Get your game on at ChargerCon 2025 – March 29, UAH campus

Pick your battles, express your inner hero or villain and win cool prizes at ChargerCon 2025, happening Saturday, March 29, on The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) campus. You might even run into Monkey D. Luffy or Sailor Moon.

The free annual gaming convention is set for noon to 10 p.m. in the Conference Training Center (CTC) at UAH, a part of The University of Alabama System. The event is sponsored by Huntsville Blast.

Cosplay contestants display their creativity at ChargerCon 2024 on April 6, 2024, at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). ChargerCon 2025 happens March 29 at UAH.

Michael Mercier | UAH

ChargerCon is open to all ages, but parents must be on hand to supervise minors. No other supervision will be provided.

UAH gamers have planned a day filled with video game tournaments, an arts festival, a cosplay contest, karaoke, workshops and panels, a video game indie alley, free play areas and more. Several events come with prizes, and organizers say they’re epic. Some tournaments will have a buy-in, and that money goes toward prizes for the champions.

“I believe ChargerCon is the best event on campus each year because it brings the community together the most,” said William deAngelo, a junior information systems major. “It provides competitiveness with the different tournaments for esports, learning with the different panels, and even bringing people from outside of campus to showcase what they do for the community and surrounding areas.”

DeAngelo, vice president of UAH Esports, plays on three UAH esports teams.

“I’m involved with planning the use of the esports space for our tournaments as well as putting together a Call of Duty show match between our current team and former team members on the stage at ChargerCon.”

All ages enjoy the free play areas at ChargerCon 2024 on April 6, 2024, at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). ChargerCon returns to UAH on March 29, 2025.

Michael Mercier | UAH

New Challenger Approaching (NCA), an off-campus group, is hosting three fighter-game tournaments: Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6 and Guilty Gear Strive. All are free to play with on-site registration. NCA is a nonprofit gaming community that runs tournaments for esports.

The Splatoon 3 Tournament, hosted by the UAH Esport Splatoon team along with Mary Eisenhower and Charles Burns, has a $5 entry fee with all money awarded as prizes. Register on site. Switch, game and controller will be provided, or bring your own gear to play more.

The UAH Anime Club will keep the ChargerCon Main Stage hopping – and talking and singing.

“As Anime Club president, I organize events like Anime Jeopardy, cosplay contests and pop culture debates at ChargerCon,” said senior animation major Savannah Botters. “It’s an incredible way to bring students together, share our love for anime, games and art, and create a fun, welcoming community. Seeing everyone enjoy themselves makes it all worthwhile, and I look forward to it every year!”

This year’s debate, “Unpopular Pop Culture Opinions,” gives anyone the chance to present a “hot take” or unpopular opinion regarding pop culture and defend their point against dissenters. The Anime Club will moderate the conversation to make sure everyone gets to speak and the debate doesn’t get out of hand.

Of course, you can’t create great games and anime without the arts. This year ChargerCon highlights this fact with Celebration of the Arts, featuring an art market, live music, yard games and activities, free face painting and a chalk art contest from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in and outside the CTC.

Kyla Fulton, a junior digital animation major, is president of OC Olympus, the club hosting the Celebration of the Arts:

“ChargerCon is an event unique to UAH that combines fun and tech to celebrate our campus culture. I’ve been working toward adding Celebration of the Arts to the event because there is so much talent at UAH that people may not otherwise know about. I wanted to provide a space for people to appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship found within our community.”

Other ChargerCon activities include a step performance by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, which also hosts Madden coaching and free play. Games will run organically throughout the day with organizers looking for the action and awarding prizes to quick tournament champs.

For more ChargerCon details, visit chargercon.com.