THOUSANDS of enthusiasts are expected to flock to the Cape Town International Convention Centre at the weekend for the Electronic Gaming Expo (EGE), the country's top gaming expo.
Following last year’s success organisers say they expect about 20 000 people to attend the event, which includes a variety of news games, competitions, spot prizes, exhibitions, demonstrations and workshops.
On his blog, gaming expert Rowan Govender said that people were blown away last year by the massive response to the first EGE, when just over 12 000 people attended.
“This weekend it’s back and it looks to be bigger and better than ever. When the first EGE launched last year, it proved to the naysayers that Cape Town was ready for a large-scale gaming event.
"We got to see some of the latest PC hardware from companies like MSI and Frontosa. If tinkering with PCs is your thing, the Techno Jedis were there to push PC hardware to its absolute limits.
"The public also got a hands-on experience with the latest in VR technology, the Oculus Rift, which took you on a stomach-churning virtual roller-coaster ride.
"Sony of course showed up to show off their latest PS4 powered titles.”
For competitive gamers there was PC LAN, exhibition matches on stage and competitions (with one lucky winner walking away with a new PS4), Govender said.
“If your passion for gaming transcends simply playing them, there was support from local game developers and schools who offered game development courses.
"Whether you want to convince your parents that there’s more to gaming than just sitting in front on the couch for hours, or whether you’re looking to be the next Notch and outbid Beyoncé and Jay Z on that hillside Hollywood mansion, EGE had a lot to offer for aspiring game developers. For those of you who may prefer your gaming a little less on the digital side, there was a large number of board game exhibitors with board games set up for people to play.”
Last year, the expo took up one hall in the CTICC and this year the space has been doubled.
“This can only mean more fun games, more awesome hardware, and more geeking out.”
Tickets prices are R100 for a day pass and R200 for a two-day pass, and are available at Computicket.
For more information go to http://egesa.co.za/