Gaming Events & Meetups

Top 5 Reasons to Attend a Gaming Event

So why attend these events and what could you get out of them?

As gaming and online gaming platforms have continued to evolve and grow – gaming is increasingly not just about entertainment but has become more and more about social connection and interaction. There are many reasons to attend – these are just some of the more popular ones:

1. Meeting other gamers: a great way to meet other gamers who share your interests and passions. You might even make some new friends!
2. Learning from others: a great opportunity to learn from experienced gamers and pick up some tips and tricks to improve your gaming skills.
3. Trying out new games: often feature demos of upcoming titles, giving you the chance to try out the latest games before they are released.
4. Participating in tournaments: Many feature tournaments, which are a great way to test your skills and compete against other gamers.
5. Enjoying the atmosphere: a unique and exciting way to experience gaming culture and the enthusiasm of the gaming community.

In addition, these events are also a great way to experience games in a new and exciting way. There is also a wide variety that cater to a range of different interests and skill levels. From large-scale international tournaments to small, local gatherings, there is something for everyone.

So check-out the StackedGame’s Global Events Calendar – search and filter by week, month and location (map) – and find an Event that you’ll enjoy attending.

Types of Gaming Events

Events focus on video games, board games, card games, miniatures wargames, or other types of a range of other gaming activities. The can It can be a convention, a tournament, or just a gathering of people who share a common interest in gaming. Gaming events typically include activities such as tournaments, exhibitor booths, cosplay, panels, workshops, and other activities. These events can vary in size, from small gatherings of a few dozen people to large conventions with thousands of attendees.

Events can be either physical or virtual, or a combination of these.

• Virtual (or online) are always popular – breaking down geographic and timezone barriers. 
• In-person also continue to draw large audiences are visitors enjoy the experience of meeting and interacting face-to-face.
• Hybrid are becoming more popular – as organizers find new and exciting ways to combine the best of virtual and in-person formats.

Events can also be categorized based on variations in the event’s purpose, format, duration etc. as well as the targeted audience. 

• Gaming Conferences are gatherings of gaming people “conferring” around a specific gaming related theme, topic, objective, genre, game and more.  Gaming conferences are mostly focused on attendees interacting and sharing information, and are typically shorter in duration than conventions.
• Gaming Conventions or gaming con, are events where people come together to celebrate gaming culture. They are are normally gatherings of people with some shared interest – typically based around some form of membership or association (either official or unofficial).  These events typically feature tournaments, cosplay, and other activities related to gaming.They are often of multi-day duration and held at convention centres. Popular gaming conventions include PAX, DreamHack, and BlizzCon
• Gaming Esports events (electronic sports) are organized video game competitions.Esports events are competitive video game tournaments that are often organized and broadcasted online. These events usually feature professional players who compete against each other for prize money and recognition. Some of the biggest esports events include The International, EVO, League of Legends World Championship, and Fortnite World Cup.
• Gaming Festivals are events that normally commemorate an occasion or specific date. They usually occur at regular intervals – like being held every year around the same time. Some of the most popular gaming festivals include Gamescom, E3, PAX, QuakeCon, and the Independent Games Festival.
• Gaming Launches are held to launch a new item, product or brand to a market. The launch introduces an item to a target audience showcasing its features, generating awareness, and interest for follow-on marketing activities.
• Gaming Promotions are events that draw attention to items, products, product ranges or brands – highlighting some promotional features, for example, some introductory pricing.
• Gaming Streams are events where Gamers broadcast themselves playing games to a live audience online. Broadcasts are done on various popular streaming platform – like, Twitch, YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming being three of the top ones currently.
• Gaming Meetups are more informal gatherings that tend to be organized by individuals, be of shorter duration and intended for a more specific purpose – like, an online game play meetup organized by a gamer for a specific game.

Gaming Events Overview

These  events have become an increasingly popular form of entertainment, as people from all walks of life gather to attend, spectate and compete in various gaming exhibitions, conventions, festivals and tournaments around the world. These events provide a great opportunity to meet, interact and connect with like-minded folks who share the same interest and passion for gaming. 

The most popular and well-known event is the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), which takes place annually in Los Angeles and showcases the latest in video game technology and gaming culture. E3 is one of the most well-attended in the world, with more than 50,000 people attending every year. During E3, attendees have the opportunity to try out new games, demo upcoming titles, and meet with the industry’s biggest players.

In addition to the large-scale events like E3, there are also many smaller, regional ones taking place throughout the world. These events are often less expensive and more intimate, allowing attendees to get up close and personal with gaming culture. These events usually focus on a specific genre or type of gaming, such as fighting games or real-time strategy games, and can provide a unique opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and learn more about the industry.

Events typically attract a wide range of people, from casual and competitive gamers, to game developers, game coaches, streamers, game creators, industry professionals, and spectators. It is not uncommon for these events to draw large crowds, and some even become global spectacles.