STACK #160 Feb 2018

GAMES FEATURE

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Gamescom – August 21-25 Cologne, Germany Gamescom is probably the games show with most relevance to Australian gamers, given the local industry generally takes its lead from Europe. It’s a huge show attracting crowds close to 350,000 over the course of its duration.

Tokyo Games Show – Sept 21-23 Makuhari Messe

While much of the content at TGS is Japanese-centric, it still provides an opportunity for publishers to reveal details about upcoming games on the cusp of the busiest time of the year. We attended back in 2007 – you haven't seen anything until you've experienced TGS… Paris Games Week – Usually late October/early November Paris Expo Porte De Versailles Regularly attracting close to 300,000 attendees, the significance of PGW is that Sony uses the show to hold a European press conference crammed with announcements and updates. PAX AUS – Usually late October/early November Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre PAX has revolutionised the world of video game shows by eschewing a trade focus and shaping a model that caters for the gamer. Since its introduction here it has become the premier gaming event in Australia, delivering its best show yet in 2017.

Whether you’re setting the alarm for stupid-o-clock to follow a press conference for a games’ show in a different time zone, or thinking of making the trip and attending one in person, here’s a quick guide to this year’s global gaming events. Save the date!

San Diego Comic Con – July 18-22 The San Diego Convention Center While the focus is primarily film and TV-based, SDCC is often used as a platform to announce news on an upcoming video game release. For the last three years, STACK has been on the ground covering the event and we'll be heading over in 2018, too.

Electronic Entertainment Expo – June 12-14 The Los Angeles Convention Center Despite ongoing conjecture about the show’s survival, E3 remains an important date on the calendar for gamers and industry alike. It’s where many games and hardware are blooded for the first time, and the world gets a glimpse at what’s coming up over the next 12 months. STACK has been covering the event since 2006 and will be there again this year.

Honorable Mentions While these events are publisher-focused, they are still a good source of news and announcements. • BlizzCon is an event that solely showcases Blizzard IP, and QuakeCon highlights everything from the studios of Bethesda. • Although TwitchCon features content from upcoming games, its 100 per cent focused on the content creators themselves.

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FEBRUARY 2018

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