![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/EGX-gaming-events-london-2019.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhen is it? <\/strong>Birmingham 4th-6th March & London 22-25 September.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Where is it?<\/strong> London & Birmingham NEC<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> \u00a315 – \u00a375<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hosted by:<\/strong> Virgin Media <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Buy tickets:<\/strong> www.egx.net\/egx\/ticket-information<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n EGX is the UKs biggest gaming event \u2013 a celebration of all things gaming. The first in-person event since 2019 due to the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Attendees are invited to play some major unreleased blockbuster games and 100’s of incredible indie games \u2013 there\u2019ll be over 250 games to play during the event. Watch or compete in the two fun tournaments on each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With an eclectic mix of shows and activities, such as the Leftfield Collection (an area full of different, weird and wonderful independent games), the EGX Arena for group battles and the Retro Zone which is filled to the brim with the games of arcade\u2019s past: think Pinball<\/a>, PacMan<\/a> and the original PlayStation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019ll be a huge mix of old school, indie and unreleased games at EGX that you\u2019ll be able to experience first-hand! The game area is the biggest and most popular attraction at this expo \u2013 there\u2019ll be rows and rows of different gaming stations and you\u2019ll be playing undiscovered games from huge companies and indie developers. The Retro Zone will be full of old arcade classics[3] so head there to fill your boots with gaming\u2019s rich history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here you won\u2019t just be playing indie games, you\u2019ll also be meeting the brains behind the screens. You\u2019ll be able to play these homegrown games and learn them inside and out by discuss everything with their developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This room hosts an array of wacky games, from unique art styles to just about mental story lines. This room is an EGX staple and a crowd favourite!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fancy a battle? Take your friends down to the EGX arena and go face to face with some of the best gamers \u2013 alone or with a team. If you want to prove your skills, this is the place to be. Not competitive? You can watch some huge e-sports matches instead. The Fight Zone will feature the European Final of the Capcom Pro Tour and their Streetfighter<\/a> tournament!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll be able to meet some of your favourite influencer’s and content creators from the gaming sphere!<\/p>\n\n\n\n EGX\u2019s cosplay scene is ever growing. With a huge stage to host it over the full 4 days, cosplayers everywhere can unite, take pictures and maybe even win prizes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n EGX will have a careers bar and fair where you can seek advice and information on any potential gaming careers. You\u2019ll also have the chance to get one-to-one advice from leading figures in the industry with EGX\u2019s portfolio reviews!<\/p>\n\n\n\n EGX is the perfect place to meet new people, make connections and have some fun whilst discovering new games. You might find a new love for indie games or arcade games \u2013 hell, you might even buy one for your home!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When is it?<\/strong> Dates to be announced!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where is it?<\/strong> TBC<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> TBC<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hosted by:<\/strong> Player 1 Events<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Buy tickets: <\/strong>TBC<\/p>\n\n\n\n Insomnia 65 is a gaming festival set up by Player 1 Events in partner with GAME and Belong Gaming Arenas. This festival, hosted in Birmingham, will be filled to the brim with playable games, networking opportunities, meet and greets and more. This festival is getting bigger every year with this year being their biggest yet! There\u2019ll be a Tabletop zone for some next-level game play and a great space to show off your finest cosplay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Insomnia65 specialise in Anime and Manga, so it\u2019s no surprise that their anime-specific merch shop, Toybox, is a main focus at the expo. Customer service is at their heart and they have something for everybody. Head to the Overclockers stand \u2013 home of the PC gaming enthusiast \u2013 to check out their hardware, PCs and more! You can also try some samples and purchase some of Sneak\u2019s new goodies \u2013 switch your coffee for a sneak and never get tired whilst playing again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sponsored by Vive, the Virtual Reality zone will be the place to be for anyone who wants to experience a new way of playing. Fully immerse yourself in the story line and get completely sucked in by one of their many VR games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the many stages at Inomnia65, you\u2019ll find it easy to take a break from the hustle and bustle. Spectate the Super Mario Maker 2 Showdown or the Just Dance Lip Sync Battle or get involved in The Hot Seat \u2013 a gameshow where audience members help a special guest with answering quickfire questions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Head to the Battle Royal Zone to take part in a huge fortnight battle! Battle Royal isn\u2019t your forte? Get competitive in the Daily Tournament Zone where you can go head to head in Rocket League, Overwatch and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Play some of your favourite Indie games or visit the Retro zone for some arcade madness. Even better \u2013 Bring Your Own Computer to the B.Y.O.C Zone and take part in the biggest LAN party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Connect with some of your favourite gaming influencer’s such as Pyrocynical<\/a>, Willne<\/a> and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Insomia65 is a great alternative to EGX, both have the crowd, atmosphere and big names to draw in customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When is it?<\/strong> 3rd \u2013 5th June 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where is it?<\/strong> NEC Birmingham<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> \u00a346 – \u00a3110<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hosted by:<\/strong> UKGE<\/p>\n\n\n\n Buy tickets: <\/strong>https:\/\/www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk\/shop\/tickets\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The UK Games Expo \u2013 also held in the NEC \u2013 is another huge gaming expo in the UK. Tickets range from \u00a346 to \u00a3110, which makes this event pretty accessible. And trust us, you shouldn\u2019t miss it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Family Zone was designed to allow adults and their children spend some quality time together. There\u2019ll be oversized games where you can play with gigantic pieces, demonstrations, a chance to rep your school and even face painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you a boardgame lover at heart? Here, you\u2019ll have the chance to take part in some great boardgame tournaments such as the Happy Salmon Tournament or the Four Elements UK Nationals. Think you\u2019ve got what it takes? Register now!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to bring your favourite games character to life? At the UK Games Expo you\u2019ll be surrounded by your favourite characters from Vikings to anime characters \u2013 and it\u2019s all part of the fun. Cosplayers at UK Games Expo raise money for selected charities, so as well as having fun they\u2019re also making a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bring your old games and buy new ones! It\u2019s basically a clothes swap \u2013 but for games. Take with you your old card games, board games, roleplaying books, comics, action figures \u2013 anything to do with gaming \u2013 and exchange it for cash to buy something new. If you don\u2019t have anything to swap, it\u2019s fine! There\u2019ll be a chance to do some bargain hunting anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At UK Games Expo, you\u2019ll have the chance to get your learning face on and attend some seminars with talks from leading industry figures and influencers, live recorded podcasts and Youtube videos and even some quizzes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The UK Games Expo is the perfect family event \u2013 if your child is a game lover this is the place to go next May. If you\u2019re the gamer of the family \u2013 even better. There\u2019ll be a plethora of exhibitions and events to immerse yourself in at UKGE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When is it?<\/strong> Sunday 5TH FEB 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where is it? <\/strong>Leeds Marriott Hotel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> Free Entry<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hosted by:<\/strong> Retro Events Network<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you love retro gaming, playing and collecting then this is the event for you\u201d, reads the first line of the Retro Games Fair\u2019s about page. Looking for a place to purchase all your gaming necessities? From video games, to micro-computers, to merchandise \u2013 The Retro Games Fair puts everything under one roof!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since this fair is predominantly for shopping, be prepared to make some impulse-buys or take part in some serious window shopping and wish list making. You\u2019ll be able to buy games<\/a>, consoles, merch and loads of other cool gadgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For \u00a32 you can enter into a draw to win some of the classic AND modern consoles that are out now. Talk about return on investment\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n This wouldn\u2019t be a games fair without the chance to do what you do best. Head to the gaming zone to play some of the \u201cbest games ever made!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Retro Games<\/a> Fair sounds like an arcade (or ex-arcade) lovers paradise. You\u2019ll be able to splash your cash on the things you\u2019ve been wanting for ages \u2013 and there won\u2019t be any depending on delivery drivers or trailing from shop to shop. This is also a great place to meet other gamers, make some friends and get into some friendly competitions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When is it?<\/strong> TBC<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where is it? <\/strong>Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> TBC<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hosted by:<\/strong> Replay Events Ltd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Buy tickets: <\/a>TBC<\/p>\n\n\n\n Play Expo Blackpool is \u201cthe biggest\u201d Retro Gaming<\/a> Expo, based in Blackpool, UK. Branded the most popular retro gaming expo in the UK, Play Expo will pay homage to the ghosts of gaming\u2019s past by cramming everything you love about gaming under one roof \u2013 gameplay, talks, tournaments and of course a few modern exhibitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The indie zone is a place to play games that bend the rules. If you are looking to play some new, fun and quirky games, this is the spot. You\u2019ll be able to play some 4 player games like Rocket League and some indie classics such as Super Meat Boy. You\u2019ll be able to play alongside and meet some of the indie developers behind these great games and check out some unreleased games from local developers, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Rhythm Games Zone you\u2019ll be able to combine two great arts; music and gaming. Get together for some melodic playtime and get stuck into games such as DJ hero (Xbox 360) or Donkey Konga (Gamecube).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, Play Expo specialise in retro games so expect a lot from their Retro Zone. They will be teaming with systems from Pong to PlayStation 3 to bring you the best of the best when it comes retro games. Do not miss the Arcade Cabs; with games like Mortal Kombat and House of the Dead<\/a> \u2013 this is a serious blast to the past and you\u2019ll be definitely be feeling the nostalgia. Not to mention, there\u2019ll be Pinball machines!<\/p>\n\n\n\n With all this gaming fun (there\u2019ll be VR and tournaments, too} plus shopping, cosplay and some guest talks, Play Expo is a not-to-miss event! They all so have an event in Glasgow, with all the same fun!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Games have existed for a really long time.The first true video games surfaced in the 1950’s and the first arcade game, Pong, was created in the early 1970’s. Now we have a multitude of consoles and games that are compatible with computers, PlayStation 4’s and Xbox\u2019s. Nintendo released their first gaming console in 1977 \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13859,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1713],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gaming-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13839"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17408,"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13839\/revisions\/17408"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What\u2019s on at EGX?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Play a magnitude of games<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The Rezzed Zone<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The Leftfield Collection<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
EGX Arena and Fight Zone<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Meet and Greet<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Cosplay Zone<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Network<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. Insomnia65<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/insomnia-65-gaming-experience-2019-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/254590540_2264240740384349_6745950567627761031_n-1024x576.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s on at Insomnia65?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Shop<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Experience A New Reality<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Sit Back and Watch<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Compete<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Play<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Meet and Greet<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. UK Games Expo<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/uk-games-expo-2020.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s on at UK Games Expo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Family Fun<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Board Game Tournaments<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Roleplaying<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Bring & Buying<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Learning<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
4. Retro Games Fair<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/retro-games-fair-2019-leeds-marriott.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s on at Retro Games Fair?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Shopping<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Winning<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Playing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
5. Play E<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
xpo Blackpool<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcadedirect.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/play-blackpool-expo-2019.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s on at Play Expo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Indie Gaming<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Rhythm Gaming<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Retro Gaming<\/h4>\n\n\n\n