Roll For Initiative: GX3 Announces Tabletop Bosses!

Get your dice out! Sharpen your pencils! Ready your spell components! GaymerX has some awesomesauce to share with you!

Did you know that GX3 will include dedicated tabletop gaming rooms and programming? Our tabletop games programming this year will include Pathfinder Society, D&D Adventurers League, Dragon Age, Mutants & Masterminds, Blue Rose, and other one-of-a-kind adventures in a variety of systems! For D&D Adventurers’ League, you’ll be excited to hear Associate Community Manager Alan Patrick will be joining us to run some games! We’ll even be having a workshop on LARP!

But what would three days of LGBTQ friendly and inclusive tabletop gaming be without special guests from the industry joining us? We’re thrilled to announce our Tabletop Industry Bosses of Honor!

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GaymerX announces Anita Sarkeesian, Anthony Burch and Doctor Kortney Ziegler for GX3 (Press Release)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                                                     May 27, 2015

LGBTQ Gaming Convention Rounds Off Special Guest Announcements With Feminist Frequency Founder, Borderlands 2 Writer, and Trans*H4CK Founder

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – GaymerX and MidBoss announce the month’s final batch of special guests with three noteworthy names. Media critic Anita Sarkeesian, games writer and Hey Ash Whatcha Playin’ co-host Anthony Burch, as well as entrepreneur, activist, and creator of the film STILL BLACK Kortney Ziegler all join to round off this month’s announcement of special guests.

Since its inception, the creators of GX: Everyone Games have endeavored to make the convention a safe gaming space for everyone. Recently, more attention has been paid to toxicity in gaming culture, especially with regard to the targeted attacks on women and LGBTQ individuals online. In an effort to combat this toxicity, GaymerX is continuing its work to create an inclusive space for people of all genders, races, and orientations, while creating a safe environment where marginalized voices can be heard.

GaymerX’s Toni Rocca had this to say “You read about the horror stories from every major gaming event where women and queer people are harassed, touched without their consent, and simply made to feel unwelcome. We wanted to create something different. The work of people like Anita Sarkeesian have made it easier to raise awareness about these issues and to show people that things can be done about them.” Sarkeesian spoke at last year’s GX to a warm reception.

Anthony Burch, also a GX veteran, commented on being a guest this year, “As someone who loves video games, fun conventions, and occasionally kissing dudes on the mouth, I am absolutely psyched to be a guest of honor at GX3.” Burch spoke at GX2 and GDC about the success of progressive characters created during his time as lead writer for the Borderlands franchise.

Joining for the first time this year will be Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler, award winning filmmaker and activist. His work both with Trans*H4CK, working to use tech to empower trans individuals, and BlackStarMedia, a resource for black entrepreneurs, caught the eye of GaymerX, bringing him on as a judge for the GXDev game jam and now as a Boss of Honor for GX3.

Past GaymerX special guests have included Dragon Age writer David Gaider, RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Pandora Boxx, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and WWE sports entertainment superstar Darren Young. GX3 takes place December 11th through the 13th, 2015 at the San Jose Marriott. For more information or to purchase tickets visit gaymerx.org.

Full list of Bosses Of Honor can be found here.

Additional Press Kit for Anita Sarkeesian / Feminist Frequency found here.

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GaymerX Announces Gay Gaming Celebrity Will Shepherd & Fighting Game Pro Ricki Ortiz As Special Guests (Press Release)

Also announced are Consentacle creator Naomi Clark and this year’s lineup of musicians and bands

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – As part of their announcements for the month of May, GaymerX and MidBoss announced today three new “Bosses of Honor” for GX3: Will Shepherd, Ricki Ortiz, and Naomi Clark. Additionally, musical artists for the show were announced ranging from indie darlings The Doubleclicks and Super Soul Bros, to the more hip hop inspired sounds of SAMMUS and 2 Mello.

Will Shepherd is one of the leading LGBT game streamers and personalities currently on Twitch and YouTube, leading the charge for equality in the realm of game broadcasting. Ricki Ortiz is a prize fighting game competitor, one of the top ranked in the world. Naomi Clark is a veteran games academic who was notably featured in the documentary Gaming In Color and is the creator of Consentacle, the card game of trust, communication, and intimacy. The Doubleclicks have received wide renown for their many geek-culture themed songs and for their projects on YouTube and with folks like Will Wheaton. Super Souls Bros is a collective of San Jose musicians whose claim to fame is their collision of jazz, funk, and the tunes of classic video games. SAMMUS brings an intelligent, cultured style of rapping to the table that portrays her vast love of video games. 2 Mello is a composer of quick success–after a few albums with friends and some unfinished projects he sprung to fame after a deal with Scrub Club Records based on his solo album, Super Producer. These are the many faces and sounds that were announced today for GX3.

MidBoss CEO and GaymerX founder Matt Conn had this to say about the announcement. “Gaming celebrities come in all shapes and sizes, and having Bosses of Honor who represent the fighting games, Twitch, and DIY communities really helps showcase that ‘Everyone Games.’”

Throughout the month of May, GaymerX and MidBoss have been announcing new Bosses of Honor for their flagship show GX3: Everyone Games, each Wednesday during the month of May. There’s still one more Wednesday left, May 27th, and with it will come the announcement of the final three Bosses of Honor.

Past GaymerX special guests have included Dragon Age writer David Gaider, RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Pandora Boxx, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and WWE sports entertainment superstar Darren Young. Additional guests announced for this year’s GaymerX convention include Mass Effect voice actress Jennifer Hale, Rupaul’s Drag Race alum Trixie Mattel, and Bee and Puppycat creator Natasha Allegri. For more information, please visit gaymerx.org


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willshepard

Will Shepherd is from Crawfordville, Florida, and has always been a massive fan of video games,as they distracted him from the nearly unbearable amounts of bullying he had to endure from his classmates and his father while growing up gay in the Deep South. He sought solace on the other end of the joystick, to this day he’s convinced video games saved his life. Will is one of the most famous gay gamers on Twitch, has been a huge part of the rising gaymer culture, and is one of the most recognized faces in the community. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his fiancé and their adorable German Shepherd, Dobby.

rickyortiz2

Ricki Ortiz is from Northern California and first made a name for herself in the Tekken scene. A fierce fighter, Ricki Ortiz has proven herself as not only one of the best players in the NorCal region, but also one of the best in the world. A veteran of the fighting game community for years, Ricki has been a force to be reckoned with in countless tournaments dating back to Capcom vs. SNK 2, Street Fighter III: Third Strike and Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

naomi

Naomi Clark is an independent game designer based in New York City. Over the last two decades she’s worked on a wide variety of games including early text-based virtual worlds, educational games on many subjects, game development tools for kids, and digital brick-building systems for LEGO. She currently teaches game design at the NYU Game Center, and recently co-authored a textbook on game design entitled A Game Design Vocabulary. Her current projects include a game about language with the Brooklyn Game Ensemble; a web game about data privacy practices; and Consentacle, a two-player card game of trust, communication and intimacy.

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The Doubleclicks are two sisters who sing sincerely about the things geeks love: dinosaurs, super-villains, Dungeons & Dragons, and more. The duo has gained renown for their YouTube videos including the geek girl song “Nothing to Prove,” for appearing on Wil Wheaton’s web show Tabletop, and for writing the theme song for Cards Against Humanity. The Doubleclicks have toured nationally, performed at w00tstock and on the Jonathan Coulton cruise and their 2013 album Lasers and Feelings hit the top 10 on Billboard’s comedy charts. Their 2014 album Dimetrodon features song about burritos, dinosaurs and cats and was funded by an $80,000 Kickstarter project. Doubleclicks’ concerts are perfect for fans of the cello, of the 1995 BBC mini-series Pride and Prejudice and for people who want to learn more about dinosaurs.

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Super Soul Bros are a collective of San Jose-based musicians, whose fusion of jazz & funk meets the familiar melodies of classic video games. Formed in 2012 by keyboardist Robbie Benson, the Super Soul Bros have become known for their dynamic musicianship, improvisation, and nostalgic grooves comparable to jamming a 70’s Herbie Hancock record into a Nintendo Entertainment System. Whether they’re taking requests on the fly, or the crowd’s busting into a full-on soul train, it’s always a party with the Super Soul Bros—one that could only receive the ESRB rating: FOR KIDS AND ADULTS

sammus3_360

Sammus is an upstate NY-based rap artist and producer with Congolese and Ivorian family roots. Since joining NuBlack Music Group in early 2012, she has released two albums; a collaborative EP with nerdcore MC Random aka Mega Ran, a beat tape, and a Kickstarter-funded Metroid EP. Her production is characterized by her use of uniquely chopped samples, and video game-like synths. She has been called the “rap Aisha Tyler” (MTV Iggy) because of her smart lyrics that often draw on her love of gaming. When she’s not rapping, she moonlights as a graduate student at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

2mello_360

2 Mello is a music producer who creates remixes and original compositions with equal passion. He began producing hip-hop in 2005, after learning the basics of composition, sampling and synthesis. After producing three albums with local friends and polishing many unreleased projects over 11 years, Mello was finally able to prove his talent to a wider audience after being signed to the online, non-profit record label Scrub Club Records off the strength of his debut solo album, Super Producer. Mello’s first-ever mashup, Chrono Jigga saw Jay-Z’s lyrics mixed with handcrafted beats from the Chrono Trigger soundtrack, and gained Mello worldwide acclaim.


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GaymerX is the first ever LGBTQ-focused gaming convention. For its third year, the event will take place under the name “GX3: Everyone Games”, celebrating a space where all can join in discussion, play, and community without fear of harassment or discomfort for being who and what they are. This year the event will take place in San Jose, California at the San Jose Marriott and Convention Center on December 11th-13th 2015.

midbosslogo3-300x258

MidBoss is a gaming, tech, and geek culture company based in San Francisco that focuses on alternative and LGBTQ lifestyles that encompass gaming culture. Under the MidBoss banner, projects like the GX convention (formerly GaymerX), Gaming In Color, Read Only Memories, and GXdev endeavor to create a better gaming community for queer geeks. The company’s goal is to create a safe space for everyone who loves games, where they can enjoy and express themselves through games however they choose. Everyone games.

Press Release: GaymerX Announces Special Cosplay Host Trixie Mattel for GX3

For Immediate Release:  May 13, 2015

GaymerX Announces Special Cosplay Host Trixie Mattel for GX3

Bay Area LGBT Gaming Convention Also Announces PBS’ Game/Show Host Jamin Warren and Game Developer Robert Yang

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – As part of their month of May announcements, GaymerX and MidBoss announced three new Bosses of Honor for GX3 today: Kill Screen founder and PBS’ Game/Show host Jamin Warren, game designer and academic Robert Yang, and RuPaul’s Drag Race’s  Trixie Mattel, the latter of whom will be hosting the convention’s annual Cosplay Pageant.

MidBoss CEO and GaymerX founder Matt Conn had this to say about the announcement. “Being able to work with a wide variety of folks in the gaming world is what makes GaymerX different and awesome. Having game developers, games critics, and gaming celebrities all in one spot is really exciting!”

Throughout the month of May, GaymerX and MidBoss have been announcing new Bosses of Honor for their flagship show GX3: Everyone Games with another half-dozen to be revealed, to be announced each Wednesday during the month of May.

Past GaymerX special guests have included Dragon Age writer David Gaider, RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Pandora Boxx, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and WWE sports entertainment superstar Darren Young. Previously announced guests for this year’s GaymerX include Mass Effect voice actor Jennifer Hale and Bee and Puppycat creator Natasha Allegri. For more information, please visit gaymerx.org


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trixiemattel

Trixie Mattel is known for her life-in-plastic aesthetic, charming audiences for years with her unmatched performance style, razor-sharp reads, and off-color comedy as a dazzling host and emcee personality. Accessories sold separately. Batteries not included. Ages three and up.

robertyang

Robert Yang is an indie game developer, academic, and writer, based in New York City. His work often focuses on first person level design, architecture as narrative, and game modding as a radical design practice. He regularly teaches game development and design within NYU Game Center at New York University, IDM at NYU Poly School of Engineering, and MFADT at Parsons the New School for Design.

jamin

Jamin Warren is the founder of the videogame arts and culture company Kill Screen, and a vocal advocate for inclusive gaming. He currently serves as host for the Game/Show for PBS Digital Studios, and an advisor to the Museum of Modern Art’s department of Architecture and Design. Ebony named him one of their top tech leaders to watch and the New York Observer called him a “burgeoning media baron.”


gx3-logo-main

GaymerX is the first ever LGBTQ-focused gaming convention. For its third year, the event will take place under the name “GX3: Everyone Games”, celebrating a space where all can join in discussion, play, and community without fear of harassment or discomfort for being who and what they are. This year the event will take place in San Jose, California at the San Jose Marriott and Convention Center on December 11th-13th 2015.

midbosslogo3-300x258

MidBoss is a gaming, tech, and geek culture company based in San Francisco that focuses on alternative and LGBTQ lifestyles that encompass gaming culture. Under the MidBoss banner, projects like the GX convention (formerly GaymerX), Gaming In Color, Read Only Memories, and GXdev endeavor to create a better gaming community for queer geeks. The company’s goal is to create a safe space for everyone who loves games, where they can enjoy and express themselves through games however they choose. Everyone games.

First Batch of Bosses of Honor, New Ones Announcing Every Wednesday in May!

For Immediate Release:  May 6, 2015

GaymerX Announces First Special Guests, Remainder Over Month Of May

San Francisco Bay Area LGBTQ Gaming Convention Plans Month-Long Campaign To Announce its 3rd Year “Bosses Of Honor”

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – GaymerX and MidBoss announced the first five of fourteen “Bosses of Honor” selected for their 2015 video game convention, GX3: Everyone Games. The remainder of the recently-finalized list is to be announced over the month of May, with two to three honorees being revealed each Wednesday.

The first five Bosses Of Honor (GaymerX’s title for special guests) announced today include Mass Effect’s Jennifer Hale, Adventure Time’s Natasha Allegri, Portal’s Ellen McLain, Cogs’ co-creator Dr. Rob Jagnow, and Team Fortress 2’s John Patrick Lowrie. While McLain and Lowrie were also special guests for the first GaymerX convention in 2013, Hale, Jagnow, and Allegri join as first-time Bosses of Honor. MidBoss, the producing company behind GaymerX, has expressed their excitement that these guests will be joining them for this year’s event.

MidBoss CEO Matt Conn had this to say about the announcement. “Our first five selections have all helped to bring us awesome mainstream characters that are held dear by the LGBT community. We’re fond of their creations and are extremely proud to have them joining us for GX3.”

GaymerX president and co-founder Toni Rocca also expressed her enthusiasm about this year’s honorees. “I’m definitely thrilled. When someone becomes a Boss of Honor it’s kind of like they become a part of our family, and each year our family just gets bigger and bigger. Our lineup this year is pretty amazing and I really hope we’re making some dreams come true.”

Past GaymerX special guests have included Dragon Age writer David Gaider, RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Pandora Boxx, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and WWE sports entertainment superstar Darren Young. For more information, please visit gaymerx.org

thankyou


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jenniferhale_360

Jennifer Hale is a gifted Voice Actress best known for her work in the Mass Effect franchise. There, she voiced the main character of the games, Commander Shepard, a performance that landed her nominations in 2010 and 2012 at the Spike Videogame Awards. Her work has been in many major titles including Baldur’s Gate, BioShock Infinite, Star Wars: KotOR, Metal Gear Solid, Mortal Kombat X, and many more, awarding her the Guinness World Record for “the most prolific voice actor (female)”. Most recently, she voiced the character Cremisius “Krem” Aclassi, a transgender man in the world of Dragon Age: Inquisition.

natasha_360

Natasha Allegri is a cartoonist most famous for her work as a storyboard revisionist and artist in Cartoon Network series Adventure Time. During this time she also created the gender-swapped protagonists Fiona and Cake who were featured in full episodes of the show, which led to comics of them being created by Natasha herself. Later, after a crowdfunding effort on Kickstarter reached over $850K ($200K+ above the goal) Natasha and Frederator Studios turned her short Bee and Puppycat into a miniseries on the Cartoon Hangover YouTube channel.

rob_jagnow_Berlin_laurel

Rob Jagnow is the Founder and CEO of Lazy 8 Studios in San Francisco, California. After completing his Ph.D. at MIT, Rob got his start in the game industry at Demiurge Studios in Cambridge, MA. In 2007, he moved to San Francisco to start his own company. Cogs, the first indie title released by Lazy 8 Studios, has won several awards, including the Grand Prize in the professional category at the 2010 Indie Game Challenge.

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Ellen McLain and John Patrick Lowrie will be returning as guests from 2013’s GaymerX. Ellen is an American opera singer and voice actress most known for providing the voices of GLaDOS in the popular Portal series as well as the Jaeger A.I. in the film Pacific Rim. John is an American voice actor, actor, musician, and author, best known for voicing the Sniper in Team Fortress 2. Together, they are a fun and brilliantly-talented couple who pulled off a beautiful surprise proposal for a man to his boyfriend at the first GaymerX. This year they will surely bring more surprises and fun as a part of the GaymerX family.


GaymerX is the first ever LGBTQ-focused gaming convention. For its third year, the event will take place under the name “GX3: Everyone Games”, celebrating a space where all can join in discussion, play, and community without fear of harassment or discomfort for being who and what they are. This year the event will take place in San Jose, California at the San Jose Marriott and Convention Center on December 11th-13th 2015.

MidBoss is a gaming, tech, and geek culture company based in San Francisco that focuses on alternative and LGBTQ lifestyles that encompass gaming culture. Under the MidBoss banner, projects like the GX convention (formerly GaymerX), Gaming In Color, Read Only Memories, and GXdev endeavor to create a better gaming community for queer geeks. The company’s goal is to create a safe space for everyone who loves games, where they can enjoy and express themselves through games however they choose. Everyone games.