FAQs - UK Games Expo

For queries on Board Game and Card Game events and tournaments as well as Megagames please get in touch with Millie Lavelle on Community@ukgamesexpo.co.uk

Please do not submit any form of tournament, card or board game event without having first emailed Millie.

Do you have an idea for a seminar or panel that would appeal to our visitors? Have you got a pitch for a publisher-designer event or workshop you would like to host or run or participate in at UK Games Expo this summer? Submit your ideas via our submit an event page. Choose the category of either
* Seminar (For events aimed at an audience of gamers, and all about celebrating the hobby, exploring new games and experiences, and sharing the joy of playing games together).
or
* Publisher-Designer (For events aimed at an audience of artists, writers, designers and publishers and others in the industry and focused around creating, designing, making, and selling games).

For queries on Seminars, Workshops and Panel type events please contact Millie Lavelle.

Yes you can. UK Games Expo host many Roleplaying Games (RPG's). These are run at the Hilton Hotel which has many rooms of various sizes suitable for these games.

RPG games are typically run in 4 hour slots at 9.00, 15.00 and 20.00 start times (although other game lengths and start times will be considered). Submitted RPG games will be reviewed by the RPG manager who may come back to you with queries.

UKGE ticket these events and charge a fee to the players. This fee helps covers room hire, and other costs such as GM rewards.

GM's may be eligible for GM rewards.

To submit a game read the Running an Event page and click "Accept and Submit".

If you have any questions you can contact organised play at the following email address RPGs@ukgamesexpo.co.uk.

UK Games Expo involves numerous organised play events and tournaments. Each year we get approached by individuals wanting to run a tournament. Firstly please ensure that your tournament idea fits these criteria:

Your tournament is for 16 or more players.
It is an existing published game that has been on sale long enough for players to have learnt it and own it.
There is a player base or community interested in playing the game which you are able to promote the game to.
Tournaments or events have already been run before in the UK and at least 16 players turned up on 2 or more occasions in the 36 months before UK Games Expo (extended to 36months due to the pandemic. If you have run a virtual tournament then a physical version will be considered).
You and the players need to be aware that there will be an entry fee to the tournament/event that covers Expo's costs.

Our overriding principle for if we will accept a tournament/event is "is there demand from the visitors?"

All tournaments/events that are approved and ticketed by UKGE are run by the UKGE organisation. UKGE will set an approved event up as a ticketed tournament/event on the UK Games Expo website. These events will be promoted by us. We allocate space which will be protected space within our organised play areas. Umpires would fall under our volunteer policies and may be entitled to accommodation and other volunteer benefits if the event is accepted. There will be an event ticket charge which UKGE keeps which covers the cost of set up, space, volunteers and any prize support we may give depending on tournament/event demand.

There is no cost to you but if there is no demand for the event and tickets do not sell we retain the right to cancel the tournament/event and refund any sold tickets and use the space for other events.

If you think you have a tournament or events that has a player base and there is demand for then first email Millie Lavelle, (Community Manager), who will explore the idea further with you.

RPG Games:

There are the standard slots for 4 hour role-playing games. We do allow flexibility however.

Friday
9 am till 1pm
2pm till 6pm
8pm to midnight
Saturday
9am till 1pm
2pm till 6pm
8pm till Midnight
Sunday
10am till 2pm
3pm lit 7pm

Times for Tournaments and other gaming events

These may occupy multiple days, a full day or part of a day. Submit your suggested times and we will discuss them with you further.

Tournaments and Events on your stands

Many exhibitors choose to run a tournament on their stand, which they are free to do. However UKGE does not ticket these events and the promoting and organising of these events are done by the exhibitor. You do this by adding the event as an Exhibitor Event. See How do I list an Exhibitor Event?

If you wish to run an event in the UKGE tournament space, your have TWO options:

A)Submitting Tournaments and Events into UKGE event space

You may submit the event as a ticketed event into the UKGE event system.

UKGE will set an approved event up as a ticketed tournament/event on the UK Games Expo website. These events will be promoted by us. We allocate space which will be within our organised play areas. There will be an event ticket charge which UKGE keeps which covers the cost of set up, space, volunteers and any prize support we may give depending on tournament/event demand.

There is no cost to you but if there is no demand for the event and tickets do not sell we retain the right to cancel the tournament/event and refund any sold tickets and use the space for other events.

Important note: We do not run tournaments/events in order to create demand as we have found this does not work. If an exhibitor wants to get players playing their game by far the best way is to demo it in the trade hall and donate copies to the Board Game Library. A tournament should not be the start of a marketing campaign but seen as the ultimate marker of a successful game. It's an end point when there is sufficient player base who demand a tournament/event.

However if you feel there is player demand you are entitled to submit the event for consideration along with all other events. We do not guarantee the event will run but we will take a look.

Events likely to be accepted are those with a player based wishing to play a specific event over a defined time period.

On demand events are not likely to be accepted. Learn to Play events and demoes are not suitable for tournament spaces.

Note: Umpires of events run by companies would not fall under our volunteer policies and so would not be entitled to accomodation and other volunteer benefits of the kind enjoyed by people running events purely on a voluntary basis as opposed to activities which whilst being very welcome are linked to promotion of products.

Email Millie Lavelle (Community Manager), Community@ukgamesexpo.co.uk who will explore the idea further with you.

B) Paying for your own event space

Exhibitors can now hire event space in our tournament halls and event rooms to run ticketed tournaments and on demand events. The advantage of this arrangement is that this is dedicated space which is yours for the duration of UKGE and there is more flexibility on the events you can undertake there-in.

Costs

Our charge is £15 + VAT per sqm of event space. This rate is the charge for the floor space only. You may hire furniture, cloth and power for these areas (see rates in this document).

This space differs from normal exhibition space in the following ways and it is important that you consider your requirements carefully as all conditions will be strictly enforced.

The space is for organised play events only. This includes tournaments, draft and on demand events.
These areas may not be used for free to play demonstration or learn to play events. These type of events should be undertaken in your demo space.
Each event in this area must be a tournament or other competitive event subject to an event ticket fee (which the exhibitor will keep - see Event Ticket Fees below). Nominal fees to try and circumvent this rule will be deemed by the organisers as a breach of these rules.
When applying for the space the exhibitor will need to provide an outline of proposed events which must be approved by UK Games Expo before the allocation of space is confirmed. Features likely to lead to approval are that the event has a charge to play, possibly the event fee includes purchase of product needed to play and the event is for players who have learnt the game. Features likely to lead to rejection of your application are that the event is free to enter and intended for players who have never played the game.
You can not sell ANY items from this space with the exception of product required to play the event and then only if included as part of the ticket price. Extra product cannot be sold from this space.
This space may be used as per the access times listed below.
Location of tournament space is at the discretion of the UKGE both in advance and on the day. Layout will be decided by UK Games Expo.

Carrying out activities and staging events which are not in accordance with the agreed outline may lead to termination of the activities and forfeiture of the space.

Furniture, cloth and power hire costs

You may hire furniture, cloth and power from us at these rates:

Furniture costs:

Chair plastic – £4.50 each
6’ x 2’6” Trestle Tables – £8.00 each
5’ x 2’ Trestle Tables – £7.50 each
4’ x 2’ Trestle Tables – £7.00 each
3’ Diameter Tables – £11.00 each
4’ Diameter Tables – £12.00 each

Cloth £4 a table.

Power Costs

6A Main (1500watts) costs £287+vat
10A Main (2400watts) costs £428+vat
16A Main (3800 watts) costs £568 +vat
Sockets cost £80 each.

Internet costs: You order any internet via the NEC services (link on our website).

Access times

This space would be available for your access from 8.00 a.m. each day until 11.30 p.m. on Friday 3rd June and Saturday 4th June and from 8.00 a.m. until 7.00 p.m. on Sunday 5th June. Events can start at 9.00 am each day which is the time when visitors can access the hall. YOU are advised to schdule thefirst round to start no earlier than 9.30 a.m.

Ticket Fees

All players would need a UK Games Expo Entry ticket for the day(s) of your events in order to enter the hall. Income from the Entry Tickets are retained by UKGE.

With regard to the Event Ticket you decide on the fee you wish to charge for your events (some suggested figures are given below). We would process ticket sales and you would invoice us for the ticket income. Note that these tickets attract VAT of 20% which we pay to HMRC. You would invoice us for the Ticket price excluding VAT.

Guidelines on fees for your events:

You can change whatever fee you wish for your event subject to our prior approval. Here are some suggested events prices:

On demand constructed ccg events - £3. (The players must own the required decks of cards).

Booster draft £3+ the cost of the booster. (You provide the boosters in exchange for the entry fee).

Card, Board game and Miniatures Tournaments £1 per hour of the event. E.g. An 7 hours tournament would be £7.

Listing and Promoting your events

The events could be submitted by you and listed on our website. We would promote the events in social media and emails. We can link to your own events pages.

How to book the space

Email Richard@ukgamesexpo.co.uk

Download the Exhibitor Event Space info as a PDF here...

In order to submit your event you MUST do the following:-

Firstly be aware that with a few exceptions (see * below) any one running a game event at UK Games Expo is treated as a UK Games Expo Volunteer and are all seen as part of our team for the weekend. This includes umpires and GM's. Submitting a game therefore requires that you have read our volunteering policy and agree to its conditions. This year we are introducing some online training to ensure that both your experience and that of the visitor is enhanced and that the events are run in an environment that is safe and secure. Submitting a game therefore requires that you agree to login to an appropriate webinar before UK Games Expo.

First read our volunteering policy.
Register an account (This is required so you can submit an event, edit the event and we know who to contact about the event)
Login using the customer login - you can find this at the top of the website.
Submit your event for consideration using the Submit and Event form.
You can check the status of your events in the manage events section when you are logged in.
The section manager for the type of game you have submitted will then check your event details and will either contact you if there is a problem or approve your event and set it live. This may take a few weeks.
You will receive notification of the webinar dates one which you must attend before UKGE.
Assuming your event is approved a GM/Umpire pass will be waiting for you for collection at the show.

* Events organised by companies with agreement by UK Games Expo and whose umpires are not accommodated by UK Games Expo or who receive no reward in terms of admission tickets or food vouchers are considered outside the scope of the Volunteer policy but are still expected to abide by the general principles of creating a safe, enjoyable event for our visitors.

GM rewards

Expenses for GMs are based on the number of player hours that they provide for the games that they are running. A single player playing for a single hour will generate one hour’s credit for that GM/Umpire. Our expectations are that if GMs provide 120 player hours, UKGE will provide the expense package for a general volunteer providing 18 hours of work. See https://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/plan/volunteering/ for more details.

Entry to the Show -GMs

If you volunteer to GM at the show then you will be given entry passes dependant on the player hours you provide. The following is a general guide to what to expect:

Up to 24 player hours = One day entry
25- 48 player hours = One Two Day Pass
49 - 119 player hours = One Extended entry Pass
120+ player hours = General volunteer expense package

GM accommodation - GM's

For GM's to receive accommodation we are generally looking for them to offer 5 games of 4 hours for 6 players per game. That equates to 120 player hours. However a decision on accommodation will be made after your submissions by Organised Play.

Umpire rewards

Given the difference in hours that can be generated when running even a small tournament, umpires are not subject to the same player hour schedules as GMs. The UKGE organised play manager will discuss this with you as part of the submission/acceptance process for your event.

Consult our volunteer policy for Rewards for GMs and umpires.

Entry to the Show - Umpires

If you volunteer to umpire or organise an event at the show then you will be given entry passes dependant on the size of the event and hours you provide. The Organised play manager can discuss this with you but the following is a general guide to what to expect:

Running one 4 to 8 hour tournament of 16 + players (circa 64 to 128 player hours) - one day pass

Running two 4 to 8 hour tournament of 16 + players (circa 128 to 256 player hours) - two day pass

Running three or more tournaments (256+ player hours) - three day pass

Umpire accommodation

For Umpire's to receive accommodation we are generally looking for them to offer events on multiple days of 16+ players. However a decision on accommodation will be made after your submissions by the Organised Play Events manager.

Important note on Accommodation

There are ONLY a very few single rooms available at the Hotel so most of you will be sharing a twin room if you qualify for a room. Please do not volunteer if you are not willing to share a room. If you are volunteering along with pals or partners it helps if you tell Richard who they are and then we can attempt twin you up. (We cannot guarantee that this will be done however).

How will you get your reward?

Your pass will be waiting for you on arrival. If you qualify for food/ drink tokens you will collect these at the show - please see the events desk after 12 on each day. Your name will be on a list with the agreed food/ drink tokens listed. If you are entitled to accommodation then after you have submitted your games we will contact you about your hotel accommodation. Please note that hotel accommodation will involve sharing a twin room.

There are ONLY a very few single rooms available at the Hotel so most of you will be sharing a twin room. So please do not volunteer if you are not willing to share a room. If you are volunteering along with pals or partners it helps if you tell us who they are and then we can twin you up. Note that some GMs and Umpires MAY need to stay at other hotels if the Hilton is full.

In the case of RPG games you qualify for the rewards when UKGE accept your games and you turn up to run the game. Some games will not run. This is by design. We want there to be enough games and enough choice so that everyone who wants to play can find a game they like. This means we aim for an excess of about 15% of RPG games. If your game doesn't run we don't hold it against you but you might want to consider why it didn't attract players so that next time it does run.

In the case of tournaments which require a lot more space we would generally aim to cancel events that do not hit an agreed player minimum before the start of UKGE.

A sell sheet is a one-page document that acts as a summary of the concept, core gameplay, theme, and other important elements of your game.

Often they are presented to publishers as part of a pitch with the hope being the game will go onto publication. They can be used by a publisher as a reminder of a designer meeting, or can be provided in lieu of a meeting to generate interest in a design.

You can also use them at trade shows and conventions to convey to potential distributors and retailers the essence of the game too.

We use them to assess your game idea for suitability for our Publisher-Designer Track events.

You can find many examples of sell sheets on the internet.

This is an excellent Pinterest board full of examples:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/johnbrieger/boardgame-sell-sheets/

When you meet someone, why give them a business card - can't they remember your name from talking with you? Sell sheets are a way to trigger the memory of a play or meeting, and provide a reminder of things like player counts, play time and potential components that might not have been fully explored during an introductory play during a meeting or demo.

Publishers are busy people and may be attempting to assess dozens of games rapidly. They don't have time to play each of those games fully. A sell sheet provides basic information on demand.

Likewise when we at UKGE look at your game for inclusion in our events we have to review 50 to 100 entries. A well written sell sheet is your best chance of being included in those events and making an impression on the publishers.

The software is up to you but we require that the sell sheet is a single A4 document saved in the .pdf file format.

For US submissions, PDF typically automatically scale to the standard 8.5" x 11" standard used in the US. Make sure your text and images are large enough to be scaled down if required!

PDF is the easiest way to share documents widely when different readers may have widely varied equipment including computers, tablets and phones.

A flashy design and cool font is less important that a clear well laid out sheet that contains these key features:

Your game name
A paragraph that sumarises the key game features
- Theme and concept
- Type of game
- Number of players
- Age range
- Duration
Images of key game elements
Reasons why this game would sell well.
Contact info

When you have the sheet ready click file...save as and select the pdf format.

Entry is open to any game designer with a completed game ready for publication. Please feel free to ask for advice if you have any questions.

Your game should be well developed and well playtested. Written rules should be available with the prototype, or provided electronically shortly after a presentation. Many publishers prefer a print-and-play version of the game if the game does not require any special components (such as unique game-required components, or specifically-shaped components).

A publisher should be looking at a game that is ready to publish and not just an early idea. Sometimes, you will have the opportunity at the end of a pitch meeting to talk about working designs, but presenting am incomplete, untested design to a publisher has the potential to reflect poorly on you, your design process and your future designs!

Yes, you can submit more than one entry.

Each entry will need its own sell sheet.

In addition to a Sell Sheet we ask you to submit a Rules Sheet for your game.

The Publishers can use the Rules Sheet to get a better idea of the Game Play.

The rules sheet can be an abbreviated summary of game components, turn order, basic concepts of game play and winning conditions.

A simple pdf laying out the rules clearly is all that is needed.

There is no need to add images or to worry about the design of the rules. Adding headings etc can improve the clarity.

The Rules sheet should be no more than 2 sides of A4. If Publishers want more detailed rules they can ask for that after the Speed Dating.

Large deliveries (but not stand setup) will be available subject to approval on Wednesday 28th May 2024. This is for stands of 100 sqm or larger and for companies offering logistical support for larger companies.

All exhibitor can gain access to the NEC to set up stands between 8:00 and 21:00 on Thursday 29th May 2025 and also from 7.00am until 9.00am on Friday 30th May 2024.

Full access instructions will be emailed out to exhibitors some weeks prior to the event.

UKGE Print Specifications for at show marketing options where UKGE is arranging the printing.

Roll Banner/Pull Up Banner

Artwork size is 850mm x 2150mm. Allow 2mm bleed which will be trimmed off.
PDF format
Resolution to be 300dpi
Colour space RGB
Avoid text, logos and important information on the bottom 600mm
Cut-off date for accepting artwork is Friday 12th April 2024

Café Barrier Banner

Artwork size is 1790mm x 700mm (to top of bar) 610mm flat area (below bar pocket)
NB, there will be an eyelet set into each of the 2 bottom corners, centred 20mm from the bottom and 15mm from the side
PDF format
Resolution to be a minimum of 300dpi
Colour space RGB
Cut-off date for accepting artwork is Friday 12th April 2024

Shell System Wallpaper

Full panel size is 2352mm x 966mm
Visible panel size is 2340mm x 954mm
PDF format
Minimum resolution of 300dpi
Colour space RGB
Cut-off date for accepting artwork is Friday 12th April 2024

Drop Banner

Artwork size is 4000mm x 2400mm
PDF format
Any text converted to curves
Min resolution 300dpi
Preferred resolution for best quality 300dpi
Colour space should be CYMK
Avoid text and logos on the top and bottom 200 mm as that is where the pockets are formed
The cut-off date for accepting artwork is Friday 12th April 2024

Games will be made available to all judges ASAP.
Games will be left with the judging group until everyone has played every game.
Games will be picked up by UKGE once everyone has played.
All judges should play all the games as far as possible to ensure an impartial vote.
Ideally you will be able to play the whole of the game but if not then you must play it to a sufficient point to understand the core of the game, its merits and mechanics in order to make an informed decision.
If you are unable to play a game then look at reviews and open the game/read the rules to get a good feel for it and form an opinion from these.
Games should be ranked in order of preference e.g. 1-10 in a group of 10.
Games are to be compared with those only within their category and not to games outside this category or to other existing games.
Another FAQ gives suggested criteria on how to judge a game but the final decision is up to you.
Games will be available to place in order of preference via the UK Games Expo Awards Judging Page.
Judges will login using their UKGE standard login in order to rank the games in order of preference.
Games can be re-ordered at any point as more games are played in that category.
The cut off for judging is Friday 30th April 2021. After this time you will no longer have access to the awards judging facility.
The 2021 UK Games Expo Awards will be going ahead subject to advice from Public Health England in the current circumstances.

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