UK Games Expo - April Newsletter

I'm usually demoing at this event but the people I usually demo for aren't going this year so I get to enjoy my second event this year as a customer...

25/04/2015 5 Weeks until the Best Gaming Weekend in the UK Greetings. It is not long now until 3 days of gaming at UK Games Expo. Expo is bigger than ever before. We have 150+ exhibitors. We have 4 trading halls. We have the Trade Halls open on 3 days this year for the first time ever. We expect that over 7000 of you will descend on the venue over the three days and we are hard at work putting all the nuts and bolts together than make it all happen. Richard, Tony, Pat, John. Lindsey and Keith Booking System will run until 22nd May. Thousands of you have already been booking away, getting your tickets and events sorted. The booking system will continue to be available until 1 week before UKGE. On 22nd May we switch it off so our ticketing team can get on and organize it all. After then you will only be able to buy tickets at UKGE. We cannot and do not facilitate requests like "hold 2 tickets for me and my mate bill." So to ensure you get in what you want to get in book in advance. That said there will still be door tickets on sale all weekend and dozens of RPG games still available along with places in the board game events assuming they have not sold out. THREE DAYS OF TRADE Over 150 exhibitors will be there to show you their games over three trading days. Many of these can be played at the show so just walk up and ask to try them. Dozens of games are brand new or recently released, Still more are due to release later in the year and this is your chance to see them. Check out all companies who are attending here. Trade Halls Open 29th May, 30th May and 31st May Friday - 2pm - 7pm Saturday – 9.30am – 5.00pm Sunday – 9.30am – 4.00pm Opening Gaming on 4 Days There is always a need for space to just sit down, get out a game and get playing. We anticipate that the peak demands for this will be FRIDAY night and SATURDAY night but have some provision for OPEN GAMING all weekend from 7pm on THU night. We are aware of the growing demand for this space and have a longer term plan to massively increase the space from 2016 onwards. But as for this year in 2015 we have added a marquee and reorganised our tournament space to allow for maximum open gaming within the limits of the space we have. For the details go here Bring and Buy The Bring and Buy has become massively popular and usually shows of the UKGE's size retire the BnB because it is to big to handle. However we know how much you like it and so we are trying to make it work no matter how big it gets. You can read all about our plans on this page. The most important thing to be aware is that you can register your sales items IN ADVANCE via our site. On arrival labels get printed and are added to your items. Simply slap on the labels and the job is done. You will still be able to do all this on the day BUT to significantly reduce the waiting time on arrival do yourself and every one a favour and register in advance. Tournaments and Events For those who like organised play there is still a lot to choose from with 45 Tournaments and 300+ Roleplaying sessions. Click the following links to see what is available in: Boardgames Cardgames MIniatures RPG In addition to that we have two great gaming related entertainment events These are THE DARK ROOM and ALWAYS BE ROLLING Book in now THE DARK ROOM is the world’s only live-action videogame! The audience is trapped inside a TEXT ADVENTURE GAME and must escape. £1000 grand prize, if anyone manages to make it out. If not, there’s a table of cheap crap you won’t want, but have to take home. Get ready, this is audience vs stand-up comedian in a game of wits, nostalgia, cunning and logic. YOU AWAKE TO FIND YOURSELF IN A DARK ROOM! 4,000,000 YouTube hits, as played by Ian Livingstone, Mark Watson, Brendon Burns, Jhonen Vasquez. “NOT TO BE MISSED” - The Guardian, “Watching audiences try to tackle the challenge and fail is one of the funniest sights around - don’t miss it.” - Daily Telegraph WINNER – Argus Angel, Brighton Fringe 2014 Director’s Choice, Bedford Fringe 2014 Fringe Review ThreeWeeks The Skinny One4Review Broadway Baby FringeGuru 1/2 Jayisgames.com Den of Geek The Age Herald Sun The List Edinburgh Spotlight Edinburgh Review Chortle Time Out Top 100 Edinburgh Fringe Shows 2014, The List’s Top 5 Scary Shows Edinburgh Fringe 2013 Book in now Award-winning comedian James Cook explores the rapidly growing phenomenon of table-top gaming and how it can change your life for the better AND save the world. He'll look at the games everyone knows (Monopoly, Cluedo, Risk, Scrabble) and why most of them are objectively rubbish, and then share some Rule hacks that make them fun. During the show, the audience will be able to play versions of classic retro games live on stage (and win prizes!) as well as 1 or 2 games they didn't even know they were already playing. In an attempt to reclaim the word 'Gamer', he'll explain why computer games are evil, and which new board games will make your kids win at life. Pre order your exclusive UKGE 2015 TShirt While we have had polo shirts for our volunteers since our first year we have never produced a collectible T Shirt for you to take home. This year we are producing a limited number of shirts for sale on pre order before the show and depending on demand we may have some on sale at the show. As is traditional for the gaming public we have a choice of colours as long as you want black. In the future we may offer more choice but costs limit those choices at the moment The t-shirts are quality Fruit of the Loom shirts with a 6 colour high quality screen print. We have adult sizes from small to XXXXXL and children's sizes are by age. The children's shirts are significantly cheaper because there is no VAT added to them while adult shirts have the 20% VAT included in the price. For more details go to the T-Shirt Order Page Best wishes Richard, Tony, Patrick, John, Keith and Lindsey. The UK Games Expo Organisers

©2015 UK Games Expo | Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel National Exhibition Centre Birmingham, United Kingdom B40 1PP