As the gaming industry continues to expand, certain trade shows are becoming more and more important throughout the year. These events are hugely influential in building momentum for certain game companies or hardware manufacturers, and are key in debuting new tech or titles. These are arguably the five biggest trade shows in the business right now, with one essentially referred to as “the Super Bowl” of gaming, and for good reason. If you can make it to any of these, it would definitely be worth your time.
E3
We might as well start with the biggest show of all, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) . This is the aforementioned Super Bowl of the gaming industry where hardware and software manufacturers come to display their latest wares, and a good or bad E3 show can often set the tone for the entire year. Usually, the main two software companies on display are Ubisoft and EA, each with their own shows, while giant Activision is content to insert their games into the hardware shows of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. In recent years, Nintendo has shied away from live stage shows, turning to recorded video presentations instead. E3 can often produce memorable moments, such as in 2013, when the PS4 took aim directly at Microsoft’s launch of the Xbox One, ridiculing it for its policies on stage, and revealing a $100 lower price point. It’s far and away the most eventful show on the list, and is a must-see every year.
Gamescom
Sometimes referred to as the “European E3,” Gamescom is the region’s largest gaming event, and takes place in Germany every year. It attracts over 340,000 visitors every year along with 6,000 members of the press, and has been known to create important gaming headlines over the course of the event. The show has grown over the years to a point where nearly every major video game company has at least something on display there. Recently, Gamescom has also attracted many major eSports events including tournaments for DOTA 2, League of Legends and Starcraft 2.
PAX
The Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) isn’t just one event, but rather a series of gaming conventions held all across America with even a branch in Australia. The event was started by the founders of the famed video game webcomic Penny Arcade, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, and is meant to give equal space to video games big and small, and even others like tabletop games. PAX has attracted a fair bit of controversy some years due to comments from its founders regarding women and transgender individuals, and has even led some to boycott the show as a result. As of late, the show has banned “booth babes” from appearing at the convention, which is standard practice for many other shows.
GDC
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is the world’s largest gathering of video game developers each year, making it a bit different than the other shows on this list. Rather than being all about new games and hardware, the show is focused on learning, with developers giving many lectures about various subjects in the video game industry. The show culminates in the Game Developers Choice Awards, which is a respected awards show in an industry that doesn’t really have anything like the Oscars or Emmys to honor its talented players. They have also held game design challenges where developers try to make new games at the show itself.
Tokyo Game Show
The video game industry likely wouldn’t be where it is today without the power of Japan, and so it stands to reason that the Tokyo Game Show is one of the biggest events of the industry. It is put on by presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA) and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc, with a heavy focus on Japanese games. The first show was held in 1996, and it continues to grow to this day, breaking an all-time record with over 270,000 attendees in 2013
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