Splotter Con doesn’t play when it comes to tabletop games

Dean Brandt developed a real itch for tabletop games over a decade ago, thanks to his niece. “I immediately fell in love, went out, started buying games,” Brandt tells Pittsburgh City Paper . Playing with friends turned to playing at conventions, and now Brandt hosts his own local convention dedicated to a favorite type of game: Splotter, or “heavy” strategy games. Splotter Con , which emphasizes community and camaraderie over intense competition, returns for its third year on Labor Day weekend at Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown. The convention, which runs from Fri., Sept. 4-Mon., Sept. 7, features a social space to play an extensive library of tabletop games with a focus on rare games from the Dutch publisher Splotter Spellen , the popular purveyor of the “heavy” subgenre of strategy games that cranks the complexity up to 11. In years past, the convention was held in Green Tree and each time attracted around 100 people. The new venue will allow about 30 to 40 more attendees compared to previous conventions, Brandt says, and he appreciates Downtown’s walkability and dining options. 2025 Splotter Con at DoubleTree Hotel in Green Tree Brandt, a project lead for BNY Mellon, has had an eclectic collection of gigs over the years, including running the former local movie rental shop Dreaming Ant and managing bands. Outside his day job, Brandt now puts much of his energy into Splotter Con, which, due to its niche appeal, has generated interest from around the country and even internationally, he says. Though not formally affiliated with Splotter, the convention has the publisher’s blessing. The convention even collaborated with Splotter to reprint particularly hard-to-find games, Brandt says. This year, attendees receive an exclusive, brand-new Pittsburgh-themed expansion to Bus , a beloved Splotter game that challenges players to navigate traffic. Though not “geographically correct,” Brandt admits, the expans