UK Games Expo
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/230603_UK_Games_Expo_0519.jpg/220px-230603_UK_Games_Expo_0519.jpg)
UK Games Expo | |
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Genre | |
Frequency | Annually |
Venue |
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Coordinates | 52°27′12″N 1°43′10″W / 52.45333°N 1.71944°W |
Founded | 2007 |
Founder |
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Next event | 30 May - 1 June 2025 |
Attendance | 65,000 |
Organised by | UK Games Expo Ltd |
Website | UK Games Expo |
This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2021) |
UK Games Expo (UKGE) is tabletop-game convention and trade fair held annually at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.
UK Games Expo (UKGE) is the largest Hobby Games Convention in the UK [2] First held in 2007 the event is now held annually at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham and currently hosts over 39,000 guests.
UKGE features a range of exhibitors, events, open games, demos and tournaments including the UK Carcassonne Championship, and the UK Agricola Championship.[3]
All forms of tabletop games are represented at the event including board games, roleplaying games, card games and war games. Organisers each year also hold the UKGE Awards which are voted on by attendees of the event.
History
[edit]The UK Games Expo was first held in 2007,[4] organised by Richard Denning and Tony Hyams. Apart from 2020 the event has grown year on year and in 2024 had over 65,000 daily participations, making it the largest tabletop games event in the UK and the third largest in the world.[2] (In 2020 the event was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6] The event returned in person in 2021 with additional restrictions.[5] In 2022 the event was restored to full capacity, and in 2024 broke exhibitor and attendance records from 2023)
In 2008 UKGE hosted the official launch of Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition in the UK.
Show features at UK Games Expo:
- The UK's Largest RPG Schedule.
- World's Largest Bring & Buy[citation needed]
- More than 630 exhibitors.
- Live Entertainment from comedy acts from the Fringe Festival and TV.
- Tournaments and National events in many systems.
- Seminars.
- 2500+ Open Gaming seats.
- Cosplay and Living History Village.
- Dedicated Family Zone.
Special Guests at previous UK Games Expo include:
- Luke Gygax
- Sir Ian Livingstone
- No Rolls Barred
- The Dice Tower
- Shut Up and Sit Down
- No Pun Included
- Alex Kammer
- Tim Hutchings
- Simon Fisher-Becker
- Ben Aaronovitch
- Alex Yeager
- Chris Barrie
- John Robertson
- Kenny Baker
Attendance
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/UK_Games_Expo_Attendance.png/450px-UK_Games_Expo_Attendance.png)
Attendance figures released by the organizers are published each year in their exhibitor pack.[7]
Year | Uniques | Attendance |
---|---|---|
2007 | 900 | 1,200 |
2008 | 1,200 | 2,000 |
2009 | 1,800 | 2,500 |
2010 | 2,000 | 2,800 |
2011 | 2,455 | 3,585 |
2012 | 2,879 | 4,046 |
2013 | 3,538 | 5,805 |
2014 | 5,805 | 9,919 |
2015 | 7,162 | 13,971 |
2016 | 12,636 | 25,149 |
2017 | 16,500 | 30,698 |
2018 | 21,700 | 39,000 |
2019 | 25,704 | 45,097 |
2020 (online) | N/A | N/A |
2021 | 10,671 | 18,430 |
2022 | 23,163 | 39,527 |
2023 | 31,117 | 52,888 |
2024 | 39,306 | 65,281 |
UK Games Expo Awards
[edit]Each year the show awards the UKGE Awards which are split into two broad categories: The People’s Choice, which are voted on by expo attendees, and the Judge’s Choice, which are voted on by invited judges.
People’s Choice Award
[edit]Year | Best Board Game (Euro) | Best Board Game (Strategic) | Best Card Game | Best Strategic Card Game | Best Roleplaying Game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023[8] | Earth - Inside Up Games | Frostpunk: The Board Game - Glass Cannon Unplugged | Viking Raiders - Neowulf Games | Isle of Trains: All Aboard - Dranda Games | Be Like a Crow - Critical Kit |
2022[9] | Lost Ruins of Arnak - Czech Games Edition | Get On Board - iello | Dungeon Decorators - Slugfest | Lord Of The Rings LCG Revised Core - Fantasy Flight Games | Shiver Core - Parable Games |
2021[10] | Excavation Earth - Might Boards | Undaunted: North Africa - Osprey Games | A Game of Pretty Gardens - Osprey Games | Imperium Classics - Osprey Games | Vaesen - Free League Publishing |
2020 (online)[11] | Tapestry - Stonemaier Games | Dune - Game Force Nine | Solar Storm - Dranda Games | Marvel Champions - Fantasy Flight Games | The Alien RPG - Free League Publishing |
2019 [citation needed] | Quacks of Quedlinberg | Root | The Mind | Arboretum | Forbidden Lands |
2018[12] | Photosynthesis - Blue Orange | Warhammer Underworlds - Games Workshop | Legend of the Five Rings - Fantasy Flight Games | category began in 2019 | SINS - First Falling Leaf |
2017[13] [nb 1] | SubTerra - Inside the Box Board Games | The Colonists | Statecraft - Inside the Box Board Games | Category began in 2019 | Adventures in Middle Earth |
Judges Choice Award
[edit]Year | Best Board Game (Euro) | Best Board Game (Strategic) | Best Card Game | Best Strategic Card Game | Best Roleplaying Game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023[15] | Earth - Inside Up Games | New Eden - Schmidt | Viking Raiders - Neowulf Games | Vita Mors - Play With Us Design | Critical Foundation - Gigamic |
2022[16] | Bitoku - Devir | The Thing - Ares Games | CULTivate - Pops & Bejou | Lord Of The Rings LCG Revised Core - Fantasy Flight Games | Twilight: 2000 - Free League Publishing |
2021[17] | Excavation Earth - Might Boards | Prisma Arena - Hub Games | A Game of Pretty Gardens - Osprey Games | Schotten Totten 2 - Iello | The Dee Sanction - All Rolled Up |
2020 (online)[18] | Tapestry - Stonemaier Games | Ishtar - Iello | Solar Storm - Dranda Games | Origlamme - Studio H | Paladin - Chaosium |
2019 [citation needed] | Architects of the West Kingdom | Root | The Mind | Ruthless | Forbidden Lands |
2018[19] | Great Western Trail - Stronghold | Civilisation - Gibsons | Pikoko - Brain Games | N/A - category began in 2019 | Adventures in an Age Undreamed - Modiphius |
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Young, Graham (3 June 2016). "Tenth anniversary UK Games Expo opens at NEC". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ a b WGP (5 June 2017). "UK Games Expo is now bigger than Origins, making it the third largest tabletop show in the world". Tabletop Gaming. Warners Group Publications Plc. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "National Catan, Carcassonne, Pandemic, Splendor and 7 Wonders Duel tournaments to be held at UK Games Expo". Tabletop Gaming. Warners Group Publications Plc. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ Griffin, Mary (29 May 2015). "UK Games Expo launches in Birmingham". BirminghamLive. Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ a b Carter, Chase (27 January 2021). "UK Games Expo 2021 announces summer dates for return of in-person convention". Dicebreaker. Gamer Network Limited. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "UK Games Expo is Back, and now it's Virtual". Tabletop Gaming. Warners Group Publications Plc. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "Exhibitor information". UK Games Expo. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "UKGE 2023 awards". UK Games Expo. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "UKGE 2022 Awards". Geek Native. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "Award winners 2021". UK Games Expo. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "UK games expo awards 2020 winners". Geek Native. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "2018 UK Games Expo Awards". File 770. 10 June 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "UK Games Expo Award". UK Games Exp. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ A reference for the footnote.
- ^ "UKGE 2023 awards". UK Games Expo. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "UKGE 2022 Awards". Geek Native. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "Award winners 2021". UK Games Expo. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "UK games expo awards 2020 winners". Geek Native. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "2018 UK Games Expo Awards". File 770. 10 June 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2023.