Over the weekend (September 28 to 30, 2018), the EGX took place for the first time in Germany, which is considered the largest gaming fair in England. Together with MeinMMO, we were on-site for three days and would like to share our impressions with you.
The Gamescom in Cologne has been a well-known brand among gamers worldwide for years and is established as the largest gaming fair in the world. Suddenly, a new one is coming around the corner, the EGX in Berlin, imported from England and the gaming event of the year there.
Some of you have wished that we share our impression of the first EGX in Berlin 2018, including our reader CandyAndyD86. We are happy to fulfill that wish and tell you why the EGX is charmingly different.
The EGX is small and aimed at an adult audience
The EGX is significantly smaller than the Gamescom, which makes the fair feel more homely. It is possible to stroll around the fair with enough space around and look at various exhibitors and games at your leisure. This results in short waiting times, allowing for a more intensive engagement with the offerings.
What makes the EGX different from the Gamescom?
- The EGX is for ages 18 and up: A younger audience is not welcome. This was also reflected in the selection of games shown. Highlights included Resident Evil 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
- The tickets are limited: The Gamescom is now bursting at the seams: This year there were 370,000 visitors at the fair in Cologne. The EGX seems to want to avoid this and offers only limited tickets. The EGX in Berlin will not come close to these numbers.
- Less “hype”: At the Gamescom, there are a lot of stage shows with competitions and it is loud. The EGX is the complete opposite; there is no real hype here, which is why the noise level is somewhat lower. The focus is clearly on the games that can be tested.
- More panels and discussions: The discussions are also aimed at an adult audience. There are figures from the industry who philosophize about gaming and discuss topics like the market economy behind it or future developments.
By the way, we were also there with our streaming channel MAX; we participated in the discussions and talked here about a major MMORPG hope in the West. MAX is a community project of GameStar, GamePro, IGN, and MeinMMO.
This is what our team from MeinMMO says about the EGX
Dawid, Jürgen, Irie, and I, Leya, were on-site from our team. We were able to conduct a few interviews at the EGX and also test the games ourselves.
This is what Irie says: When I entered the fairgrounds on Friday, it quickly became clear which audience the EGX would appeal to more. The atmosphere was cozier, and visitors strolled slowly from one booth to another or relaxed while playing at the game stations.
People expecting a show like at the Gamescom will be disappointed at the EGX. Apart from little things like pins and lanyards here and there, there was not much to grab. This may change in the future, but I found this focus on the games themselves refreshing, even though I always enjoy the party atmosphere of the Gamescom.
This is what Jürgen says: My first impression at the EGX 2018 was: “Hmm, this is cozy.” Because I somehow expected a mini-version of the Gamescom. So loud, noisy, and crammed to the top. Just in less space.
What I ended up getting was a very family-friendly and nice fair. It was easy to find places to play everywhere and talk to the people from the booths. At no point did I feel rushed or stressed.
And then there were some of you readers with whom I had one or the other nice conversation. For me, the fair was a nice change from the usual hustle.
This is what Dawid says: From an organizational perspective, the EGX was still quite a chaos, but that goes with such an experiment and such a small team that takes care of the fair. Until a few hours before the fair began, we thought the EGX would not be ready. There was just so much unresolved and a big construction site! We even had a situation where we were still actively streaming, and out of nowhere, someone came who just wanted to pull the power cable. “The day is over now,” it was said.
Personally, I didn’t get to see much of the fair itself because I was leading the MAX team, but I only heard positive things: Direct, personal, fast. In summary, it can best be summarized: If the Gamescom is a festival, then the EGX is a private concert. As a visitor, I would have preferred the EGX. If the organization starts more early next year and more advertising is done for the fair, it can become a really attractive alternative to the Gamescom. What we heard was that the fair in Berlin was simply too surprising for many gaming publishers.
This is what I, Leya, say: The EGX will probably not be a direct competitor to the Gamescom. The two fairs differ too much from each other. The EGX consciously chooses the small, personal, and the conversation. The Gamescom is loud, full of life, and somewhat more commercial. Thus, both fairs complement each other very well.
I like the calm and family atmosphere of the EGX, but it could benefit from more life. The fair hall still has room for more exhibitors, game stations, and stages for interesting discussions. So far, it’s hardly worth getting a day ticket for the EGX. I hope that in the future, the three days will be worthwhile for this fair.
The EGX is also coming to Berlin in 2019
Already on Saturday of the fair, it was announced that the EGX is also coming back to Berlin next year. The visit is worthwhile if you just want to stroll comfortably through the halls and test a few games. You can quickly engage in conversation with other players and also with the people at the booths.
We from MeinMMO certainly enjoyed the first EGX and we are curious to see where the fair will develop.
Our Jürgen managed to snag an interview with developer Treyarch about Call of Duty: Black Ops 4: Developer promises: Black Ops 4 will remain current for at least another 3 years
What do you think about the EGX in Berlin? Were you maybe there yourself? Please write us your impressions and your wishes for the EGX.
