Inside the EB Games expo on the Gold Coast

WE MAY not get the best deal when it comes to gaming, but Aussie gamers were proudly flying the flag at the EB Games Expo on the Gold Coast.

BEING a gamer in Australia requires a special kind of dedication.

Between Australian tax making stuff cost more for no real reason, our crap internet, being in a weird timezone, and until recently the Office of Film & Literature Classification dropping the banhammer on grown-up content, you have to be really into your games to keep up with everything and get the most out of the pastime.

Being on the other side of the planet from most of the gaming action also means Aussies don’t always get to experience the great things about gaming first-hand either — which is why it’s great to see the Australian gaming expo scene doing so well.

While PAX is the big event at the moment, it’s in Melbourne and I’m not — so I took a drive to the Gold Coast to check out the EB Expo instead.

Held at the Gold Coast Exhibition and Convention Centre last weekend on October 7 and 8, EB Expo was sponsored by the well-known games retailer, with 25 publishers including big names such as Ubisoft, Microsoft, Bethesda, Sony and Nintendo among those with stands at the event.

About 15,000 people attended the event across the two days, with EB spokeswoman Deb McGrath saying they were absolutely thrilled with the Gold Coast’s response to the Expo.

“This weekend truly showcased EB Expo as an event for everyone, from hardcore gamers to cosplayers, with parents and children to friends all attending,” she said.

Organisers said about 15,000 people attended the two day event.

“One of our favourite moments was seeing parents with their kids playing games from their childhood; sharing their love of gaming and where it all started for them.

“This weekend was more than just about seeing things, but rather experiencing all that gaming and pop culture has to offer and sharing it with your friends and family.”

The Ubisoft stand in particular was extremely popular with pre-release builds of Far Cry 5, Assassin’s Creed: Origins and South Park: The Fractured But Whole available for people to play and get a taste of what to expect when the games launch.

Over at the Nintendo stand, gamers enjoyed the chance to play Super Mario Odyssey ahead of its October 27 release, while the Microsoft booth attracted virtual racing car drivers wanting to try Forza 7 and gamers wanting to try out the legendary difficulty of 1930s-themed run-and-gunner Cuphead for themselves on the Xbox One X.

There was lots to see and play at the busy expo.

No shortage of new toys to pick up.

Sony’s PSVR demos also proved popular, with gamers able to try out Skyrim VR and Farpoint.

No gaming convention is complete without cosplay and EB Expo was no exception, with some extremely talented cosplayers dressed up as everything from anime star Sailor Moon through to Master Chief from the Halo games, Kylo Ren from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Overwatch character McCree.

While some attendees expressed disappointment at queues and a console gaming focus, Brisbane gamer Mark Luckins was attending the event for the first time and said he was impressed by what he saw.

Being able to try the new Assassin’s Creed game for the first time was a highlight, he said, and he also liked being able to get some hands-on time with upcoming games and see more about what was happening in the industry.

“The quality and quantity of the displays was much higher than my expectations,” he said.

Mr Luckins said he was particularly pleased to see people from so many diverse backgrounds, including disabled gamers, enjoying the expo’s activities as well.

“The turnout from the gaming community was super positive and supportive,” he said.

Gotta have some cosplay.

Originally published as Inside the EB Games expo on the Gold Coast