It’s a new gaming year, and that means a whole new swathe of events to look forward to. 2018 is jam-packed with events hosting panels, game reveals and tournaments to feast your eyes on. From E3 to EVO, here are the year’s gaming events you won’t want to miss:
Awesome Games Done Quick 2018
When?
January 7 - 14
Where?
You can watch it online here!
What is it?
Speedrun central. Awesome Games Done Quick is a huge charity event which runs a 24-hour stream of live speedrunning for a full week. AGDQ contains everything from retro and indie to modern AAA games, so there really is something for everyone. The full schedule is available online so you can take a look at any games you might want to watch. This year AGDQ is raising money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation, and everyone who watches is encouraged to chip in and may well be called out on stream. AGDQ is a fascinating exhibition of people who’ve utterly mastered their games of choice, and if your boss is lenient enough to allow it, makes for the perfect background to a computer-based work day. If you don’t have time to check out AGDQ next week, Summer Games Done Quick will coming later in the year, too.
PAX South 2018
When?
January 12 - 14
Where?
San Antonio - USA
Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center
What is it?
PAX South is just around the corner, and though the convention is far from centred on gaming, it’s still one of the core pillars, and the event gives fans and press an opportunity to play a few games pre-release. It’s nothing compared to the deluge that E3 or Gamescom bring, but along with enormous queues, PAX often pumps out a few reveals or trailers for smaller titles that are well worth keeping an eye out for. PAX is also famous for its large panels, and draws big names in terms of developers and actors from across the industry.
Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2018
When?
March 19 - 23
Where?
San Francisco - USA
Moscone Center
What is it?
GDC is the largest professional industry event which brings together developers, programmers, artists and more. Don’t expect many big reveals here, with a focus instead on involved talks, conferences and tutorials. GDC is all about how games are made and hearing from the best in the business. GDC also includes the Independent Games Festival Awards, which will announce the winning independent games submitted this year, as judged by a wide panel of industry experts. Those looking for upcoming indie games won’t want to miss this.
PAX East 2018
When?
April 5 - 8
Where?
Boston - USA
Boston Convention Center
What is it?
See what I said back there for PAX South? PAX East is like that, but even bigger. PAX East was the second PAX event created, and 2017 had over 80,000 attendants make their way to Boston.
E3 Expo 2018
When?
June 12 - 14
Where?
Los Angeles - USA
Los Angeles Convention Center
What is it?
The USA’s biggest and most famous gaming convention, E3 plays host to more than an enormous convention hall, with Sony, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Bethesda and more holding press conferences packed to the brim with game reveals and brand new footage. Attending the convention itself is an exhaustingly packed venue of queues queues and more queues, but offers the chance to get hands on with a huge selection of games and gaming tech that hasn’t reached the public. Of course, it’s even easier to catch up on all these details online, as E3 is probably the best covered conference out there.
Evolution Championship Series (EVO) 2018
When?
August 3 - 5
Where?
Las Vegas
Mandalay Bay Convention Centre
What is it?
Effectively fighting game Mecca, EVO is the most prestigious competition around when it comes to Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros, Tekken and pretty much any 2D or 3D fighter you can think of. Street Fighter always takes the prime spot, and it’s a deservedly showy affair. However, no matter the game, it’s easy to get invested without understanding the game’s mechanics. If you’ve ever want to get into watching esports, EVO is one of the most exciting places to start.
Gamescom 2018
When?
August 21 - 25
Where?
Cologne - Germany
Koelnmesse
What is it?
The absolute daddy of gaming conventions. Gamescom is the biggest public gaming convention around, and last year saw roughly 335,000 fans from across the world make their way to Cologne’s Koelnmesse exhibition center. Much like E3, Gamescom is a time of big announcements and an overwhelming number of new trailers and gameplay clips. We're already excited!
EGX 2018
When?
September 20 - 23
Where?
Birmingham - UK
The NEC Birmingham
What is it?
The UK’s biggest gaming convention, EGX is a decently sized convention with access to a selection of pre-release games. You won’t see much in the way of new game announcements, but EGX is a good place to try out new games with shorter queues than you’d find at large US events the likes of PAX or E3. As with other shows, EGX hosts a selection of meet ‘n’ greets, usually for UK and European gaming celebrities and, of course, the Eurogamer team. There are also a series of developer panels which run each day on a range of topics. They’re recorded and published online, so to see if they’re up your alley, here’s last year’s selection.
Call of Duty World League (CWL) Championship
When?
August 2018
Where?
TBA
What is it?
The Grand Final of the Call of Duty season. The CWL Championship pits the best 32 teams in the Call of Duty world against each other to earn their stake of a $1.5m prize pool. Keep and eye on the preceding events throughout the year (CWL New Orleans, Atlanta, Seattle and Anaheim, as well as Stages 1 and 2 of the Pro League) to know who you should be watching come August. The venue has yet to be announced, but you can be sure it’s be hosted on US shores.
The Game Awards
When?
December 2018
Where?
TBA
What is it?
Rounding out the year will be (probably) the most prestigious awards show in gaming. Voted on by industry experts and the fans, The Game Awards ends the year by celebrating the finest games from the year. Last year saw Breath of the Wild take the ultimate crown, and we can't wait to see what 2018 brings us. On top of the awards themselves are a prime cut of trailers and announcements (often presented in person) that are well worth watching for. 2018's The Game Awards is a long way off, but as the releases start pouring in, it's never to early to start thinking about what'll make the cut.
