EGX or should I say the artist formerly known as the EuroGamer Expo, is the biggest date in the calendar year for gamers here in the UK. It has a simple ethos of offering the opportunity to play the biggest console & PC games before they’re released whilst the developer sessions bring attendees face-to-face with leading designers as they present their brand new titles.
We often forget that back at the Old Truman Brewery, London in 2008, this show was born and a very humble 4,000 people attended. The following year, two back to back shows served both London and Leeds, covering an impressive 12,000 fans. Then, finally the expo set up home at London’s Earls Court to the behemoth that it has become where over 80,000 gamers now attend over 4 days.
The future of the show looked to have stumbled upon a slight problem with Earls Court closing, causing the co-founder and CEO of Gamer Network to tell MCV “Boris Johnson is demolishing the spiritual home of the UK games industry. That said, the new venue will bring new opportunities for the show and room to grow, so we’re looking forward to getting on with it”
An event that has grown from 4,000 to 80,000 attendees who are travelling from all over the country presents an interesting problem when looking for a new location. It needs to be easily accessible, but can equally deal with huge crowds. So, I guess it’s of no surprise to hear that next year the EGX will be heading to the NEC in Birmingham.
NEC will be the host of EGX 2015
The NEC has a strong track record in hosting major consumer exhibitions and live events for the gaming community including the Gadget Show, GAMEfest, and most recently EGX Rezzed.
“While we are sad to leave, we see the move to the NEC not only as a real opportunity to continue its success, but also to evolve and improve the experience we offer both attendees and exhibitors.” Rupert Loman explained.
Although the sister show EGX Rezzed, will be moving from its Birmingham NEC home back to London’s Tobacco Dock in 2015, it’s fantastic news to see the EGX moving to a more central location, making it a little easier for fans north of Watford who often feel a bit neglected.
Traditionally shows like this are London centric, so it’s great to see the industry moving with the times and recognising that there is life outside of the capital. This will hopefully bring even bigger crowds to the EGX next year, and let’s face it, with 21 halls totalling 200000 sqm, the one thing the NEC is not short of is space.
The arrival of Resorts World on site that comes complete with bars, restaurants, 11 screen cinema and Casino combined with being a 10 minute train ride away from a crazy night in Birmingham should also ease any concerns about the social scene after the show. If you are interested in attending, it might be worth making the most of booking a hotel on site for the special advance price of £27.
Are you happy to see the show move out of London in 2015? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.
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