Event overview

EGX celebrates everything gaming has to offer and caters for an industry that is growing rapidly.

In 2017, the UK made $4.2bn in revenue and was forecast to grow annually by 6%. London, the home of EGX for the next three years, is at the heart of this industry, with 614 (28%) of game development and publishing companies based in the capital. There are 303,000 developers based in London – more than those in many large European countries, and 23% of the country’s 255 video game degree courses are in London.

From eSports and talks by those living right on the cutting-edge of game development, to games and gaming careers advice, EGX has it all – hosted in one of the most important gamer locations in the world.

Objectives

EGX is an event that brings together exhibitors, developers, playable games, industry professionals and thousands of gaming visitors. It is a platform for launching new games, highlighting new indie titles, hearing from the world's best developers and a wall-to-wall showcase for this innovative and exciting industry. Organised by ReedPOP, this consumer show moved to London following feedback from exhibitors and visitors, which allowed them to “curate an experience which builds on the quality and scale that fans have come to expect from the show”. 

This all-encompassing event occupied almost half of ExCeL London. On the first day of the show, a B2B and investment stream was run in partnership with UKIE and the UK Games Fund Development Board. GamesIndustry.biz offered a wide selection of initiatives for creative industry professionals to take part in, including an Investment Summit, Industry Zone and the popular GamesIndustry.biz Careers Fair.

Underground party:

One unique and exciting dimension to the event came in the form of an underground party, hosted by major technology brand Intel, whose powerful hardware can be found in almost every PC. 

ExCeL London transformed one of the venue’s storage areas into the setting for this fringe party, attended by 150 selected guests, who included gaming superstars and influencers – all treated to try out new Intel
gaming hardware on titles such as PUBG.

In his blog about the event, ExCeL London’s Senior Account Manager Ian Senior, describes how KTS – the agency behind the party – created “an edgy dystopian lounge that wouldn’t be out of place in Borderlands 3; complete with oil drum tables, festoon lighting, battered chesterfield sofas and graffiti-panelled walls.”

ExCeL's catering partner, ExCeL London Hospitality, served up a street food-inspired menu for players.

The overhaul of this space showed the versatility and creativity ExCeL can bring – in collaboration with organisers and agencies – to give events an extra edge.