We have been busy planning the UK's biggest and best hobby games convention. 

It has been four months since UK Games Expo 2017. It was the largest Hobby Games Convention ever held in the UK with 16300 of you coming to visit and attendances of 32000+ over the three days. Over 325 individual exhibitors showed a huge variety of exciting games and we hosted some of the world's largest tournaments. 

We have spent the time since the show reviewing everything that went on, talking to our sponsors and partners and thinking how to make the UK's biggest and best Hobby Games convention (and one of the largest worldwide) even better. Here is an outline of the event.

Our 12th show will be held on 1st to 3rd June 2018 and is held in the NEC and Hilton Hotel, Birmingham. Get the date in your diary!

The NEC

We are making use of both Halls 1 and Hall 2 of the NEC as well as the Toute Suite and Piazza rooms. Hall 1 will again be our Trade Hall and Hall 2 will be the Tournament Hall and part of our Open Gaming Space.

The Trade Hall

The UKGE trade hall is one of the largest in hobby games shows around the world. Early indications of interest from exhibitors already tell us that there is going to be even more and even larger stands in 2018.

The biggest names in the hobby games world will be attending and bringing a range of the big hit games to show you. At the same time UKGE prides itself on making it possible for the indie publisher and smaller retailer to attend and bring their own flavour and uniqueness to the mix. This will include new releases, a first chance to play prototypes of many of the summer and autumn hits and play tests of games of the future.

The UK Games Expo Family Zone (run by Imagination Gaming) returns and will provide entertainement for the whole family. The UK Games Expo Cosplay Zone will entertain you with characters from TV, Comicbook and Film. In 2018, this area will be moved to a more accesible spot in the hall.

Our exhibitor guide for 2018 is now online and we are just about ready to take orders, starting with our trip to Essen Spiel in a few weeks.

Exhibitors can email Hayley to arrange an appointment to visit our stand at Hall 6 - 106 and talk about your Expo plans.  

Alternatively email Richard if you won't be at Essen and want to discuss your requirements.

The Tournament and Gaming Hall

In 2018 we are using Hall 2  for tournaments and open gaming. This means the two halls of UK Games Expo are adjacent to each other, allowing easier travel between the areas.

Hall 2 will house many large tournaments including the FFG Europeans, the UK Catan Championship, the UK Agricola Championship and the UK Carcassonne Championship, Hawk Wargames events, the British Historical Games Society Tournaments, Magic the Gathering and many others.  

The Open Gaming and Board Game Library (run by Thirsty Meeples again this year) will move to Hall 2. This allows us to increase the seating and also means that the open gaming will remain open late into the evening. The Hall 2 Board Game Library will also remain open into the evening.

Toute Suite and Piazza Rooms

These rooms will again host seminars and panels on games, game designs, art in games and writing. 

The Lakefront

The Viking camp will return and we have plans for an expanded area with other activities to entertain the family alongside the lake.

The Hilton Hotel

The heart of the UK Games Expo in the evening is the Hilton Hotel. 

This will host the UK's largest roleplaying game schedule with hundreds of game on offer on dozens of tables over 8 sessions on 3 days. Wih a huge variety of gaming genres to choose from, we have got a game for you.

The UK Games Expo Live entertainment schedule runs here with shows like The Dark Room, Live Pandemic and Knightmare Live. This coming year we are adding new shows into the mix.

The Hilton will host an evening Board Game Library as well as more open gaming space.

Open Gaming

We know one of the reasons many of you visit UKGE is that we provide ever increasing ammounts of open gaming space. We all enjoy the chance to get some gaming in with old friends and new ones. The demand for this space is ever greater each year but we are keen to maintain this key feature.To help match that demand we have a cunning plan! Not only will we use space for around 1200 in the Hilton but we have moved the NEC Open Gaming space from Hall 1 to Hall 2. This means that even after we close the trade hall in the evening we will be able to keep that space open and seat  hundreds more who can game into the evening.

Food and drink

Chow Street has confirmed they are back in the Hilton Carpark and continuing to offer Gaming Gourmet Goodness! Other food options are on offer in the NEC and lakeside Cook Street.

How do I find out more?

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We will be back with more news soon after we get back from Essen. If you are heading to Essen don't forget to come say hello and give us feedback on the Expo. Our stand is Hall 6 E106. 

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