CometCon'26 took place in Gijón, Spain, on 5-6 September and made plenty of room for Vampire: The Eternal Struggle. AsturMeeple hosted a weekend dedicated to the game, bringing together regular players, veterans returning to the tables and new faces drawn by something especially interesting: the 2-player format.
The action started on Saturday with a Standard tournament, which attracted 20 players. On Sunday, it was time for the 2-player variant proposed by Black Chantry Productions and currently under development.
The response was immediate. 17 players registered for the 2-player tournament, with 14 actually taking their seats at the tables. The remaining three arrived after the tournament had already started. In just two and a half hours, the tournament was over, leaving behind plenty of conversations, plenty of enthusiasm to play again, and above all, one clear feeling: the format works!
A faster, more accessible VTES
The 2-player format offers a different way of approaching VTES. By reducing the game to two players, it removes one of the main practical barriers for many players: finding the time and the people needed to organise a traditional game. At CometCon, this became particularly obvious. Players who had stopped taking part in tournaments because of time constraints returned to the tables. Others who knew VTES but had always found it difficult to fit into their lives decided to give it a try. And there were also new players who found in the format an easier way to approach the game.
Some of the comments heard during the event perfectly captured that feeling:
“I can finally play in a tournament without it becoming a strain on my family life.”
“This format doesn’t cost Family Points.”
“I can actually fit this format around my shift work.”
The format also allows many of the core mechanics of VTES to be experienced in shorter, more manageable games: Stealth/Intercept, Combat (maneuvers, additional strikes and prevention), and Politics (votes and modifiers).
It is true that the interaction with the rest of the table is lost, but that also makes it particularly interesting as an introductory format. For someone just starting out, it offers a way to experience the main pillars of VTES without having to jump straight into a traditional game that can last several hours.
Note: It is important to remember that the 2-player format is still under development. VEKN has an open playtest to gather players’ experiences and feedback, and both the rules and the list of allowed cards continue to evolve. Our experience at CometCon shows that the format has great potential, but there is still work to be done.
But the most important thing happened outside the standings
The tournament’s greatest success was who sat down to play. The 2-player format managed to re-energise a community that had been somewhat dormant for a while, bringing back players who had left the game and attracting others who simply had never found the right time or the right group of players to return.
It is not just about finding out whether the rules work. It is also about finding out whether the format can make more people want to play VTES. And at CometCon, the answer was clearly positive. The tournament left behind good memories, conversations about the future of the format, and plenty of enthusiasm to play it again. For a variant that is still growing and evolving, there may be no better result than finishing a tournament with players asking when they will be able to play again.
The tournaments were made possible thanks to our friends
The tournaments were also made possible thanks to the support of companies and partners who backed the event. Players received gaming supplies and prizes provided by Ultra PRO, Dragon Shield, Gamepod, Cónclave Ibérico and Black Chantry Productions. This kind of support is especially important. It means that a tournament at a larger event can be more than just a competition: it can also be a showcase for the game and an opportunity to introduce VTES to new players.
We would especially like to thank Dragon Shield, whose support for AsturMeeple marks the beginning of a collaboration that is here to stay. Their backing will be important as we continue promoting VTES and card games at future events.
CometCon also marked our first collaboration with Gamepod, who provided supplies for participants as well as discounts. We are especially happy with this first experience and hope it will be the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration.
Ultra PRO, Dragon Shield, Gamepod, Cónclave Ibérico and Black Chantry Productions, thank you for supporting the tournament and for helping make this VTES celebration at CometCon’26 possible. Veterans, returning players, and new faces. But above all: a lot of people who wanted to play. See you at the tables!
