Gaming expos to attend in 2019 around the world
The gaming community is massive in the UK so it’s no surprise that there are numerous expos and conventions about video games throughout the year. Players from all over the country will gather to discuss, buy, sell and play video games for a day or more.
Here are nine of the best video games expos of 2019
1. EGX
Held just once a year at NEC in Birmingham, EGX is one of the biggest gaming competitions in the country and is not to be missed. Even if you aren’t planning to compete, attending will benefit you. Not only will you see amazingly talented players battle it out, but you get to be one of the first to play unreleased PC and console games, hear the latest game announcements and check out awesome indie games.
2. E3
Held every July in Los Angeles, CA, E3 is a must-attend event for those with a passion for video games and want to experience and learn about the future of games. At this three-day event, witness the latest updates in mind-blowing technologies, meet-and-greets, gaming sessions, panel talks and product launches.
3. INSOMNIA Gaming Festival
Three times a year, INSOMNIA attracts people who love video games and is one of the oldest UK gaming events. Huge exhibition halls, eSports tournaments, interactive activities and much more will be available for those who are there. A variety of guest speakers – from tournament organisers to law firms – will be hosting talks for anyone to listen to. Insomnia is held 3 times a year in spring, summer, and winter at NEC, Birmingham.
4. The PC Gamer Weekender
This is a weekend dedicated entirely to PC video games. If you like playing games like World of Warcraft and Overwatch or if you like indie PC games, attend The PC Gamer Weekender in London. Not only will you get to play the games with other fans, but you can also attend talks, workshops and join in with other activities.
Held at Olympia, London each year.
5. Expo Manchester
Play Expo Manchester is usually held every October and usually features current generation games and retro games tournaments, arcades, talks and more. Of course, you can expect to see impressive cosplays of popular game characters like Mario from Super Mario Bros, Mercy from Overwatch and Link from Legend of Zelda.
6. NERG (North East Retro Gaming)
If you love retro games then NERG is the ideal expo for you. Around the beginning of July, players from across the UK will attend NERG, where people can play retro classics like Tekken, Street Fighter, Sonic and the first Mario Kart on retro consoles like SNES, GameCube and PlayStation.
NERG is usually held in Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead
7. Tokyo Game Show
Head to the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan for the annual Tokyo Game Show (TGS). Although it focuses primarily on Japanese video games, some international developers do promote upcoming related hardware and their latest releases. From Namco Bandai demo areas to a smartphone games area, there are sections for all types of gamers at TGS.
TGS is a four-day event that happens in two parts: the business event and the public event. The former happens on the first two days and is only open to those who work in the video game industry. The general public attends on the final two days.
8. MCM Comic Con
MCM Comic Con always hosts a number of games developers who are there to promote their upcoming or latest releases to eager fans. Game developers include Bandai Namco, PlayStation and Nintendo. Get there early and you could get the first pick at the video games and consoles GAME has to offer at their sellers’ stall.
MCM Comic Con is a popular expo held in the UK and Ireland (and a handful of European cities) for everything pop culture including anime, manga, games, toys, movies and more.
9. RTX
This video game-focused event is hosted by Austin based entertainment company Rooster Teeth. Known for their popular 3D-animated shows like Red vs Blue and RWBY, their gaming events have enjoyed years of success by offering RTX attendees meet-and-greets with game developers, panels on gaming and exhibitor booths from major and independent developers. For the RWBY fans: The four main protagonists (Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long) feature in the 2D crossover game BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle.
The RTX event is international, located in Austin, Texas, London, England and multiple cities around Australia.
rtxlondon.com; www.rtxaustin.com
10. TwitchCon
Spend a weekend in San Jose, CA to experience everything you love about Twitch in real life. Attendees will get to play games with fellow Twitch streamers and fans, watch live esports, see awesome cosplays and even learn how to improve their own streams at panel sessions. Make sure you leave with souvenirs from the Artists Alley.
TwitchCon is an annual event held every October.