Melbourne’s getting a new gaming and cosplay convention this year, and it’s kicking off its inaugural show with Star Trek‘s William Shatner.
Called Cospendium, the show will kick off in July and hopes to bring together the worlds of cosplay and gaming into one mega event. How it plans to differentiate itself from shows like Supanova and PAX, which try to offer a similar experience, isn’t yet clear.
There’s a range of unannounced guests and activities, and the organisers say they’ll have “practical opportunities” for fans to get up close and personal with their favourite stars. The show will run over July 4 and 5, the same weekend as the start of E3.
“People are going to be very happy with what’s in store,” Philip Rainford, creator of Cospendium, told Kotaku Australia. The show was created by Rainford, a long-time Star Trek and Doctor Who fan, who expressed dissatisfaction with modern conventions. With help from his co-planning team, Rainford aims to bring back the personal nature of early pop culture conventions.
Rainford believes the magic has been lost from larger, less-intimate modern conventions. “We are looking to create a new experience that harkens back to what made conventions so special in the first place,” he told Kotaku Australia via email.
Currently confirmed for Cospendium is the opportunity to learn more about both cosplay and esports, including via an Esports Suite being developed with the help of experts, as well as a big Viking-themed banquet for Friday-night ticketholders. While details about Cospendium are so-far sparse, the convention’s ambitions are clear. We’ll know more as Cospendium’s guest and activity announcements continue.
Cospendium takes play July 4-5 at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens, Melbourne. Stay tuned to its website for news and updates as they come.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article attributed the above quotes to Finn Houlihan in error. This has now been amended.
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