Game On Expo

Game On Expo is a multimedia gaming convention that began in August 2015, and is the largest gaming and anime convention in Arizona. It covers all types of gaming from video games and arcades to board games and tabletop games. The expo boasts a large vendor hall, video game lounge area, free-play arcades, tournaments (both video and card games), cosplay contests, panels, and a variety of special guests.

The most recent Game On Expo 2022 event had over 12,000 attendees, and Game On Expo has seen significant growth year over year for every event.

The Game On Expo is also host of the annual event "Retro World Championships". This event is organized by Dorion Whitlock ( Nintendo PowerFest '94 finalist), Mike Iarossi (Nintendo PowerFest champion, Chris Tang (Sega's Rock the Rock champion), and Thor Aackerlund (original Nintendo World Championships champion. The Retro World Championships is sponsored by RetroUSB who provides a limited edition special Game On Expo edition cart as the main prize.

In 2016 the Game On Expo expanded to the Marriott Hotel adjacent to the Mesa Convention Center. It introduced live music for the first time, and video game voice actors, including Steve Downes, Jen Taylor, and Darin De Paul.

In 2017 the Game On Expo expanded and moved to the Phoenix Convention Center. During that year the Game On Expo featured a Mortal Kombat 25th Anniversary reunion featuring Daniel Pesina (Johnny Cage, Sub-Zero, Scorpion), John Parrish (Jax), Lia Montelongo (Sindel, Sareena, Tayna), Brian Glynn (Shao Kahn), Kerri Ann Hoskins (Sonya Blade), and Dr. Phillip Ahn (Shang Tsung). It also featured significantly larger vendor hall, freeplay arcade, and had voice actors from games including: Overwatch, The Walking Dead series, the Mass Effect series, The Orange Box, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and more.

In 2018 Game On Expo saw continued growth and expanded the overall space for the event. It figured the first Maid Cafe event at Game On Expo in 2018, and there was a Pachinko room added.

In 2019 Game On Expo saw a 30% increase in attendance from 2018, and expanded the guest lineups to include the first ever original Pokemon guest reunion, which was created and organized by that year's Game On Expo program coordinator Amena Kamel, as well as featured the voices of Mario, Bowser, and Peach.

In 2020 Game On Expo didn't happen at the Phoenix Convention Center, however Game On Expo hosted the Game On Mega Drive-In which held at on August 8, 2020, at WestWorld of Scottsdale. There was a Super Smash Ultimate tournament, live music, and featured the movies The Wizard and Max Reload and the Nether Blasters.

In 2021 Game On Expo didn't happen because of the COVID pandemic.

In 2022 Game On Expo returned to the Phoenix Convention Center and experience a 50% growth over the 2019 event. It also expanded on both the anime and tabletop gaming content, and returned the Classic Tetris World Championship qualifiers. It also introduced both the Art of Nintendo Power Exhibit as well as bringing Altered Combat which hosted laser tag for the first time. Also in 2022 Game On Expo introduced the first Gamonathon gaming tournament which put sixteen lucky attendees competing against each over selected retro games. The winner won a box Xbox Series X, PS5, and Switch OLED with games.

After the 2023 event, Game On Expo announced that the convention would move to March instead of August and would shift over from the South Building to the North Building of the Phoenix Convention Center to accommodate the larger audiences. The 2024 event will be held March 15–17, under the tagline "Bigger, Better, Cooler."

Game On Expo 2015 inaugural at the Mesa Convention Center

Event history

References

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Conventions in Arizona
Gaming conventions
2015 establishments in Arizona
Recurring events established in 2015