LARP Events in New Zealand
New Zealand boasts a vibrant live-action role-play (LARP) scene renowned for its creativity, strong fantasy storytelling, and welcoming community. The New Zealand Live Action Role Playing Society (NZLARPS) actively supports safe and inclusive events across the country. Many games take advantage of NZ's breathtaking natural settings – if you spot people who look like Lord of the Rings extras without a film crew around, you've likely found LARPers in their natural habitat. From live action roleplay Auckland meetups to immersive Wellington campaigns and weekend conventions in Christchurch, LARP events in New Zealand cater to locals and international players alike. Thanks to the country's epic scenery and creative culture, fantasy LARP in NZ is especially popular, alongside a diverse mix of sci-fi, horror, and historical-themed games. Below is a comprehensive list of narrative-driven, in-person LARP events currently active in New Zealand (covering both the North and South Islands), with each entry noting its location, primary language (English or Māori), genre, a brief description, and an official website or contact.
Auckland LARP Faire
1
Location
Auckland (North Island)
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Multi-genre LARP convention/expo
An annual one-day event featuring LARP vendors, local costumers selling gear, guest speakers, panels, workshops, and more. This faire is a community showcase and meetup for all LARPers, great for newcomers and international visitors in Auckland. Official Page: Facebook (Auckland LARP Faire).
Cabal
1
Location
Auckland
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Modern dark fantasy (witchcraft)
Cabal is a live-action role-play game of witches and spells, ritual and power – a world where one wrong step could be your end. Players portray members of magical covens vying for supremacy at a once-in-a-lifetime gathering. This Halloween-weekend event welcomes both seasoned and first-time players. Official Website: Shadowhaven (organizer).
The World That Is
1
Location
Auckland
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Post-apocalyptic survival
The World That Is is a post-apocalyptic LARP campaign inspired by the Fallout video games and the Apocalypse World RPG, set in a "ruined future" where survivors rebuild civilization. Players explore a collapsed world filled with overgrown forests, scattered outposts, and perilous factions. This ongoing campaign regularly hosts weekend games and is open to new participants. Official Page: Facebook group (The World That Is).
The Dying World
1
Location
Auckland
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Arcanepunk fantasy apocalypse
The Dying World is an arcanepunk apocalyptic LARP campaign set centuries after a magical cataclysm. In a wasteland plagued by deadly abominations, humanity survives in isolated tower-cities until explorers discover a verdant lost city hinting at hope. This campaign blends magic and scavenging in a gritty narrative. Official Page: Facebook group (The Dying World).
Syzygy at the Divine Spires
1
Location
Auckland
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
High fantasy (collaborative campaign)
Syzygy is a collaborative high-fantasy LARP campaign offering both player-driven and GM-guided storylines. It began as a day-game and has grown into a full campaign with weekend events. Players adventure in a richly imaginative world (inspired by titles like Scandal & Society and Urbs Aeterna), balancing courtly intrigue, exploration, and magical quests. Official Page: Facebook group (Syzygy LARP).
Hydra
1
Location
Wellington region (Wainuiomata)
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Multi-genre LARP convention
Hydra is Wellington's annual LARP convention, held every April and featuring a variety of theatre-style and live-combat games. This is a weekend-long event where attendees sign up for multiple short games (spanning genres from fantasy to sci-fi) and enjoy on-site accommodation and catering – ideal for travelers and first-timers. Official Website: hydra-larps.nz (event info).
Wellington Winter Season
1
Location
Wellington
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Variety (theatre-style one-shots)
The Wellington Winter Season is an umbrella series for one-off theatre-style LARPs run during the winter months (approximately May–November). It aims to run about one game per month, indoors, when it's too cold/wet to LARP outdoors. Each session is a standalone story – past games have ranged from murder mysteries and political dramas to lighthearted fantasy. This series is great for casual play and is run by various GMs on a non-profit basis. Official Info: NZLARPS Wellington (Facebook/Google group).
Consequence
1
Location
Wellington
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
"Weird West" (Western-horror) campaign
Consequence is a Weird West LARP campaign set in the fictional frontier town of Consequence, Colorado (c. 1869), blending Wild West adventure with a supernatural twist. The story centers on a portal discovered in the Colorado plains that led pioneers into an otherworldly realm – four years on, a boomtown has sprung up beyond the veil. Games in this campaign are weekend-long and plot-focused, but new players are welcomed at the start of each chapter. Official Page: Facebook group (Consequence LARP).
Londinium Rising
1
Location
Wellington
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Historical fantasy (Elizabethan-inspired)
Londinium Rising is a campaign set in a fantasy city reminiscent of Elizabethan London, during the reign of the "Merry Monarch" Carys I. The action focuses on Skintgate, the city's seedy underbelly of theaters, taverns, brothels and fighting pits. Players take on roles from the underclass – actors, paupers, petty criminals, witch cultists – struggling amid crime, plague, and political intrigue. Expect gritty, character-driven drama rather than high fantasy heroics. Official Page: Facebook group (Londinium Rising).
The Stars Beneath the Ocean
1
Location
Wellington
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Nautical cosmic horror
The Stars Beneath the Ocean (tSBtO) is a cosmic-horror LARP campaign set on and under the high seas of a world that's a distorted mirror of our own. While not Earth, this world has parallels to the Age of Sail – think Sunless Sea meets Black Sails with Lovecraftian twists. The story draws inspiration from gothic maritime lore and the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Algernon Blackwood. The campaign comprises a few lengthy episodes (each ~8 hours) and is 18+ (mature themes). Official Page: Facebook group (Stars Beneath the Ocean).
Empty Vessels
1
Location
Wellington
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Renaissance high fantasy
Empty Vessels is a legacy-focused, Renaissance-themed fantasy LARP set in a magical kingdom. The campaign emphasizes social intrigue, politics, and lore over combat – games are primarily indoor, roleplay-heavy affairs. Characters are pre-written with player input (including a tarot-based character creation process), and each event can jump forward years in time based on prior outcomes. Beginner-friendly roles are available for new LARPers, making this a welcoming campaign. Official Info: NZLARPS project page / Facebook group.
Reloaded
1
Location
Wellington
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Cyberpunk fairy-tale (theatre-style campaign)
Reloaded is a Wellington-based theater-style LARP campaign that blends cyberpunk dystopia with fairy-tale fantasy. It presents a near-future world dominated by oppressive corporations, alongside a limitless virtual reality realm where magic and fairy tales come to life. Games are run as casual daytime events (often free or koha donation) to be accessible to all. This campaign is currently run intermittently, offering an innovative twist for players who enjoy both tech and myth. Official Page: Facebook group (Reloaded LARP).
Phoenix LARP Convention
1
Location
Christchurch (Canterbury)
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Multi-genre LARP convention
Phoenix is Christchurch's annual weekend-long LARP convention. It typically runs 6 rounds of one-off LARPs across the Matariki holiday weekend (Friday night through Sunday), showcasing a mix of genres from light-hearted romps to intense drama. The 2025 event is fully catered with accommodation included on-site, making it very friendly for out-of-town and international attendees. Phoenix is run by NZLARPS (South Island) and is a great way to experience a variety of NZ LARP styles in one go. Official Page: Facebook (Phoenix LARP Convention).
Cerberus LARP Convention
1
Location
Dunedin (Otago)
2
Primary Language
English
3
Genre/Theme
Multi-genre LARP convention
Cerberus is Dunedin's annual LARPing weekend, run in a format similar to the older Chimera and Hydra conventions. The event is divided into six rounds of games: one Friday night, three on Saturday, and two on Sunday. Attendees can choose from a variety of short scenarios each round (fantasy, sci-fi, horror, etc.), making Cerberus an ideal introduction for new South Island LARPers. It is a smaller convention with a tight-knit, student-friendly community (Dunedin being a university town). Official Page: NZLARPS project page / Facebook (Cerberus Larp Convention).
Language Note
(No fully Māori-language LARPs are listed at present – most events use English as the primary language, though Māori culture and holidays (such as Matariki) are often incorporated. All the above in-person events emphasize narrative and immersion, and exclude any online-only or play-by-post games.)