The EB Games Expo is just about to hit its third year and with news that Titanfall will be playable to the public, it looks set to be quite the event. In the face of the games (and the momentous combination of noise, cosplay, colours and packed human flesh) it’s all too easy to forget that the EB Expo also has a stacked card of panels that are shaping up quite nicely.
You can find a comprehensive list of all the panels on the site, but here are a couple that caught my eye…
Video Games are Good For You
A Lesson in Distractive Therapy from the Starlight Children’s Foundation
Friday 6pm – 7pm Stage 2
Lovesac Lounge
EB has been a big supporter of the Starlight Foundation, running fund raising events and such like, and this panel is an extension of this. It seems super interesting and focuses on how Starlight is actually attempting to use video games to achieve a bit of normalcy and alleviate the stress of kids going though some serious health issues.
Panelists
Jono Brand – Facilitator
Luke Buckler – Livewire Program Coordinator
Sam – Starlight Child
Community Managers
Ask Us (Almost) Anything
Saturday 5pm – 5:30pm Stage 2
Lovesac Lounge
Being a Community Manager must be pretty hard. I guess this is something I have a bit of insight into myself, but you guys and girls are normally so awesome. I don’t have to do anything really. These four panelists? They might have it a little harder than me. I’m quite keen to hear about their experiences.
Panelists
Kelsey Gamble (EB Games Australia)
Jess Hodgson (EA Games Australia)
Owen Hughes (Ubisoft Australia)
Lucy O’Brien (IGN)
Geek Parents
Why We (and our kids) Rock
Sunday 9am – 9:30am Stage 2
Lovesac Lounge
I was supposed to be on this panel, but had to pull out at the last minute. Argh. I won’t be able to make this one, but it sounds great. Let me know how it all goes!
Panelists
Giselle Rosman (IGDA, Game Developer)
Rae Johnston (Gaming, Tech & Pop Culture Journalist/Presenter)
What it’s Like to Be An Aussie Indie
Saturday 9:30am – 10:30am Stage 2
Lovesac Lounge
This is about as stacked as a panel can get. I will be there for sure.
Panelists
Dan Graf – Halfbrick Studios
Morgan Lean – Epiphany Games
Leigh Harris – Flat Earth Games
Ashley Ringrose – Soap Creative
Nic Watt – Nnooo
Chair: Derek Proud – Ambitious Software
There are plenty more panels to choose from — head to EB’s website for more info.
Comments
17 responses to “These EB Expo Panels Look Pretty Good…”
Didn’t really like the eb expo in sydney last year. I guess when you don’t want your competition on the expo floor with you, it doesn’t leave you with much on the floor.
Still not worth the overpriced tickets
What would have been a good price ticket ?
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I would have liked prices to be on par with every other expo and con in Australia
And yet they still manage to sell out of these “overpriced” tickets on Day 1……
Look I’m down on the EB hate as much as the rest of us who import and whatnot are. And yes E2 is just one excuse to get everyone to preorder games via EB….
But at the end of the day it’s still a decent games expo that gives us a small taste of the stuff that goes on E3. I’m not gonna begrudge EB for taking a chance and starting up a pure gaming expo in Au. Sure we now have PAX here as well… but E2 did start it in au and when all’s said and done it’s still a very successful expo/convention. Would PAX even have been considered at all if E2 didn’t show that there was an actual market for gaming cons here?
For *years* we’ve all asked/wanted an expo focused on games. And we only dreamed of being there to see all the stuff/talks/panels from E3. While the internet has definitely made such presentations a smaller thing these days when everyone uploads the presentations online there is still a tangible difference to watching it on a screen and being there for these panels/talks/demos.
And now that we have it here.. we all have to pull out the “EB sarks” card just because. The con may not be your thing. And you may hate EB like pretty much every gamer out there because of their pricing practices but at least give props where it’s due folks. I think it’s GREAT that EB used it’s pull to actually get these pubs/devs to come down here. Now that it’s here don’t fall for the “tall poppy” syndrome of saying “it’s crap coz its EB or coz it wasn’t my thing”
But hey that’s just my 2 cents on the whole thing…
What about supernova? And saying someone hates eb expo because they hate eb is just wrong. I collect my eb carrots along with everyone else, I just wish they had more substance to the expo.
Supanova has always been more of a pop culture expo. It actually started out as a Comics/Sci Fi expo and eventually branched out. Eventually including games and whatnot.
It’s a great sci-fi/comics expo. But it’s an all inclusive expo. It’s not a *pure* gaming expo. Only PAX and E2 are on that category.
That being said I am somewhat interested in what you mean by “having more substance”. I came into the expo expecting a mini E3 where you go to presentations about coming releases + demos. I got what I came for. If anything last year was definitely an improvement. The expanded indie/community tent was a good call (although the tournaments + streams could have been a lot better organised but hey.. they’re trying) and the chill out lounge was fun for messing around w/ arcade games.
Yeah Supernova is far from gaming, it’s pretty minimal there (maybe not in cosplay, but in everything else).
fair point about supernova, and I agree it is good to have a games expo finally.
I don’t actually hate eb, about a third of my gaming purchases are from then, the others split between online and second hand places, my issue is that I don’t feel that the expo offers enough when a standard 3 day pass is the cost of a VIP pass for other expos and cons
I’m going to be somewhat devils advocate here…
Supanova is probably the most popular con in Syd so I’ll do a comparison. While you do get a ton of awesome guests from various shows/comics/movies. You also have to pretty much pay to get the signatures/photos of the “bigger” movie names. It’s also one big giant shopping experience =P. So while the initial outlay is small in regards to entrance fees Supanova will be making some more money off these signatures + fees for the stalls. This extra revenue can be converted for a “cheaper” entrance fee.
E2 on the other hand has to pay for what is basically a 3 day demo of all the new games + E3 presentations to come down here. Their only source of income would be a later pay off from pre orders and possibly stall/floor space for some of the hardware folks. That being said you still have to convince these big name publishers/developers to come down here. That costs money and w/o the “shopping space” that other conventions have to disperse the initial outlay it all goes to the tickets. Is it expensive? Yes I will have to grudgingly agree. But then you have to look at what the supposed “value” you are meant to be getting from the convention material – previews to upcoming games + presentations normally seen in overseas gaming conventions only.
Which is usually where differences of opinion happen. And you know what that’s fine. Value is a very very subjective topic. But remember that getting these big names to show up still costs money =P
Aww come on guys don’t be so negative. Come and check out the 20 different stalls selling $300 headphones with me!
Those panels have got nothing on PAX, Bring on PAX AUS 2014……
If you can get into them without needing to cue up 2 hours in advance :p
I have to agree with Rock_M on most of what he says. In my opinion it would be great if the EB expo was on the same scale as E3, which I would really like to attend, but lets be realistic here, for most of us in Australia the EB expo is the closest thing we will ever experience, I don’t imagine 30,000+ gamers would go on a holiday to an overseas expo too often if at all, and to be fair we don’t have the population of the USA, or Europe as a whole, so naturally it isn’t at the same magnitude as the E3.
I still got my pass though, but I won’t really be able to begin to form an opinion of if it was worth it or not til after I see what sort of wine selection they have for us, and given the cost of the ultimate gamer pass, and the fact there will be special guests present at the dinner, I am crossing my fingers and hoping its not the cheapest lowest quality stuff they can find. I might just drink my moneys worth back from them if I am lucky.
I think I’ll just go and paint a wall somewhere and watch it dry.