. Although we had never met before, he greeted me like an old friend and quickly began looking around for games he could donate to our Supply Crate program. The donation included games such as Size Wise, No Loose Ends, Wild Magic, and several others. Ryan was moving so quickly that I had a hard time keeping track of everything he was putting into the boxes!

If you receive a game with the big “GH” logo on it, you can thank Ryan and everyone at GameHead for helping make that donation possible. Their games are simple to pick up, full of fun, and perfect for playing alone or with friends. Thank you, GameHead, for continuing to support Stack Up and our veterans!

MindWare

Next up is MindWare. Known for creating games with quality boards, pieces, and thoughtful gameplay, MindWare offers games for a wide range of ages. Last year, one of their standout donations was Qwirkle, a fun tile and puzzle game that combines strategy with simple rules and can be enjoyed by gamers of almost any age.

This year, Michelle made sure Stack Up received copies of two newer games: Trail to the Temple and Down the Water Spout. Trail to the Temple offers more complex and strategic gameplay aimed at an older audience, while Down the Water Spout gives younger children and families a chance to join in the fun. Michelle was incredibly generous and made sure we received copies of both games for the Supply Crate program. She also expressed interest in continuing to provide future donations so that veterans can enjoy these games with their families.

If you see the MindWare logo on a game in your Supply Crate, remember to give a big thank-you to Michelle and the entire MindWare team!

CoolStuffInc

Another great donation came from the team at CoolStuffInc. While the company is well known for buying and selling trading cards, they also recognized an important need within our Supply Crate program: protecting and storing those cards. Their donation included card sleeves, deck boxes, and playmat tubes designed to help players safely transport and store their cards and playmats between game nights.

Among the donated items were Square One deck boxes and Dragon Shield card sleeves. A huge shout-out goes to Jeremy for helping us provide these accessories to our veterans. Accessories like these can sometimes be overlooked when people think about getting into a trading card game, but they are essential for keeping cards protected and playable for years to come. These donations will help our veterans take better care of their collections and enjoy their favorite TCGs for a long time.

Thank you, CoolStuffInc., for helping us protect the games our veterans enjoy!

Hasbro

Hasbro has been a longtime supporter of Stack Up, and they once again showed their generosity at GenCon 2026. When Tori saw our Red Shirts, she told us to make sure we came back because she wanted to put together a substantial donation. She made it clear that she believed in Stack Up's mission and that Hasbro was proud to support it as well.

When I returned to pick up the donation with my wagon, Tori and her team filled it with huge bags of games. The donation included titles such as Monopoly Deal, Monopoly Deal No Mercy, Served with Friends, Served with Parents, Sanibel, Fury of Dracula, and many more. The Stack Up team is incredibly excited to get these games into Supply Crates and into the hands of veterans across the country.

So, if you find a Hasbro game in your Supply Crate, know that a company with a long history of gaming is helping us provide more opportunities for veterans to play, connect, and have fun. Thank you, Tori and Hasbro, for your continued support!

Catalyst Game Labs

Catalyst is well known for its tabletop RPG products, including books and miniatures, but the company also had some great games to contribute to our cause.

Their donation included Flippin' Ninjas and The Duke. Both look like fantastic additions to the Supply Crate program, and the team told us they would love to follow up with a larger donation in the future. Talon and his father were incredibly welcoming and made it clear that they believe in Stack Up's mission. They were excited about finding additional ways to support our veterans and the Supply Crate program going forward.

Thank you to Talon, his father, and everyone at Catalyst for helping us bring more games to veterans!

Thunderworks

An old donor and longtime supporter of Stack Up, Thunderworks was another company that came through for us at GenCon. They had several fun new games, along with some classics, that they were excited to donate to the Supply Crate program.

Jess was thrilled to see my Red Shirt and immediately jumped at the opportunity to help. She loaded up a box with Questline and its expansions, hoping to give veterans and military personnel the opportunity to escape into a fun fantasy world. Jess also told us she would be looking for additional ways to support Stack Up and hoped to provide more games in the future. She had already donated everything she had available at the convention, which says a lot about her commitment to helping our mission.

Thank you, Jess and Thunderworks, for your continued generosity and support of Stack Up!

Kess Games

As a reviewer, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Kess Games and their marketing head, Courtney. We first met during an interview at GenCon 2025, so it was especially meaningful when she recognized me at this year's convention. She saw me coming around a corner, and her eyes lit up as she remembered not only me, but also Stack Up, our mission, and the Red Shirt I was wearing.

Courtney wanted to make sure we didn't leave without something for our veterans. The donation included games such as Contra, Street Fighter, and One Piece: Escape from Egghead. It was an amazing feeling to be remembered by someone who interacts with so many people at a convention as large as GenCon. Courtney's continued support means a great deal to me personally, and to Stack Up as a whole.

Thank you, Courtney and Kess Games, for the warm welcome and for continuing to support our veterans!

Blue Orange

Blue Orange was a new company for us this year. They happened to be handing out small, simple puzzles for kids when their sales manager, Marissa, noticed my shirt and asked about Stack Up.

Once she heard about our mission, she immediately wanted to find something that could be donated to our veterans.

Marissa was able to find a game called The Darker Side, which she felt would be a perfect fit for veterans and their sense of dark humor. I haven't had the chance to play it myself yet, but based on Marissa's description, it sounds like the kind of game that could lead to plenty of laughs and memorable game nights. Marissa was also very interested in finding ways to work with Stack Up on future donations and hopes to support the Supply Crate program again.

Thank you, Marissa and Blue Orange, for taking the time to learn about our mission and finding a way to help!

Wise Wizard Games

The final company on this list is one that is especially near and dear to my heart: Wise Wizard Games. I have had the pleasure of reviewing several of their games, including Star Realms and Robot Quest Arena, so getting the opportunity to work with them again at GenCon was particularly exciting.

Jessica was as welcoming as always and told me that she enjoys my reviews. More importantly, she wanted to help make sure more veterans could experience the games that Wise Wizard creates.

The company provided Stack Up with a sizable donation of their games and more, giving us plenty of great additions for the Supply Crate program. Jessica also said that Wise Wizard Games looks forward to working with us in the future and encouraged us to seek them out whenever we see them at a convention. She promised they would do their best to have something available to donate whenever possible.

Thank you to Jessica and the entire Wise Wizard Games team for believing in our mission and helping us get more great games into the hands of veterans!

Thank You to Our Donors

Again, these companies represent only a portion of the vendors who donated to Stack Up during GenCon 2026. Many other generous people and businesses helped us throughout the convention, and we are incredibly grateful to every one of them.

Every donation helps keep the Supply Crate program moving forward. Whether a company provides a single game, a box of accessories, or an entire wagon full of games, every contribution gives us another opportunity to bring entertainment, connection, and community to veterans across the country.

To every donor, supplier, employee, volunteer, and individual who has helped Stack Up this year, and in every year before it, thank you.

Our mission is only possible because of the generosity of people and companies willing to step up and help. Donations big and small make a difference, and we cannot express enough how much we appreciate everything our supporters do for our veterans.

Thank you for helping us keep the Supply Crates full and the mission moving forward!