A dungeon, a masquerade and  more games than one could ever imagine: these are just a few of the things one can expect to see at CODCON XXIII, the College of Dupage’s (COD) very own gaming convention.

Returning for a 23rd year, the COD Sci-fi/Fantasy & Gaming club is preparing to host one of the many conventions taking place in the midwest. CODCON will take place from Friday, April 13 to Sunday, April 15 in SRC 2000 with the theme “gaming in the multiverse.”

The convention hours are 6 p.m.-11 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Each day will host unique events for convention-goers, giving people a chance to dress up as their favorite fictional characters, get a look at brand new games and meet an array of new people.

One of the main attractions at the convention is the annual “dungeon” that gives people the chance to live out their sword-fighting dreams.

“It it a live-action role play that turns the student lounge into a dungeon, and you go in and have to live-action fight people,” said Joel Bahena, the club’s social media coordinator.

Role-player games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder, video game tournaments and a costume contest are just a few of the other activities that will occur throughout the weekend. The Oakbrook Microsoft Center will also provide Xbox and other console games, including Fortnite, Sea of Thieves and a first look at several new games.

The Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Gaming club strives to make this convention something anyone can attend. Compared to some of the other conventions in the area like C2E2 or Anime Central, CODCON is a weekend of fun for a fraction of the price.

The convention costs attendees $5 for one day, $7 for two days or $10 for the whole weekend, where other conventions can run up to $70 per day.

“We want to make it smaller, intimate and cheaper for most people,” said Bahena.

When the convention debuted 23 years ago, only seven people were in attendance of the one-day convention. The convention has gained popularity since, increasing in numbers each year. Last year’s convention brought in about 450 people.

The convention is run almost entirely by club members, who staff the registration and merchandise tables, organize tournaments and set up activity rooms. The goal is to keep the convention as student-ran as possible.

The club hopes to attract new and returning attendees to this year’s convention, with an eye toward setting an attendance record.

Those interested in attending are encouraged to pre-register. Registration, individual times for each event and more information can be found at www.codcon.com.