After two years of virtual conventions and Covid restrictions, the UK Games Expo was back in full force for 2022!
Over 450 exhibitors had packed out the massive space which is the Birmingham NEC taking over three halls and offering after hours gaming in the function rooms of the Hilton Hotel.
My last visit to the Expo was in 2019 just before the pandemic and I had been working as a games demonstrator for Ares Games, and this year I managed to get the same gig.
I was absolutely over the moon to be selected again to work with Ares. They are a fantastic company and Roberto, Cristoph and Fabio had travelled over from Italy and were just as lovely to work for again.
The show was extremely well received as over 35000 people had attended over the weekend and apart from the usual few niggles (mainly bring and buy and the occasional unwanted seller pushing) in my opinion it was one hell of a successful show.
Thousands of people from all walks of life, ranging from small children to the occasional Methuselah from every type of background and multiple nationalities, just enjoying the same things - friends, food, gaming and fun.
As a demonstrator, I didn't get that much time time to actually wander the halls and see a lot of the show, or try out many games, but the time I did get was used to catch up with numerous friends and colleagues and I got to spend the evenings gaming with some close friends.
Ares Games was massively busy as we were demoing the New version of The Thing Board Game (as well as Masters of the Night, Diabolik, Quartermaster General 1914, Wings of Glory, Sails of Glory) along with the premier reveal of the new War of the Ring Card Game, which had massive crowds at the reveal seminar followed by constant demos.
On the Sunday we ran a massive dogfight of Wings of Glory with 24 players which concluded with everyone receiving a prize ranging from Participation Certificates and promo material to free planes and a massive Handley Page Bomber model for the overall winners.
I had an absolute blast and the 3 days went so fast. Cant wait for next year to do it again.
