The gaming business has grown over the last few decades, and in recent years it has simply exploded. With so many new systems, new technologies and radical designs, gaming has become a huge part of the entertainment industry. Along with this, we have seen the growth of gaming conventions and trade shows, many of which are growing in attendance each year. Conventions like MAGFest focus more on the artistry and creativity behind video games, while events like Spiel focus on a completely different genre of games. Let's look at some of the conventions.
QuakeCon
While this gaming convention began as a way for id Software developers and fans to socialize and still carry the name of that company's flagship series of games, its popularity now extends far beyond both areas. QuakeCon dates back to 1996, the same time the titular game was developed, making it one of the oldest gaming conferences as they are known to the general public today. Other major video game companies like Bethesda are also helping to organize the event, and the BYOC LAN parties that were part of the original schedule in the 1990s are still around today. The 2021 and 2022 events were held entirely online, but the company and organizers expect to return to the familiar Dallas venue next year.
Game Developers Conference (GDC)
Like many gaming conventions during the COVID era, GDC in 2021 and 2022 was a mix of online and in-person events. The GDC virtual platform was designed specifically to make the event more accessible, and of all the attendees, 12,000 came in person and about 5,000 came via virtual means. The annual GDC program is always a virtual listing of the gaming industry's hottest new products and covers an impressive number of genres.
E3
The E3 show had been gaining momentum over the past few years, until Sony recently announced that it would no longer be participating in the show. While we're still waiting to see how it all turns out, E3 has finally opened its exhibit doors to the general public. This greatly increased its attendance, making it one of the largest continuously growing exhibitions in the world. It is at E3, along with Tokyo Game Show, that many people turn to when they want to find out top-secret details about what's coming out soon.
Spiel
It started in 1983. With 1,021 exhibitors from 50 countries, SPIEL 2016 is the largest board game exhibition in the world. While there are a small number of video games here, they are mostly in the form of video game versions of existing board games. Still, this convention is not to be missed if one's idea of gaming is not limited to video games.