The UK Games Expo is nearly upon us...

03/05/2016

One Month Until Gaming Heaven

UK Games Expo will soon be upon us. This show - the 10th - will be by far the largest Hobby Games convention event ever run in the UK.

No idea what I am talking about? Read the Beginner's Guide

Don't miss the UK's Biggest and Best Hobby Games Convention. Buy your tickets now by following this link.

Here is an overview of the high points of the convention.

Click to enlarge

Twin Venues

UK Games Expo is leaping forward with the addition of Hall 1 of the NEC, Birmingham, which will host the three day trade show on Friday 3rd June, Saturday 4th June, and Sunday 5th June 2016.

The show is on two sites only a few minutes apart. Let's look at what is where.

UKGE has a 10000 sqm Trade Hall and 225+ exhibitors. Some of the key attractions that will be located in the NEC will include the Family Zone, costumed group areas, seminars and one part of our board game library.

Meanwhile, 5000 sqm of space at the Hilton Hotel will remain the focus of the Roleplaying Game sessions and many of our other tournaments, but will also have a massively increased open gaming space in the evening, with the entire Palace and Kings one huge open gaming space, allowing 2000+ gaming enthusiasts to sit and game at night time.

The Hilton Hotel is the site of the Food festival all weekend and several entertainment events as well as some of the seminars and panels.

Gamer's Shopping Heaven

We hope you have been saving your pennies because we have an Aladdin's cave of gaming goodies to choose from. DIce, board games, cardgames, minis, RPGs, Art, books, T-shirts and other clothing, jewellry and cosplay props. We've got you covered.
Check out the list of exhibitors and get your shopping list sorted.

Games new and old

We have over 200 publishers and retailers bringing dozens of new games, prototypes, demos and giant games for you to try out and if you like them, to buy.

UKGE is the best place in the UK to see and try out the new games and upcoming games in the publisher's stands and even to have a part in their development in the Playtest area and Wyvern's Lair.

This month, keep an eye on our News pages, Facebook, Twitter and mailshots for press releases by many publishers talking about their Expo plans.

Open Gaming Galore

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 a lot of provision for OPEN GAMING all weekend.

During the day time the greatest part of the open gaming space is within the trade hall at the NEC. There Thirsty Meeples will run a Board game Library of 1000+ games to borrow and play.

In the Evening when the Trade Hall closes, huge rooms at the Hilton come on line as open gaming space. (There is a small capacity during the day time too). The Thirsty Meeples Boardgame library will migrate to the Hilton at night.

Here is a list of what space is available for Open Gaming

Fancy a little competition?

You can enter dozens of tournaments in Board Games, Card Games and Miniatures Games. The winner of the Catan Championship wins flights and accommodation to the world final in the USA. The winner of the UK Agricola Championship will be flown to the world final (venue TBC in 2017).

The largest X-Wing miniatures event ever held anywhere in the world, the X-wing Yavin open, will be run over the Expo weekend. The Force is strong in this one.

Those are just three of many tournament events to choose from.

Fun for all the Family

UKGE is an event the whole family can enjoy.The Family Zone provides games for all ages and a craft zone for the very young. Children's Roleplaying Games (see below) will get the kids engaged in their own adventures. Dozens of company have games to try out that are great for children.

Come in costume and have fun with the cosplayers

Always a popular part of UK Games Expo, the costumed groups attending 2016 will be portraying characters and monsters from Doctor Who and Star wars and many other popular shows and films as well as a bunch of hairy Vikings. You can even come in costume and win a prize.
Find out more

UKGE Food and Drink

We are holding a street food festival - a gamers gourmet choice - in the carpark outside the Hilton a variety of food options will be available courtesy of Street Scoff and the Hilton. These will be served out of Street Food wagons parked in the carpark along side a Beer Bus!

NEC Hall one will have food served from 4 locations around the venue (menu TBC.) There are other food options like Subways, Starbucks and Wetherspoons.

Full weekend of Seminars, Panels and Workshops

Over the weekend there are talks by games industry experts, panels and sessions with celebrity guests. Some of these sessions are in the Seminar Room in NEC Hall 1. Some are in the Arden Suite in the Hilton Hotel and there are also activities around the Main Stage.

Find out how to design and publish games, hear debates about the latest games and what the future will bring. You can even attend live recordings of The Dice Tower and Shut Up & Sit Down.

Guests include Tom Vasel of the Dice Tower, 6th Doctor, Colin Baker, Game designers Reiner Knizia, Lewis Pulsipher, Eric Lang and others. Full list here.

For Seminars at NEC and the Hilton see here

For those on the stage see this page.

Kick back with some live entertainment

The Dark Room 2.0: The world’s only live-action text adventure returns to UK Games Expo!
Revised and expanded with new levels, graphics (yes, graphics), challenges and abuse! With shows in Hong Kong, Berlin, London, Edinburgh and Sydney, over 7000 people have played it live, can YOU escape THE DARK ROOM?

This is a live action event hosted by John Robertson. It involves audience participation. This show contains abuse, swearing and adult humour. Possibly not suitable for pre teens. You have been warned!