Gaming conventions are great for seeing all the latest reveals, getting to play demos for upcoming games, and meeting people with the same love of the medium as you do. Keep yourself in the know about the biggest video game conventions around the world—who knows, maybe it’ll inspire you to see one for yourself.
Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
The Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3, takes place in Los Angeles annually and has been happening since 1995. The gaming convention continues to grow, with attendees reaching over 60,000. It attracts the biggest companies in the world, who reveal all the latest games and products. 2020’s event will take place June 9 - 11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
PAX
PAX is another major gaming event that happens all around the world. What makes PAX different from other gaming conventions is that the focus is more on tabletop, arcade, and independent games. The gaming originally started at the Penny Arcade Expo, but the event has expanded all around the world, with the following taking place this year:
- PAX South January 17 - 19 (San Antonio)
- PAX East February 27 - March 1 (Boston)
- PAX West August 30 - September 2 (Seattle)
- PAX Australia October 11 - 13 (Melbourne)
- PAX Unplugged November 20 - 22 (Philadelphia)
Gamescom
Gamescom is the biggest gaming convention that takes place in Europe. Gamescom is massive and is a very similar convention to E3. The event occurs every year in Cologne, Germany in August, and attendees get their own set of reveals and announcements.
Tokyo Game Show
Since the ‘90s, the Tokyo Game Show has been one of the biggest video game conventions around the world; since 2011, it has attracted over 200,000 people. The convention’s focus tends to be on Japanese publishers, including Capcom, Square Enix, and Namco Bandai.
BlizzCon
BlizzCon was established in the fall of 2015 in Anaheim, California. Hosted by Blizzard Entertainment, this gaming convention is all about their popular franchises, such as Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, StarCraft, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm. BlizzCon also features a concert from notable bands during the event’s closing ceremonies. Some standout bands that have played at BlizzCon include Metallica, Linkin Park, and Muse.
DreamHack
DreamHack is another gaming convention with events all around the world, all year-round. The convention features Esports and a presence from major companies such as Nintendo, Twitch, Ubisoft, Facebook, and others.
Competitions are another highlight at video gaming conventions. To play at your best, make sure you have a pair of pro-gaming style computer glasses; that way, you don’t have to worry about blue light ruining your convention experience.
