QuakeCon

What QuakeCon does

QuakeCon is an annual gaming convention organized by Bethesda Softworks LLC, founded in 1996 and held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. The event centers on a Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) LAN party experience running 24/7 over four days, drawing thousands of PC gaming enthusiasts for tournaments, freeplay, meetups, tabletop gaming, contests, and giveaways. The 2026 edition marks the 30th Anniversary and features appearances by id Software founding members John Carmack, John Romero, Adrian Carmack, and Tom Hall.

QuakeCon operates a tiered ticketing model through the Leap Events platform: Elite BYOC (premium tier with 72"x24" table space and exclusive perks), Group BYOC (coordinated squads of 6+ with early seat selection), Standard BYOC (core LAN access), and Fan Tickets (daily spectator access from 9 AM to 1 AM). Additional revenue comes from limited-edition 30th Anniversary merchandise (Mystery Pin Box at $10, Desktop Neon Q at $30) and an affiliate referral relationship with the Gaylord Texan Resort at $219/night. The event is not independently incorporated and functions as a branded property under Bethesda's corporate umbrella.

The company serves individual PC gamers, small gaming groups, fan attendees without PCs, gaming artists and creators (via Artist Alley and the new Makerspace), and retro gaming historians. Marketing is community-led through Discord and social media, with no B2B or enterprise customer base. The technology footprint is minimal: no proprietary software, no AI/ML systems, and reliance on third-party ticketing and venue infrastructure.

Name

QuakeCon

Legal name

Bethesda Softworks LLC

Website

https://quakecon.bethesda.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

QuakeCon is an annual BYOC LAN party gaming convention organized by Bethesda Softworks LLC since 1996, serving PC gaming enthusiasts with tournaments, community events, and exhibitions at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Add-on Merchandise: Limited-edition commemorative merchandise sold as add-ons with ticket purchases, including 30th Anniversary Mystery Pin Box ($10) and Desktop Neon QuakeCon 'Q' ($30). Pre-purchased items available for pickup at registration.
2. Hotel Partnership Revenue Share: Partnership with Gaylord Texan Resort for discounted room rates ($219/night) with special QuakeCon rates. Shuttle service and parking at $8/day for attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

QuakeCon is an annual four-day Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) LAN party and gaming convention hosted at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. The event sells tiered admission tickets (Elite, Group, and Standard BYOC, plus a Fan spectator pass) and offers tournaments, freeplay, meetups, tabletop gaming, contests, giveaways, an Artist Alley with a Makerspace, and limited-edition commemorative merchandise add-ons such as a 30th Anniversary Mystery Pin Box and a Desktop Neon QuakeCon 'Q'.

Product overview

QuakeCon is North America's premier gaming convention built around a Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) LAN party experience. The event operates on a tiered ticketing model comprising Elite BYOC (premium tier with enhanced table space, Wednesday access, and exclusive perks), Group BYOC (for coordinated teams of 6+ with early seat selection), Standard BYOC (core LAN party access), and Fan Tickets (daily event access for non-PC attendees). The 2026 event marks the 30th Anniversary with special commemorative merchandise add-ons including the Mystery Pin Box and Desktop Neon "Q". Additional offerings include Artist Alley with a new Makerspace for creative workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• QuakeCon BYOC LAN Party Experience Four-day Bring Your Own Computer LAN party experience held annually at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Attendees bring their own computers to game together 24/7, with tournaments, freeplay, meetups, tabletop gaming, contests, and giveaways in the BYOC hall.
• Fan Ticket (Spectator Access)

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 years of continuous operation as a premier gaming event

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Leap EventscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 August 2026Official ticketing platform partner for QuakeCon 2026. All ticket sales (Elite BYOC, Group BYOC, Standard BYOC, Fan tickets, and add-ons) are processed through Leap Events at events.leapevents.com. Handles lottery system for Elite tickets and sale windows for all ticket tiers.
• Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 August 2026Official venue partner for QuakeCon 2026 event. Located at 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, Texas 76051. Provides special QuakeCon room rate of $219/night, reduced parking at $8/day, and comprehensive convention facilities with 400,000+ square feet of flexible meeting spaces.
• DiscordminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 August 2026Community platform partner hosting the official QuakeCon Community Discord server for attendee communication, updates, and community engagement.
• Bethesda SoftworkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 August 2026Parent company and organizer of QuakeCon. Bethesda owns the QuakeCon brand, manages event operations, security, code of conduct enforcement, and provides access to id Software talent for special appearances.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/QuakeCon
• Facebookfacebook.com/quakecon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about QuakeCon