This post is a bit delayed, but life has hit hard in recent months. I debated making this post at all but thought why not? I think it can help us to remember a time when we could go to events like C2E2. Year after year, I attend the largest “nerd culture” convention in Chicago. Every year, I have a blast. The cosplaying, panels, merchants, and the environment as a whole make for an overall great experience. The one thing I felt lacked this year from previous ones is the gaming presence.
Located at McCormick Place in downtown Chicago from February 28 – March 1, 2020, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo(C2E2) remains the superior convention of the many throughout the Chicagoland area of its type. One major aspect of this culture has been lacking for quite some time: gaming. It seemed as if C2E2 was moving in the right direction last year when it included panels from the creators of Mortal Kombat, many gaming voice actors, and even an exclusive character reveal for Mortal Kombat 11. This year, however, felt like the folks at REEDPOP took a step back.
While there were a few gaming panels last year, there were none that stood out to me. Having MK11 last year was a huge deal and for them to not have something as large this year was a bit of a letdown.
In terms of being able to get your hands on games at C2E2, they did alright. No, this isn’t your PAX-type event where you can play games that are coming out in the next few months but they allow attendees to play retro games along with the most popular games today. With tournaments going on all weekend in games like Rocket League, Super Smash Bros., or even Halo, there was something for just about everyone. If tournaments aren’t your preferred playing method, you could just walk up to any open console and play whatever games were there.
My time at C2E2 2020 was great but it wasn’t because of the gaming. It was the people, cosplay, and art that made my experience so great. With some rethinking of the gaming aspect of the show, I am confident they can grow more and more each year.
