The UK Games Expo (UKGE) is the largest Hobby Games convention in the UK. The growth of the UK Tabletop Gaming industry in recent years has been extraordinary and the UKGE is a great testament to that. Held yearly at NEC Birmingham, this event brings together tabletop creators and players for three packed days of events and exhibits.
This year, UKGE will run from Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June. With so much to see and do over these three days, it’s worth having an idea of what’s on offer and what you want to prioritize.
Here is my guide for what’s on offer at UKGE complete with personal recommendations and tips for self-care during the event.
Amazing Exhibitors from Across the UK Tabletop Scene
There are more exhibitors here than you can shake all your spare dice at. Walking in any direction will put you in front of the over 570 talented creators eager to show off their wealth of games and merch. However, it might be worth having an idea of what you’re looking for and which stands you definitely want to visit to avoid missing out.
Exhibitors include creators of varying tabletop games to must have accessories including dice and clothing. A comprehensive list of exhibitors and a map of all three halls they’ll be can be found on the UKGE website.
With so much to see and do, it’s worth grabbing a map and asking for directions when needed.
I have a few recommendations for stalls to check out if you’ve got a chance. For the Tabletop Roleplaying Games big leagues, I’d recommend Modiphius, Cubicle 7 and Soul Muppet Publishing. Don’t forget to check out the great indie creators on the rise like Fistful of Crits or the Storyteller’s Forge. If social deduction games are your thing, you’d do yourself a massive favor by checking out Pandemonium Institute, the creators of the widely acclaimed Blood on the Clocktower.
More of a fan of card games and puzzle games? Check out the Ravensburger stand where you can top up on your Disney Lorcana cards! How about board games and graphic novels? There’s Travelling Man for that. How about dice? The Dice Dungeon, have a staggering range for your to peruse. Jewelry, miniatures and other accessories? Gelatinous Cute have you covered!
Shows from Incredible Content Creators
As the tabletop gaming industry has grown, so have Actual Plays and game-related entertainment. Usually, these creators who put on these shows are locked away behind your laptop screen. However, UKGE is the perfect opportunity to enjoy live performances and maybe even have a quick chat with some of your favorite creators. Here are the shows I’d recommend checking out.
No Rolls Barred are a comedy board game group. Usually found on YouTube finding hilarious ways of twisting much loved board games, they can be found performing live at the Hilton Hotel on the Friday and Sunday.
Jollyboat are a musical comedy pirate duo with a 14 year history of joyful, pun-filled, laugh out loud shows! You can find their shows Friday and Saturday, also at the Hilton Hotel.
Join Jollyboat Friday and Saturday nights for the best nerdy pirate musical comedy has to offer!
A Game of One’s Own is a podcast run by Maddy Searle, dedicated to solo and duo TTRPGs from innovative indie designers. Maddy is joined by guest players; Naomi Clarke and Nathan Blades to play What Possessed you?, a chaotic game about channeling the dead. They’ll be playing midday on the Saturday in Piazza 4.
Realms of Peril & Glory are a podcast group that produce incredibly well produced Actual Play series. On Sunday afternoon, they’ll be running the fast-paced, improvisation heavy game of Paranoia, described as Airplane meets 2001:Space Odyssey.
These are just some of the amazing shows available, be sure to have a browse through the schedule to make sure you can attend the ones that you want!
Talks from Industry Professionals
If you are a creator, or aspiring to be one, there are lots of events where you can learn from the best and develop your craft. Here are a few of my favorites:
On Saturday, 4:30 – 5:30, there will be an interactive discussion about writing and designing RPGs led by Dave Semark. Dave has a wealth of experience as a freelance writer, games designer and consultant to share with attendees.
Right after that, there is a discussion session hosted by Alice from Roc Next Games, about the all important topic of diversity and inclusion in games. Join her for valuable insights on how to make your games and game spaces accessible for everyone.
On Sunday at 11am, you can take part in a Fantasy Worldbuilding Workshop led by acclaimed author and creative writing tutor, Angeline Trevena. Whether you’re an aspiring author, game creator or wanting to create immersive worlds for you and your adventuring party, this promises to be a great opportunity for creatives.
A really good game can do wonders for the spirit, but did you know that with the right expertise, games can also be therapeutic? Games Therapy UK are an organization that use evidence-based practices to address varying mental health issues for gaming. They will be joined by a panel of UK therapeutic gaming professionals to discuss current practices and take questions from the audience from 11am on Friday. For more on this topic, check out this previous article including an interview with Daniel Hand, the RPG Therapist.
Games, Games and More Games!
There’s so many games to join in from established titles to indie darlings, to works in progress!
Of course, the emphasis of the UK Games Expo is the games themselves. Many of the stalls may have opportunities for you to try out the games they’re offering. There is also a Let’s Play Zone and a Children’s Zone in Hall Two, as well as a Playtest Zone in Hall One. The latter will allow you to support indie developers by playing their upcoming games and giving feedback to will impact the final product. If you’re an aspirant game designer, you might want to make use of this in future years.
You can also join numerous miniatures tournaments to test your mettle against other players. They range from Star Trek Attack Wing to Batman Miniatures.
Survival Tips
The UK Games Expo promises to be an incredible time for gamers and creatives. However, it can also be quite an intensive experience with all the visual stimulation, information to take in and (shudders) socializing! Remember to be kind to yourself during your time at UKGE.
It’s good to have a plan to make sure you don’t miss particular events or exhibitors, but make sure there are breaks within your plan. Having a bit of time to sit down, get a bit of fresh air and get hydrated can do you the world of good at these kind of events.
It can also be quite nerve-wracking approaching industry professionals and content creators you look up to. Remember, they’re just people too. If in doubt, simply introduce yourself and tell them what you like about their work. Don’t worry about trying to be funny or putting on a show. A simple complement from a fan can mean the world to creators!
Finally, if you need help with anything from finding your way around to accessibility issues, look out for the UKGE staff and volunteers. You can recognize ambassadors by their branded blue shirts. You can also recognize Team Leaders by their green shirts and volunteers by their yellow shirts. If you have any questions or want to report anything, they will always be on hand to help out. For more information, check out the Getting Some Help page.
And there you have it. A run down of what to expect from this year’s UK Games Expo. What are you most excited about for UKGE? Let us know in the comments! For more on the world of games, keep an eye out for future content from KeenGamer.
What new games will you discover at this year’s UK Games Expo?
