Neotropolis

Neo 2025 was the year scores left the clipboard. For the first time, duels uploaded automatically from the field, which meant staff could spend less time babysitting spreadsheets and more time on the experience and interactions with our players. We also filmed a staff training video so booth volunteers could watch it before they worked intake.

We hid the live Leaderboard on purpose. A fake server maintenance story kept standings dark until closing ceremony, a deliberate nod to classic video game reveal energy. When the scoreboard finally lit up, the photo below is what the crowd saw.

3,767 Quickdraw matches logged across the weekend from 328 active players, on more than 200 PDNs in play (up from 64 in 2024). Retrofitted MK I units helped us scale past a single manufacturing run, so more people could duel, pass gear hand to hand, and compare reflexes all over Neotropolis.

The character stakes kept pace with the volume. Reigning champ Reggie Bloodletter spent days trading blows with newcomer Hot Lock. Reggie held the top hunter slot and became Alleycat's first repeat winner.

We cut a short film for Detective to screen at the event: a public challenge to Reggie, with room for both players to build lore if they wanted. They did.

Every player still watches the player intake film on the way in. We rework it each year (same rules for everyone, so energy goes toward character instead of paperwork). Watch the 2025 player intake film or browse player intake films from past years. 2025 was also the first year we shipped a dedicated staff training film: the 2025 staff training film and the staff training archive (from 2025 onward).