Some of the games available in 2023 included:
DDR Extreme
Dance Maniax
WACCA
F-Zero AX (linked pair)
Monkey Ball
Kickthrough Racers
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike (VS)
Marvel VS Capcom 2
Capcom VS SNK 2
Soul Calibur II
Hyper Bishi Bashi Champ
Project Justice
Tetris The Grand Master 2 PLUS
Windjammers
Mr. Driller 2
Check out 2023's gaming schedule below, or click here to view it directly.
At the previous Tekko, CCGs was in the Gaming Hall and featured Demos and Open Play for a multitude of games as well as competitive tournaments for Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic The Gathering, Pokemon, and Cardfight!! Vanguard. 8-Player flights and structure deck playoffs were also run all weekend for many other card games. Grab your friends and come see us to find out more!
Too shy to jump right into battle? Find any of our CCG Staff members and ask about Open Play or Demos available all weekend for any card game. Our vendor will be equipped with products for all card games to get you tournament ready.
Yu-Gi-Oh! will feature regular advanced-format tournaments with an extra challenge. Strong players will be entering and you can receive extra prizes for defeating them. See us to find out more!
Magic: The Gathering will feature Standard, Modern, Commander, and Draft tournaments. There will also be Challenge tournaments to really test your strength. Come see us to find out when!
Pokemon will feature Standard and Expanded tournaments as well as Open Play for beginners. Our resident Pokemon Professor is happy to show you the ropes and get you ready for our other tournaments running all weekend!
Board Game Tournaments
Due to some tournaments having a maximum player cap, make sure to sign up in the Gaming Hall.
Board Game Rental
Have some time to spare in between panels and events and aren’t sure what to do? Did you know that you can sign out board games for free to play in the Gaming Hall? We have a plethora of unique and fun games to play. Don’t know what you want to play? Ask our staff, we love to make suggestions!
Open Demos
All weekend we will be running demos of our tournament games, fun party games, and staff favorite games!
Role Playing Games at Tekko 2023!
In 2023, Tekko expanded their RPG department to encompass additional styles of game play and gaming discussion panels. We have a wide variety of gaming content and styles of play from popular titles like Dungeons & Dragons 5e and Pathfinder 2e to Star Wards: Fantasy Flight and more! Our signups are available through Warhorn.net, Follow the link below. Please don't sign up until after you have registered for Tekko on this site. Online signups will close the week of the convention, but we will still have walk-up seats available at the convention.
Game Sign-up (2024 Sign Up Form Coming Soon)
Submit a Game
Games are by no means limited to anime or pop culture themes. We are adding new games to appeal to different audiences. After you are approved, the RPG request further information on the game you would like to run.
GMs with accepted games will be required to pre-register for the convention. Tekko will offer on-site reimbursement based on the number of games approved and performed. GMs will have a choice:
OPTION 1) If you register as a GM, you will be entitled to a $40 reimbursement for each 4 hours of content for an approved & completed game, up to the full cost of the badge that you purchased.
OPTION 2) You can register as a full staff member by running 3 sessions at 4 hours each. You will also receive a complimentary guest badge for a friend or Co-GM, a staff t-shirt, food for lunch and dinner provided for all volunteers each day of the convention, and free access to bag check. If you work at least 18 hours, you will have the chance to be invited to the staff dinner on Sunday night which includes a wide array of food, live entertainment, and drinks.
For example, if you register for a General Admissions badge ($65) and GM a four-hour game, you would be eligible for a $40 reimbursement. If you and a Co-GM who both registered for as staff wanted to offer 3 games that were all approved, you would get a staff badge and a pass for your Co-GM.
Special Guests!
This year we are proud to welcome Pittsburgh Lodge of Paizo Organized play for a thrilling selection of Pathfinder and Starfinder games.
Tekko is a non-profit event, run by the Pittsburgh Japanese Culture Society (a 501c3 corporation.) Tekko’s annual attendance has reached approximately 10k individuals, and they are continuously adding new content. This year, they are expanding their LARP department to encompass additional styles of game play and LARP discussion panels.
GMs interested in running a game should complete the preliminary form. Once the deadline has passed, the form will close and the LARP department will choose games that are appropriate for the Tekko demographic. (Note: games are by no means limited to anime or pop culture themes. There is an existing anime LARP track, and we are adding new games to appeal to different audiences.) The LARP department will contact GMs with approvals or rejections, or to request further information.
Form submissions will close by a TBD date so that games can be accepted and placed on the schedule for advanced registration.
The Submission Form can be found here . (2024 Link Will Be Available Soon!)
GMs with accepted games will be required to pre-register for the convention. Tekko will offer on-site reimbursement based on the number of games approved and performed. GMs will have a choice:
(OPTION 1) If you register only a Head GM with no Co-GM, the Head GM will be entitled to a $20 reimbursement for each hour of content for an approved & completed game, up to the full cost of the badge that they purchased.
(OPTION 2) However, if you submit a game application with (one) Co-GM, the reimbursement will be: for every approved game completed, both the Head GM and (one) Co-GM will be entitled to a $10 reimbursement per hours, up to the full cost of the badge(s) that they purchased.
For example, if you register for a General Admissions badge ($50) and GM a one-hour game without the aid of a Co-panelist, you would be eligible for a $20 reimbursement. If you and a Co-GM who both registered for $50 badges wanted to offer 5 one-games that were all approved, you would each receive a $50 reimbursement.
GMs who are approved for more than 20 hours of content should consider applying for Tekko Staff to receive additional Staff perks.
Exact Scheduling will be prepared after game submissions have ended to best accommodate the GMs. At this time we are planning 28-50 hours of new game content excluding built in set up/tear down (separate from the Tekko Anime Larp track.) If there is both supply (of GMs) and demand (from players), we will see about adding additional play space to accommodate more games. The LARP Department will tentatively run during the following hours (based on prior years):
Thursday, July 21st: 4 – 9 pm
Friday, July 22nd: 10 am – 12 am
Saturday, July 23rd: 10 am – 12 am
Sunday, July 24th: 10 am – 2 pm
Currently, game size should be capped at 30 players. If a GM has a large scale game to run, we may be able to acquire a larger space. Current game space is set to be one of the numerous DLCC panel rooms.
To ensure safety and comfort, Tekko’s LARP department has a strict no physical contact policy, unless explicit verbal permission has been given. Contact permission can be negotiated before game play but may also happen during game play – we recommend players use the out of game mechanics to negotiate during a scene pause. If a GM believes that their game requires some level of physical contact, they will be required to disclose this ahead of time so that the description can state the physical contact and a warning can be placed before entering game space.
Tekko will be utilizing the universal LARP safety mechanics, though a GM can use their own mechanics as long as they host their own safety session at the start of the game.
The ‘Okay’ Check-In
By utilizing the ‘okay’ sign with their hands, players are checking with others to make sure that other players are okay. Players should respond with the following: a thumbs up to indicicate that play may continue onwards, a horizontal shake of the hand (will be shown in safety sessions) to indicate that play should be temporarily halted while a player decides how they would like to continue, or a thumbs down, which means that play should be halted so that a player can leave a situation.
The “Look Down”
This mechanic is used so that a player may enter or leave a scene without ‘being noticed.’ Gameplay will continue without being paused and other players should ignore the look down individuals so that the game can continue.
GMs are required to disclose content warnings when submitting their application. Those warnings will be posted to the Game Description and restated at the start of play. It is important that potential players have content warnings ahead of sign up so that they can choose whether or not to participate. Players may leave a game at any time, if they feel they are not suited for the content as the game progresses. Examples of disclosable content include, but are not limited to, the following: Sexual Content or Violence, Racism, Violence, Homophobia, Self Harm, Abuse, Death/Dying, etc. Players may feel free to contact the Tekko LARP department heads at parlorlarp@tekko.us for any concerns. Submissions will remain confidential and anonymous.
Some roles in games are written for specific genders—some are not. GMs will be required to list the number of roles available in each of the following categories: male, female, non-binary, or player decided. (Player decided means that the character is not written to have any gender determined characteristics, and that players may choose the character’s gender.) Players will be able to select the gender they prefer to play at sign up. The website may not be updated as fast as registration occurs. If the preferred character gender is unavailable, the LARP department will inform the player.
The game registration will close when all character roles have been filled. If roles are uncast by the start of Tekko, players will be able to register on site for remaining slots.
Email parlorlarp@tekko.us for more info! Department staff will aim to help answer all questions and provide adequate support to game GMs.
The original Tekko Anime, Manga, and Video Game LARP is back again for another year! Join us for 3 days worth of fun by taking control of one of your favorite characters from anime, manga or video games and navigating through a GM driven plot. It's like a giant crossover fanfic come to life! This year, join us for a voyage among the stars you won't forget! See strange and interesting people, find out what's most important to you!
If you sign up and would like to make a change, please email animelarp@tekko.us with the requested change. We will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Sign ups at con will be allowed, but you will be limited to already created characters.
For further information and to chat with other players and the GMs before the con, please join our Facebook group .
