ATX Protospiel 2026

Welcome!

ATX Protospiel brings together designers, gamers and publishers for two days of playtesting, game design and making connections. This is our fourth such annual convention.

We hope you can join us to play games, provide feedback, and build new connections.

Designers

Expose your games to a broad cross-section of players. Connect with and draw inspiration from your peers!

Playtesters

Experience the cutting edge of game design in new prototype titles.

Publishers

Experience the Austin indie board game scene and get a chance to expose your unpublished games to the public for feedback.

When?

From October 3rd – Saturday 10 AM to 10 PM Central Time

To October 4th – Sunday 10 AM to 10 PM Central Time

Where?

Dragon's Lair Comics and Fantasy, 2438 W Anderson Ln. B1, Austin, TX 78757

What's new this year?

• This year's Protospiel will be at Dragon's Lair in Northwest Austin
• We will be doing a celebratory dinner and networking event on Friday October 3nd (more details coming soon).
• Every designer, as part of their badge purchase, will be able to schedule a single 2-hour block, or two consecutive 1-hour blocks each day. You can sign up for this by submitting an event.
• Volunteers for the event will be wearing shirts with at least one person at the front table. They'll help you get checked in and can help you find games to play.
• If you'd like, we're also selling t-shirts (sales opening soon). All volunteers will get a complimentary t-shirt.

FAQ

What’s a Protospiel? A Protospiel is an event where you can test a board or card game prototype in person with other designers, playtesters, and publishers. It doesn’t matter what level of polish your game has, only that you bring an open mind and a willingness to receive feedback constructively.

How many prototypes should I bring? You’re welcome to bring as many prototypes as you’d like, but you may be unable to test more than three? This depends largely on game length.

How is playtesting structured? We have scheduled events and open playtesting. Find a table, have a seat, and make friends. During open playtesting, we ask that designers try to adhere to the Protospiel model of reciprocity: play other people's games, not just your own. As a general rule in playtesting, after 1 hour take the temperature of the people at your table and see if they are ready to give feedback or if they would like to keep going.

How do events work? With the purchase of each designer badge comes the opportunity to schedule 2 hours of dedicated table time. All events must be submitted by Thursday October 1st. Additionally, we will have scheduled speakers giving presentations throughout the weekend on topics related to board game design and publishing.

Can I show off my game before the convention? Absolutely! There's a feature on this site that allows you to upload pictures and a written description of your game. Just go to Attend > Prototypes to get started. This helps give other designers and playtesters visibility of your game and helps you gauge public interest before people sit down at the table.

Is this event family-friendly? While we don't have any programming specifically designed for kids, we try to ensure a family-friendly atmosphere and ask designers to tailor the playtesting experience based on the age of their testers. Most of the games will be recommended for ages 10+, though a few will be for younger than that. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Will I meet publishers? Maybe! The primary focus of this convention is giving and receiving feedback on unpublished games. We do have a number of local publishers who attend. Also, many of our designers have previously published and many of our designers also self-publish. This is a great networking opportunity!

Does the price cover both days? Yes. All badges cover both days.

How do I get my badge? There will be a check in table in Dragon's Lair and look for a volunteer in an event shirt. Please bring a form of ID and check in when you first arrive. We will give you your badge and further information at that time.

Can I register at the door? Only playtesters may register at the door. If you intend to bring games for playtesting, we ask that you register ahead of time so we may coordinate playtesting effectively.

What do y'all do with the money? ATX Game Designers is a nonprofit. This event is also our annual fundraiser and allows us to pay for ongoing club expenses throughout the year.

What do I do if I lose my badge? If you lose your badge outside of the venue let the check-in staff know when you arrive, and we’ll work something out.

What’s the snack situation? Dragon's Lair has a ton of restaurants in easy walking distance and the venue permits outside food and drink, just no alcohol. They also sell food and drinks themselves. Finally, various snacks will be offered throughout the convention by our generous sponsors...more details coming soon!

Here Kitty, Kitty Be aware (in case you have allergies) that Dragon's Lair has two adorable cats that roam the store.

What lodgings are nearby? Check out the following local hotels

Econo Lodge (2 miles away) 9102 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78758

Doubletree Northwest Arboretum (2.8 miles away) 8901 Business Park Dr, Austin, TX 78759