The Host Files: Flower City Comic Con

I first heard of Flower City Comic Con (FC3) before NoCoCon, but it really landed on my radar after our summer convention in Watertown. The table pricing was similar to NoCoCon, so it was a manageable step for our growing business, and it offered access to a larger audience of mystery fans in Rochester, NY.

My sister Amy and I dove into planning what we could accomplish in the short time between June and September, guided by feedback from NoCoCon. People wanted smaller group games, more family-friendly options, and tangible items to take home, rather than just digital downloads.

Our games are still digital downloads for now (Which has its perks. You can play with friends far away through Zoom, Discord, Gather.Town, or even just texting and email). But if we were to sell physical game copies, each would sit at about $100 per box unless we ordered thousands in bulk. That’s not where we are just yet. Instead, we used the short time between June and September to create a few new things:

• Detective’s Journals: physical keepsakes for note-taking during mysteries.

• Arsonist at the Arcade: our family-friendly whodunnit that debuted at NoCoCon.

• Panic at the Piano Bar: available for preorder, perfect for smaller groups.

We also reworked our booth setup. Out went the paper evidence markers (ruined at the windy Can-Am Speedway event); in came sleek, 3D-printed ones. We stocked fliers for upcoming events and preorders, updated our game catalog, and even hosted a giveaway featuring a game, a journal, a mystery novel, and blind-book goodies.

Once the convention began, the energy was immediate. People eagerly grabbed business cards and fliers, shared ideas for using our games at birthday parties, church programs, and library events, and offered feedback for future mysteries.

One conversation stood out: a customer mentioned that Questo mysteries were on their radar. Coincidentally, we’re in the process of building a hyper-local mystery quest for the app, so it was exciting to know there’s real interest in that type of experience. Thompson Park Vortex, anyone? Details are coming soon.

We also saw teens getting excited about planning birthday parties, adults reconnecting with friends who live far away, and even made an art trade with another vendor; our mysteries for their Pokémon glass art. That vendor has already locked in a date with friends for a Christmas party game, and their excitement was contagious.

FC3 wasn’t our most profitable convention, but it was incredibly rewarding. Listening to the community, seeing the experiences people want, and sharing ideas for future mysteries reminded me why we do what we do.

I loved seeing people snap photos of our fliers and catalogs for inspiration, or take our business cards hoping to spread the word. I can’t wait to see who becomes a future player in the weeks ahead.