Play Expo 2014

[Dos_Box]

Anyone else going to this in Manchester on the 11-12 October?

I have my family ticket for the 11th and can't wait as I missed last years

 

Play Expo | The UK's Most Diverse Video Gaming Expo! re.play | now.play | pro.play | cos.play

Edited September 28, 2014 by Dos_Box

[jtoland]

Hay I am going with my gf on the 11th I can not wait

[nyiss]

Planning on going on the 11th too

[Dos_Box]

@nyiss @jtoland

 

Did you guys go and what did you think of it?

We went on Saturday (the 11th) and after the HUGE, but quickly moving queue got us through the entrace I was a bit underwhelmed.

I think this may have something to do with the fact that we'd already done Play Blackpool and ComicCon in Manchester this year and it seemed to be a mix of the two so there wasn't really anything new to see. Even the vendors were the same.

That's not to say we didn't have a good time, we did. On the way home me and my youngest - a huge retro gaming fan - totalled up the cabs he managed to play:

 

After Burner (moving cab)

Mario Bros

Fix it Felix Jr - Yes, Disney actually made a cab!

Gradius

Pac Mania

Pac Land

Burger Time

Road Blasters

Sega Rally

+ Several pinball tables

 

And several others whoes names now escape me.

I think that as 'exhibitions' go it was let down by a bit of bad planning and the various 'zones' - such as indy devs and next-gen Minecraft - they had talked about on their web site didn't seem to be there, with stands and stalls all scattered about and with no kind of floorplan available made finding things difficult (some kind of roof hanging signage wouldn't go amiss either!).

Also absent (apart from Sony's large scattering of PS4's) was any visable presence of XBox Ones and Nintedo-anything to show of new and upcoming titles. Did anyone see Microsoft or Nintendo represented?

Still, my kids had fun playing Minecraft and Octodad on the many PS4's that were laid out ready to play on.

 

I also have a bit of a gripe about the food prices. Now, as many of you know, if you go to a show you will be held captive and asked to pay more than you would expect. After doing many, many shows all of the place this is a given and I anticipated this.

What I didn't expect was to buy 2x cheesburger and chips plus two drinks (one being a small bottle of water). And be charged £24!!!

This isn't a joke, they really did charge £24. I felt very ripped off and there was no alternative inside the venue

Even the London exhibition halls don't bump up their prices to that degree. Apparently there was a price board up (which I couldn't see) but was placed at the bottom (in front) of the serving area and blocked by those queueing.

I think that as long as they sit down and get the organisation sorted out for next year it could become an excellent show in time, but it just seemed a little rushed.

I'll still be going back to the Blackpool event next year and ComicCon Manchester, but this was simply revisiting the two but somehow failing to capture the vibe of either.

[nyiss]

Did you guys go and what did you think of it?

 

I did indeed, I enjoyed it but I know what you mean about feeling somewhat underwhelmed I think some of that was down to the layout I think if it were a little better planned there was probably more to see that I missed. Though I really appreciated the pinball zone Meeting Syndicate was pretty cool and could easily have spent all day in the artist area. Can definitely think of worse things to do with my day but I feel like they have everything there to make it better than it was somehow.