Major participative video games expos for 2010

(AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON)

Four expos dominate the landscape for 2010 -- GamesCom in Germany, E3 and the main Game Developers Conference in the USA, and Japan's Tokyo Games Show. As well as these, there are many other notable expos at which members of the public can view and play the latest in videogames and videogaming technology.

Four expos dominate the landscape for 2010 - GamesCom in Germany, E3 and the main Game Developers Conference in the USA, and Japan's Tokyo Games Show. As well as these, there are many other notable expos at which members of the public can view and play the latest in videogames and videogaming technology.

Among other notable expos and conventions stands the Penny Arcade Expo in the USA and its new offshoot, PAX East, set up by the team behind videogame-referencing webcomic Penny Arcade. Another popular videogames website, Europe's Eurogamer.net, has been putting on expos for a few years now, and at the 2009 events experimented with "Developer Sessions," industry-level talks which, unusually, were open to public and professionals alike.

California Extreme is dedicated to arcade games, with hundreds of pinball machines and arcade video game units set to "free play" mode, with guest talks from top players and legendary programmers. The San Diego Comic-Con is also worth keeping an eye on, not only for its ability to pull in screen stars and influential graphic artists, but also because many science-fiction or film-related games can be seen there.

February 16-17
Engage! Expo
The Engage! Expo runs alongside the 2010 Toy Fair.
New York, New York, USA
http://www.engageexpo.com

March 12-16
ScreenBurn at South by Southwest / SXSW
Part of the SXSW music and arts festival.
Austin, Texas, USA
http://sxsw.com/interactive/screenburn

March 21
Armageddon Expo
One of five Australasian Armageddon Expos planned for 2010.
Sydney, Australia
http://www.armageddonexpo.com/au

March 26-28
Penny Arcade Expo East
The first announced Penny Arcade Expo of 2010, new to the Eastern region.
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
http://www.paxsite.com

March 27-28
Armageddon Expo
One of five Australasian Armageddon Expos planned for 2010.
Christchurch, New Zealand
http://www.armageddonexpo.com/nz

April 2-4
Armageddon Expo
One of five Australasian Armageddon Expos planned for 2010.
Wellington, New Zealand
http://www.armageddonexpo.com/nz

May 29-30
Games Village @ London MCM Expo
Part of the larger anime and manga MCM Expo.
London, UK
http://www.londonexpo.com

June 15-17
Electronic Entertainment Expo aka E3
A huge public/professional expo held in the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Los Angeles, USA
http://www.e3expo.com

July 9-11
Games Convention Online (Public track)
Previously the Leipzig Games Convention, now focusing on online games.
Leipzig, Germany
http://www.gc-germany.de/gcinfo_e.shtml

July 11-12 (TBC)
California Extreme
Hundreds of arcade games and pinball machines all set to "free play" mode.
Santa Clara, California, USA
http://www.caextreme.org

July 22-25
San Diego Comic-Con
The USA's biggest comic convention also includes video game content.
San Diego, California, USA
http/::www.comic-con.org/cci

July / August (TBC)
BlizzCon
A fan convention put on by Activision Blizzard, publishers of popular online fantasy games.
Rumored July 30 & 31
Usual location: Anaheim, California, USA
http://www.blizzcon.com

July 30 - August 3 (TBC)
Animation-Comic-Game
Focusing, as the title suggests, on animation, comics, and video games.
Hong Kong
http://www.ani-com.hk

August 18-22
Gamescom
Europe's largest trade and public video games expo.
Cologne, Germany
http://www.gamescom-cologne.com

September 16-19
Tokyo Game Show
Along with GDC, E3 and Gamescom, one of the most important and influential expos.
Toyko, Japan
http://tgs.cesa.or.jp

October 8-10
New York Comic-Con
Little sister to the San Diego Comic-Con.
New York, New York, USA
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com

October 22-24 (TBC)
GameX
A cornucopia of videogames, animation, movies, and competitions.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
http://www.gamexpo.us

October 29-30 (TBC)
Eurogamer Expo
The UK's biggest games expo held close to Eurotunnel's London high-speed rail link.
London, UK
http://expo.eurogamer.net

October 29-31 (TBC)
eGames Expo
Part of the International Digital Entertainment Festival.
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.egamesexpo.com.au/

November 25-28 (TBC)
GStar
South Korea's videogames expo keeps getting bigger, with an emphasis on online multiplayer roleplaying games and the real-time strategy genre.
Seoul, South Korea
http://www.gstar.or.kr

December 23-26 (TBC)
Asia Game Show
Hong Kong's premier videogaming expo with backing from major players in the industry.
Hong Kong
http://www.asiagameshow.com