Video game convention picks Edmonton as host for next three years
Canada's only internationally recognized video game convention is calling Edmonton home for the next three years.
The Edmonton Expo Centre will be the site of Games Con Canada, an annual three-day gaming exhibition celebrating one of the world's most popular and lucrative art mediums, until 2026.
In a news conference announcing the three-year agreement, Games Con Canada co-founder and Meibel Consulting vice-president Marc Belisle said the event will feature esports tournaments, tabletop gaming events, cosplay contests and reveals of new games.
This year's event, taking place in June, will be the second Games Con, the first of which was held in Calgary in 2023, with more than 35,000 attendees. While the event was a success, Belisle and his partner felt there might be a better fit for a host city and Edmonton was a natural choice.
“In truth, we were being bid on by three cities, so it was a tough choice,” Belisle said in an interview. “We selected Edmonton because it showed the greatest desire for our event. The passion showed was beyond any other city.”
During the announcement, Belisle named a number of local businesses and agencies that helped nail down Edmonton as a host city, including Telus, Memory Express, Explore Edmonton and Digital Alberta. Organizers also partnered with companies that are major players in the video game space, such as Razer, MSI and Intel.
Belisle said this year's Games Con is expected to draw more than 40,000 attendees, drawn in by the vendor booths, celebrity panels, opportunities to play with developers and the esports tournament. He also noted a recent economic impact report released by NorQuest College that predicts the event will generate up to $18 million in revenue for the city.
Belisle said while he and his partner rely on large corporate entities to help run the event, they are eager to promote Alberta's game development scene and provide a platform for smaller studios that lack the funds for expensive marketing campaigns.
“We noticed last year that (independent video game studios) have different levels of marketing budget to put toward showcasing their games at an event like this. That's why I'm proud to announce that the Edmonton Screen Industries Office is sponsoring 10 booths for local independent developers,” Belisle said, adding the booths will only require a refundable safety deposit.
Belisle said he hopes that making Edmonton the home of Games Con for the foreseeable future will help support the burgeoning but often overlooked ecosystem of gaming in Alberta. The face-to-face nature of events like these are the best way for local studios to build a loyal and passionate fan base, he said.
“There is nothing better than in-person interactions to convey the art form of a game and connecting with someone. If you want true loyal fans to actually follow your brand and support you, you win one person over. That person probably has more than a couple friends that are going to want to see what they're building.”
Games Con Canada 2024 will take place June 14-16.