Gamers’ Lounge
The Gamers’ Lounge is open for people who have some time between showings, panels or for anyone who just wants to have fun and play games! Once again we are pleased to announce that our longtime partners in game loving crime Chip Damage, Extra Life, Game-itoba, and Phantom Amusement will be joining us again this year as well as Winnipeg Gaming Cooperative and Winnipeg Pathfinders Society for the first time!
2025 Summer Tournaments
Taiko No Tatsujin Rhythm Festival
The games lounge is bringing the latest Taiko No Tatsujin* game as a mainstay to the room. To celebrate, we’re holding a small tournament.
Time: Friday July 11th, 2025 at 6 PM-10 PM
Location: Tournament Area in the Gamers’ Lounge
Registration: There is a $10, non refundable, registration fee that goes towards prizing. In-person as well as online pre-registration is available.
Rules:
- Registration is limited to 32 registrants
- 1v1 matches In Great Drum Toy War
- Matches are 3 random songs on hard difficulty. Most wins moves on
- Ties are a win to each player. Ties at the end of all 3 matches will go to sudden death on extreme until a winner is determined
- Taiko drum controllers will be provided during the tournament. Other controllers are not permitted.
Tournament Break Down:
- 1v1 Matches, best of 3 songs moves on
Please note:
- Pre-registration closes at end of day July 8th, 2025 and in-person registration closes 5 PM on July 11th, 2025, or when spots are filled
- Players must arrive early to check in the Tournament Area by 4:30 PM on July 11th, 2025. Not doing so will result in not being able to participate. The registration fee is non refundable
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Our Super Smash Bros Ultimate* tournament is here again this summer! All Ultimate DLC characters and stages are available.
Time: Saturday July 12th, 2025 12 PM-4 PM
Registration: There is a $10, non refundable, registration fee that goes towards prizing. In-person as well as online pre-registration is available.
Location: Tournament Area in the Gamers’ Lounge
Rules:
- Registration is limited to 64 registrants
- 3 stock and 6 minute matches
- No Mii Fighters or custom moves
- Ai-kon only provides Gamecube controllers for this tournament, please inform us at registration if bringing your own controller
Tournament Break Down:
- Round 1-Semis: 4 player free-for all, medium items, top 2 move on
- Semis: 1v1, low items
- Finals: 1v1, no items, Omega stages only
Please note:
- Pre-registration closes at end of day July 8th, 2025 and in-person registration closes at 11 AM on July 12th, 2025, or when spots are filled
- Players must arrive early to check in the Tournament Area by 11:30 AM on July 12th, 2025. Not doing so will result in not being able to participate. The registration fee is non refundable
Mario Kart World
Who doesn’t love out racing their competitors? Ai-kon is excited to host our first tournament for the brand new Mario Kart World*!
Time: Sunday July 13th, 2025, 10 AM-2 PM
Location: Tournament Area in the Gamers’ Lounge
Registration: There is a $10, non refundable, registration fee that goes towards prizing. In-person as well as online pre-registration is available.
Rules:
- Registration is limited to 64 registrants
- Ai-kon only provides Gamecube controllers for this tournament, please inform us at registration if bringing your own controller
Tournament Break Down:
- 4 Player races 150cc, best of 2 Random tracks, top 2 move on
- Ties are decided with 1 race on a random track at 150cc
- Finals are best of 4 races, each player picks a track
Please note:
- Pre-registration closes at end of day July 8th, 2025 and in-person registration closes at 9 AM on Sunday July 13th, 2025, or when spots are filled
- Players must arrive early to check in the Tournament Area by 9:30 AM on July 13th, 2025. Not doing so will result in not being able to participate. The registration fee is non refundable
*Nintendo is not a sponsor of or affiliated with these tournaments. Terms for participating in and viewing Community Tournaments using Nintendo Games.
Exhibitors
Extra Life
Play games for a great cause, supporting the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba! Come and join Extra Life in their fundraising! 100% of money raised at Ai-Kon is donated to charity.
Booth Challenges:
- High Score Challenge!
- Friday July 11th, 2025, 5 PM-11 PM
- 3 Difficulties
- Dance-Off! Challenge the Booth Volunteers
- Saturday July 12th, 2025, 6 PM-10 PM
Please Note: Challenge registration is available at the Extra Life table. No registration limit
Janken Tournament:
Time: Friday July 11th, 2025, 10 pm-12 am
Registration: There is online pre-registration as well as In person registration at the Extra Life table. There is a $5 registration fee that completely goes towards the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. No registration limit. Registration is closed at 10pm on Friday July 11th, 2025.
Location: Tournament Area in the Gamers’ Lounge.
Rules:
- Learn to play じゃんけん (“janken” – rock, paper, scissors) in Japanese
- We’ll start with a quick vocabulary lesson
- Best 3 out of 5 wins
- The tournament winner will receive a prize!
Winnipeg Game Collective
A vibrant game development community in Manitoba, Canada, comprising programmers, designers, artists, musicians, and other related fields. Since its inception in 2014 the collective has been a driving force in promoting the art and discipline of game development. Come see and test out some of the games showcased over the weekend.
Schedule:
- Friday July 11, 2025, 12 PM-10 PM
- Saturday July 12, 2025, 10 AM-10 PM
- Sunday July 13, 2025, 10 AM-4 PM
ChipDamage
Winnipeg’s premier fighting game community. For 19 years, they have hosted competitive tournaments and weekly gaming sessions for various fighting games. You can find them at Garbonzo’s Polo Park every Friday evening, and tournament announcements on their Discord server. ChipDamage is open to all skill levels and there is no membership or registration process. Just bring a controller and come play!
Schedule:
Schedule:
- Friday July 11, 2025
- 6PM – Blazblue: Central Fiction
- 7 PM – Dragon Ball FighterZ
- 8 PM – Under Night In-Birth
- Saturday July 12, 2025
- 12 PM – Soul Caliber 6
- 1 PM – Tekken 8
- 3 PM – Street Fighter 6
- 4 PM – Granblue Fantasy Versus
- 5 PM – King of Fighters XV
- 6PM – Guilty Gear: Strive
- 7 PM – Fatal Fury: City of Wolves
- Sunday July 13, 2025
- 10AM – 4PM Free Play with ChipDamage
Please Note: Registration is only in person during the con at the Gamers’ Lounge Volunteer table. Persons’ can register up till the start time of each tournament. No registration limit. Bringing your own controller is encouraged!
Game-itoba
A grass roots non-profit organisation that supports the Winnipeg and Manitoba gaming community, developers, stores, and conventions by providing demonstration services for all kinds of tabletop games (board games, card games, role-playing games and miniature games) and hosting their own events. Partnering with groups and organisations in the community to further grow the hobby.
Come check out their wide range of games for demonstrations:
- Friday July 11, 2025, 12 PM-10 PM
- Saturday July 12, 2025, 10 AM-10 PM
- Sunday July 13, 2025, 10 AM-4 PM
Pathfinder Society
A worldwide fantasy roleplaying campaign using the Pathfinder (second edition) ruleset. Take on the role of an agent of the Pathfinder Society, a legendary league of explorers, archaeologists, and adventurers dedicated to discovering and chronicling the greatest mysteries and wonders of an ancient world.
Time: Saturday July 12, 2025 at 6:30 PM-11pm
Location: Tournament Area in the Gamers’ Lounge
Registration: In-person is available during the con at the Gamers’ Lounge volunteer desk up till Saturday July 12, 2025 at 6pm
Rules:
- Registration is limited to 30 players
- Pre- generated level 1-2 characters are available
- Designed to be enjoyed by new and experienced players
Pathfinder Society Special #4-99: Blessings of the Forest; “The Pathfinder Society is approached by the Queen of Kyonin for their assistance in investigating a demon-obsessed elf noble and his ominous plans for an isolated town within the forests of Kyonin in exchange for allowing the Society to once again operate within the nation. The travel there is treacherous, however once the Pathfinders arrive, the town is besieged by a power beyond any one elf no matter his plans and ambition. The teams of Pathfinders must work together effectively and quickly to prevent the corruption of the forest and the town!”
Written by Dennis Muldoon and Ivis K. Flanagan