National Games Week 2005

Oct 11, 2005, 01:15 pm

Paizo Publishing is pleased to announce our affiliation with National Games Week 2005.  National Games Week, which runs November 20–26,  has two purposes: to celebrate non-electronic games, and to showcase games to those who don't know games are great social entertainment. If we each hold an event during NGW 2005 and invite not only our gaming friends but also family and friends that don't already play games, we can increase the number of game players and the awareness of gaming as a valid and valuable form of entertainment.

To participate, go to http://nationalgamesweek.net/ and sign up. It's free, though there is a survey to fill out.  Once you've signed up, you can get lots of support materials for your NGW event, including promotional product packs from the 57 sponsors of NGW 2005. These mostly low-cost items are meant to aid you in holding your event, but all you really need are the games you already love to play.  After your NGW 2005 event, go back to nationalgamesweek.net and tell them what games you played, who played, and how to make NGW even better next year.  There will be a prize drawing for those who report back.

Last year there were over 2,600 National Games Week events.  This year let's help make it over 10,000!

What National Games Week Is
NGW™ is a coordinated nationwide promotional campaign to raise awareness of games as positive, social entertainment. The game industry and game players will achieve this together by creating a weeklong series of events that get people's attention—a celebration of games. Last year there were over 2,600 events; this year over 10,000 events are expected worldwide.  National Games Week is the fourth week of November, when families and friends are coming together for the holidays—it is a perfect time to play games.

Host Your Own Event
As someone with a keen interest in games, you are gaming's best ambassador. Make your own event wherever you like, and invite lots of people. During your Games Day event, be sure your favorite games include a few that are suitable for newcomers.  Be prepared to teach the games to them so they can start enjoying games right away.

Attend an Event
NGW events will take place in homes, schools, faith communities, colleges, community centers and stores.  Contact your local game retailer to find out what events they are going to run—they might even want your help with their events.

NGW Provides The Tools To You The NGW web site is http://nationalgamesweek.net/. There, you can get lots of information as well as tools to make a fun, successful event—posters, invitations, official US postage stamps, and even promotional copies of great games.  Some items are free, some have a shipping and handling charge, and others have a minimal cost.

For Educators On the NGW web site, you'll find special resources for schools, and information on ordering a free How to Host a Games Day kit for your classroom.  Also, this year Games Quarterly Magazine published a special issue on using games in the classroom—you can download the special edition on the NGW web site or order a printed copy.

Sponsors
High-level sponsors for the 2005 National Games Week include Wizards of the Coast, Eagle Games, Nintendo of America, Pokémon USA, FanPro, Palladium Books, White Wolf Game Studio, Gen Con LLC, Hobby Que, Mayfair Games, Reaper Miniatures, Rio Grande Games, West End Games, Days of Wonder, Fleet Games Inc., HL Games, Million Minute Family Challenge, One Small Step, Patch Products, Playroom Entertainment, Testor Corporation, Versal Entertainment, and Wizkids Inc.  Find an entire list of sponsors, supporters, and affiliates on www.nationalgamesweek.net, or contact Matthew Simmons Marketing for the list.

We can't think of a better way to celebrate games than National Games Week. Let's do this as a team!

National Games Week is coordinated by the publisher of Games Quarterly Magazine:
Matthews Simmons Marketing
80 Garden Center, Suite 116
Broomfield, CO 80020 USA
Phone: 303-469-3277
Fax: 303-468-6174
www.gamesquarterly.net
www.nationalgamesweek.net

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT support@nationalgamesweek.net.

Games Quarterly Magazine, National Games Week, Games Day and NGW are trademarks owned by Matthews Simmons Marketing. All Rights Reserved.