Origins 2026
Columbus, OH
megagame coalition
2026 Origins Event Schedule
The Megagame Coalition is proud to present 6 events for Origins Game Fair 2026!
Check out our schedule and the full event descriptions below!
Click here to learn more about volunteering!
Friday
June 19
11am - 3pm
12pm - 5pm
4pm - 8pm
5pm - 9:30pm
Saturday
June 20
11am - 2pm
3pm - 9pm
Full Game Descriptions
You’ll love Crowned in Starlight if:
- You’re looking for a quick megagame-like experience
- You are a fan of Twilight Imperium or other 4x games
- You prefer boardgame mechanics over roleplay
Crowned by Starlight
Player Count: 12
Friday 11am – 3pm (4 hours)
Friday 4pm – 8pm (4 hours)
The monarch is dead, the crowndom fractured, and the fate of the realm hangs in perilous balance. Outcast clans, scheming courtiers, powerful warlords… all eyes turn toward the vacant throne. With your partner at your side, will you claim the crown, or will your banner fade into obscurity?
Crowned in Starlight is a reworking of Twilight Imperium for real-time 2-player team based play. This game is closer to a boardgame than a true megagame, but will give you a taste of the frantic negotiations and complications that come from inter-team and intra-team conflict. Come alone or with a friend to compete in a race to control the galaxy. Rules will be taught beforehand.
The World Turned Upside Down
Player Count: 63
Friday 12pm – 5pm (5 hours)
Step into 1775 on the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution! Command the British empire or rising American rebels in a high-stakes megagame where every choice reshapes the birth of a nation.
You’ll love The World Turned Upside Down if:
- You wrestle with the legacy of the 250th Anniversary of the Founding
- You don’t wrestle with the legacy of the 250th Anniversary of the Founding
- Like exploring the ‘what ifs’ of history stemming from the era
- Enjoy well-crafted megagame mechanics of acclaimed megagames
You’ll love Away Teams Go! if:
- You like fully collaborative megagames
- You’re a fan of space epics like Star Trek or Firefly
- You love solving puzzles
- You like roleplay-heavy megagames
Away Teams Go!
Player Count: 60
Friday 5pm – 9:30pm (4.5 hours)
Away Teams, Go is a fully cooperative space exploration megagame sending players out to boldly go with thematic purposes in mind. During the “Ship Phase”, players can roam freely and decide which away missions to participate in. Once the “Mission Phase” starts however, they’re stuck at their table until the mission is resolved. This megagame incorporates a lot of puzzle elements, inspired by video games like Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes and board games like Clue and the Unlock series.
Gathering Darkness
Player Count: 25
Saturday 11am – 2pm (3 hours)
Gathering Darkness is an introductory megagame for people of all backgrounds. Centuries ago, the Dark One Eclipsed the world in darkness, with only the provisional outpost of Cleaveslind remaining alight.
Designed to bring gamers and roleplayers of all experience levels into megagaming, Gathering Darkness casts players as survivors living in the Cleaveslind settlement, fighting to keep the darkness at bay. Attacks have been ramping up, with rumors of the Dark One’s return swirling. Players will work together to ensure their faction flourishes. This short megagame lasts for 3 hours and was designed as a prequel to Touched by Darkness, allowing players to dip their toes in before playing a standard megagame
You’ll love Gathering Darkness if:
- You want a fast and fun introduction to Megagames.
- You’re looking for a lighter commitment than a seven-hour megagame
- You have played previously the Touched By Darkness megagame, to which this is a prequel.
- You want a game that allows for as much role-playing, diplomacy, and tactics as you’re comfortable with.
You’ll love Den of Wolves if:
- You like Battlestar Galactica or classic military sci-fi in general, and the Battlestar Galactica board game in particular.
- You’re looking to play a true megagame masterpiece and see how it works to help design your own games.
- You want to toss your friends out of an airlock while they shout at you about due process.
Den of Wolves
Matthew Whorton
Player Count: 43
Saturday 3pm – 9pm (6 hours)
A small fleet of interstellar vessels tries to balance survival, politics and military challenges as they attempt to stay one step ahead of their pursuers.
It is the 27th Century. After a catastrophic attack on humanity, one battleship and a few civilian vessels must fight to survive, govern themselves and maintain order, as they flee from their pursuers.
Den of Wolves is a game about difficult political, military and survival choices in a long-term crisis scenario. Players will take on the roles of starship captains, officers, and engineers, as well as politicians and military personnel. The game has a focus on managing resources, as well as various units and assets – however, talking and negotiating with other players will be crucial in order to achieve success. The game also seeks to represent political and military systems, and their decisions, and so players should expect some political simulation.
VOLUNTEER WITH MGC @ ORIGINS
If you’re interested in volunteering to help moderate megagames with the Megagame Coalition at Origins, please email kraemer535@gmail.com.
Based on the number of volunteers who sign up and the number of volunteer opportunities available, volunteers may be limited to the number of volunteer opportunities they are allowed access to.
Words from previous volunteers
I LOVED being part of the team at Gen Con, everyone was so welcoming and friendly and awesome, and getting to see the games being played and talk to the designers/control players before, during and after the games was a fantastic insight.
It was an awesome time!