(photo courtesy of Gen Con Indy)

Gen Con is back in Indianapolis this week.

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The popular gaming convention is celebrating its 45th anniversary as well as its 10th year in Indianapolis. Gen Con's Jake Thies says they set an attendance record last year with over 120,000 turnstile attendees. Thies says their pre-show badge sales are about ten percent higher than they were last year.

Festivities will begin Wednesday night with a tapping party of a special beer created by Sun King Brewery called The Ale of Destiny. The party will be open to those over 21 at the High Velocity sports bar next to the J-W Marriott at 6 p-m.

Gen Con officially opens Thursday and will feature over 8,500 events throughout the convention, including the first-ever World Magic Cup. That event will feature contestants from over 30 countries competing in the popular card game Magic: The Gathering. There will also be several media guests of honor including actor Wes Bentley from films "American Beauty" and "The Hunger Games." Also attending are Wil Wheaton and Nichelle Nichols of "Star Trek" fame.

Thies says the support from Indianapolis has been tremendous and Gen Con will remain in Indy through at least 2020. He says they're also working with Indiana University and will be bringing over 50 students to several educational seminars to show off their student projects in game design.