Tomorrow sees the start of EGX 2017 at the NEC in Birmingam. It claims to be the ‘UK’s biggest video games event’ (whereas Insomnia calls itself the ‘UK’s biggest gaming festival’), and attendees will have the opportunity to play a whole range of both console and PC games months before they’re released. The expo also offers presentations by developers from studios around the world, areas dedicated to eSports, and the opportunity to chat with game creators.
This will be my fifth year at EGX and so it’s kind of a milestone for me. The event has changed during that period and I like it more each time I go: it used to be brash and primarily dedicated to big-budget AAA titles, with publishers shouting about their latest releases from the rootftops and over the loudspeakers. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still brash and incredibly noisy – but additional space has been made for indie developers and the size of the Leftfield Collection has increased. Both sides offer a different perspective of gaming and mean there’s something that will to appeal to everyone.
I’ll be at the event for two days from tomorrow and I’ve already added a few games to my to-do list. I know many people don’t enjoy the Quantic Dream titles for their lack of action but I absolutely love them, and so Detroit: Become Human is likely to be one of the first I try out. Falling Sky by Jonathan Neilssen, which ‘takes its inspiration from games like Heavy Rain but feels like an episode of Twin Peaks‘ looks as if it’ll be right up my street; as does Lake Ridden by Midnight Hub, a ‘thrilling supernatural adventure’. I might even get a chance to try The Occupation by White Paper Games this time too, after my stepson decided to take over while I was playing when we were at Rezzed earlier this year.
One area of EGX that hasn’t appealed to me so much in recent years is the developer sessions. In the past I’ve had the opportunity to watch presentations by David Cage on Beyond: Two Souls and by Bethesda on The Evil Within; but more recent lineups just haven’t interested me. I much prefer the Rezzed sessions which are more ‘intimate’ and offer an insight into the games industry. At the time of writing, the schedule for tomorrow and Friday haven’t yet been announced but last year I got to see Charles Cecil talk about the adventure genre and the team from Small Impact Games discuss survival releases.
Events like EGX are such a great experience so if you ever have the opportunity to go, do it. And please don’t think a press pass is a requirement for shows like this – I no longer apply for them because you can get just as much out of a regular ticket, as I’ve shared previously! Come and say hello if you bump into me in the crowd this year – and watch out for some EGX-related content next week.
I’m hoping to get a look at The Occupation – I liked the feel of Ether One, but never quite got around to finishing it. I’ll keep a look out for you on Friday 😁
LikeLike
I’ll keep a coffee ready for you! And I’ll look out for you by the White Paper Games stand. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you have an amazing time. I’d love to go to a gaming event like this, these just haven’t been possible for me so far but there is always another year. I’m looking forward to your posts afterwards as it sounds like you have had such a great time each year that you have been previously.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Get yourself along to Rezzed in April if you can, you’ll love it! Hopefully I’ll recover from EGX in time to be able to get some photographs ready for a post on Monday. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would love to if I could travel etc around that time, which is possibly a bit less likely than I would prefer. I can see what happens as you never know.
LikeLike
I shall keep my fingers crossed for you, and ask the gaming gods to send luck your way. 🙂
LikeLike
We have a very similar gaming taste 😄. Falling Sky Teaser looks mysterious. I very much enjoyed Quantum Dreams Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, so I’m very intrigued by Detroit:Become Human. I want to see more Hidden Agenda and Middle Earth: Shadow of War
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same gaming taste = great taste! 😉
Detroit is the game I’d most like to play at EGX this year. I’m just hoping it’ll actually be a hands-on demo rather than a presentation behind a screen, as seems to be becoming the trend for bigger names as these expos…
LikeLiked by 2 people
I share both of your great taste in video games 😋
I am so excited for Detroit, I’ve anticipated Quantic Dream games since I played Fahrenheit (have you ever had the chance to play this one?)
Can’t make it to the event due to work commitments (I should really move to the Video Game industry) but, I look forward to your post!
LikeLike
Guys… Detroit was AWESOME. We played the E3 demo and it was amazing! I’ll be getting the game as soon as it’s released. 😀
I loved Fahrenheit, and Beyond: Two Souls was great too. I’ve got it installed on the PS4 so I can get my other-half to play the two-player mode with me some time because he’s never touched a Quantic Dream game before!
LikeLike
Oh my goodness!! I’m so excited! I mean, I was going to preorder anyway but this makes it a given!!
Yes!! That’ll be amazing. He’ll fall in love with Quantic Dream. Just make sure you time it right so he’s not so inlove he takes the PS4 to play Detroit!! 😂
LikeLike
Hmm… can I use this as an excuse to get another PS4 maybe…?
LikeLike
Yes, yes you can. SUCCESS!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looking forward to the commentary and antics!
LikeLike
Day one completed yesterday, and there are three games I’d like to write about… let’s see if I find any more today!
LikeLiked by 1 person
How did you find day 1 of the show?
LikeLike
We’ve had a really good day: I got to play Detroit as I wanted, as well as a few other games I had on my to-do list so it’s been pretty successful!
How was yours? 🙂
LikeLike
It was great, didn’t get to play a lot as I spend a long time with the board games! Detroit is on my hitlist though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Was it as good as you hoped? I will definitely be trying this if I can.
LikeLike
I’d highly recommend it! It’s the E3 demo and it’s really good. Both people next to me made different choices and got different endings, so I’m tempted to queue again and try different options and see what happens…
LikeLike
I’ll be going tomorrow, my third year! Looking to play some Mario Odyssey, Far Cry, and Dragonball Z 🙂
LikeLike
Hope you have a fab time! I look forward to reading about what you get up to. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person