Other Events: RavenCon

RavenCon Review – A Hidden Gem for Serious (and Sociable) Gamers

I’ve just come back from RavenCon, a Thursday-to-Saturday board gaming event held at the Raven Hotel in Hook, Hampshire, and it’s one of those quietly brilliant conventions that deserves a bigger audience.

The setup is spot on. The Raven Hotel itself has around 38 comfortable rooms, with a further 20+ available just up the road at the White Hart Inn. If you’re after something a bit more upmarket, Basingstoke is only five minutes away by train. The venue couldn’t be easier to reach either, sitting right next to Hook station with plenty of parking on hand. The games room is spacious and in easy reach of the bar. Breakfast was included with my room, the Raven runs a full restaurant service and there are other eateries nearby.

Gaming takes place from early Thursday until closing time on Saturday evening. It felt a bit unusual to go home after breakfast on a Sunday, but it made sense instead of trying to cram in one more game against a trickle of leavers across the day.

RavenCon also carries a bit of gaming history with it. Its roots stretch back to the 1970s and the Intercontinental Kriegspiel Society, and you can still feel that legacy in the types of games that are played and the depth of experience in the room. There’s a strong tradition of heavier gaming here, with Avalon Hill and GMT titles very much at home, alongside weightier Euros like Speakeasy.

That said, it’s far from exclusive or intimidating. I saw plenty of accessible favourites on the tables too, from Dune Imperium to Terraforming Mars, my favourite Concordia, and even Magical Athlete making an appearance.

The standout feature for me, though, was the people. There’s a genuine willingness to teach, explain, and bring others into games. That openness makes it a fantastic environment whether you’re a seasoned grognard or just looking to step into something a bit deeper than your usual table fare.

RavenCon runs twice a year, in March and October, and day tickets are available if you can’t commit to the full stay [Access to games rooms: £20 whole event, £10 day ticker]. It’s a con that feels like it’s grown organically from a deep love of gaming and a lot of experience, and it shows.

If there’s one takeaway: it deserves more attendees. There’s space, there’s appetite for new games, and there’s a welcoming community ready to share decades (centuries!) of gaming experience.

I’ll definitely be back.

**I’ll update with the next dates ASAP and will help raise the social media presence**