The Northern Game Expo returns to Sudbury on Oct. 15 at the Caruso Club, and this year's event promises to be bigger than ever.
For the second straight year the Caruso Club will host the event that will see 40 vendors from all over the province converge in Sudbury to celebrate, sell, trade, and enjoy all things video games.
It's not just for the gamers however, says event organizer Brad Davidson.
"It's all things nerd culture really," said Davidson. "There's art, collectibles, anime, and more."
Local artist Rob Sacchetto will be on hand throughout the day, creating exclusive prints that will only be available at the expo. Arcade enthusiast Troy Dittburner will also be in attendance, building custom-made arcade consoles.
There will be virtual reality demos, face painting for the kids (and the kids at heart) and a BBQ hosted by Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC).
Video game popularity in Sudbury is no secret, according to Davidson, who says that last year's expo had more than 1,400 people attend.
"The crowd is a bit of everything, we have hardcore games, to collectors, to people who want to check out the retro games and introduce their kids to what video games were like years ago," said Davidson.
That retro theme is a staple with these types of expos, as many vendors will be bringing old video game consoles and games to sell and trade.
"It's the collectibility factor; there's people who had these games years ago and sold them, not really knowing how much value they'd have," said Davidson.
"There's also remakes of the old consoles like NES and SNES Classic, where they're renewing people's interest in the old games."
While $5 will get you into the expo, there's plenty of opportunity to make some cash or get out with that rare game you've been searching for.
"We welcome haggling and trading of games," said Davidson. "A lot of these vendors are collectors just like the people who attend so they're also looking for certain games to trade."
The Northern Game Expo runs from noon - 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15, and VIP ticket holders will be allowed in at 11:30 a.m.
It is recommended that you get there early, as the event is expected to be jam-packed and lines could get long.
Sponsors for this year's expo are Limitless Pawn, Studio 613 Elextric Tattoo, Comics North and Hidden Level Games, and Power Up Gaming.
