Sometimes, being a gaming content creator based in Europe can feel a bit sad and blue. The YouTube meet-ups are going strong in America. Biggest conventions happen on the other side of the ocean. And most importantly, all the big influencer/gaming events are held in the US! How is that fair? There’s nothing ever happening in Europe!
Or is it?
This year is different. Major players are finally noticing creators and fans outside America, and they are trying to get the hype up for some new, exciting things that they prepared for us.
In 2019 a brand new TwitchCon is coming to Germany, and a few other big conventions are noticeably growing and expanding their gaming division. Then we have some long-established events that are going stronger than ever. It’s going to be an exciting year for both fans and content creators, so get your planners, circle-in some dates and go get your tickets now!
Where: Berlin, Germany
When: April 13–14, 2019
What to expect:
TwitchCon is coming to Europe! After 4 long years, Twitch finally decided to organise something special for its streamers and viewers on this side of the Atlantic.
This event will have all the best panels from previous TwitchCons and more:
– One of the main parts will be a Glitch Theater with ongoing talks, announcements, gaming and Twitch Yearly reruns and celebrations.
– This wouldn’t be TwitchCon without esports — lots and lots of esports. The only tournament that was officially announced is Twitch Rivals, a streamer vs streamer event, but we can expect more popping up as we’re closer to the final date.
– Creator Camp! Remember when Twitch launched a series of tutorials on how to improve your stream and grow as a creator? This time they are doing it live with talks and pop-in workshops available for everyone.
– Are you ready for the Partner spotlight, where you can meet and get some quality time with your favourite streamers? Well, better get set, because the official TwitchCon website mentions hundreds of Partners coming together to chat with their fans!
– Community Meeting Areas, where you can meet pretty much everyone else are going to be all the rage. Affiliates and fans, this is your chance to mingle.
If you are free in April, pop-in to Berlin, and get your well deserved Twitch fix for 2019. One-day tickets cost €40 and the Weekend ones go for €75.
Where: London, UK
When: May 24–26, 2019
What to expect:
London Comic Con is something everyone should experience at least once. It is a great event, full of attractions, celebrities, cosplay, merchandise and pure fun and joy.
The next edition will be out in full swing in May, so here’s a little bit of what you can expect:
– Autographs, photos and special guests all over. If you are at Comic Con, you have an excellent opportunity to get something unique to remember your beloved actors and industry professionals from.
– Collectible and merchandise stalls are the staples of this event. You can get anything from toys, games, trading cards to DVD and special releases.
– I don’t know if you are aware, but steampunk plays a huge role in the London Comic Con. The retro-future vibe in the air and excellent cosplay make this one very special.
– Speaking of which, there’s a bunch of events for cosplayers, including the main Masquerade on the big scene. Just in case if you’d like to have your photos taken, there is a professional photo studio on site that can snap and print your pictures the same day.
– There are much more things happening in and around the event and you need to check out the full schedule right before attending. New things are being added all the time, so don’t miss out on anything!
Cheapest Friday tickets start at £17.50, but you can get a full Weekend Entry for £68.50, which gets you an early entry, exclusive shows and a merchandise discount.
Where: London, UK
When: August 9–11, 2019
What to expect:
Have you ever heard of Summer in the City? If yes, you already know how great it is, if not — you’re going to love this one.
Summer in the City is probably the largest and longest-running online video festival in the UK. It started back in 2009 when the industry first started making waves and is all about the established, growing and up-and-coming youtubers, content creators and industry professionals.
Have a look at some of the things that will happen at this year’s Summer in the City:
– There will be Live Performances throughout the weekend! Since many youtubers deal with music, arts, and other things that look great on a big stage you will have a chance to see them doing their thing live.
– Talks and discussion panels are something that aspiring gaming content creators should definitely check out. There are over 75 items on the schedule, so there’s plenty to choose from. If you are curious about how others make it on YouTube, this will help you out.
– This wouldn’t be an influencer event without a Meet & Greet. This one is huge, busy and exciting, so you will have to enter the online ballot for a chance to meet some of the most anticipated guests.
– If you have a particular interest, like gaming or lifestyle, Summer in the City recently added some new areas to their Expo Hall. There will be merchandise, fairs, stands, live stages and much more to tackle while you’re there.
Prices range from £15 for an Evening Only ticket to £60 for a Creator Day/Weekend ticket.
4. Gamescom
Where: Cologne, Germany
When: August 20–24, 2019
What to expect:
Gamescom is the event that gets the industry, players and community together to enjoy and celebrate gaming. It’s been going on for a while now, and last year they had exhibitors from over 56 countries, with plenty of gaming and music all around.
Since this is an event aimed at both businesses and fans, there’s a lot of very different things going on:
– If you are a developer, there’s Devcom. A global dev conference with talks, workshops and master classes to get up-to-date with trends all over the world.
– Gamescom has a special place for cosplayers. The Cosplayer Village is a big part of the event, and it has everything from cosplay stages, professional photo points to a few secret surprises every year.
– Gamescom congress is the main event everyone is waiting for. It’s one of the biggest conferences where people from various backgrounds such as business, science, society, politics, and culture talk about the games industry and how it impacts everyone’s life.
– You can grab an autograph of that amazing someone at the Signing Area for the 3rd time in the history of gamescom. They have a list of guests out before the event, so make sure to check it out and don’t miss out!
– Did I mention they have a lot of other attractions every year? In 2018 there was laser tag, mobile escape room and a beach (yes, you read that right). There’s always something new in store, but no details are available for 2019 edition so far.
Evening tickets start at €7 and Day tickets go up to €22.50 if you buy them on the day. The website mentions that ’Should the day tickets be sold out there will be no ticket office sales’, so get yours online to avoid any problems later on.
5. EGX
Where: London, UK
When: October 17–20, 2019
What to expect:
You probably already know about EGX (or its sister event PAX). It’s a huge video game show that has the best, biggest, most celebrated video games of the year for you to get excited about!
Every year they have tons and tons of exhibitors so even though the list for 2019 is not finalised yet, you can expect the greatest names and brands out there to make an appearance.
So what’s in store if you decide to visit EGX? There’s a lot:
– Tournaments! Do you want to watch the best players and teams dominate the stage throughout the weekend? You have a massive choice of matches to watch; you won’t get disappointed with this one.
– Games, games everywhere. Since this event gets all the big studios under one roof for four days straight there’s a lot a competition. There will be a lot of promos, playable games, trailers, interactive experiences…you name it, they have it.
– Cosplay zone is a big deal here. Get your fancy clothes on, or grab a camera, because there will be a lot of people wanting to showcase their best cosplay here.
– This wouldn’t be complete without talks and panels. Check the developer sessions schedule before you get here because the very best in the industry will share their experience and knowledge and you want to be there for that.
As tickets go, you can get an Afternoon one for £15 up to a 4-day Early Entry Pass for £75.
Which event are you planning to visit this year? Or are you planning to catch more than one? Tell us your convention plans for 2019 in the comments!