The buzz for the second Canal Walk Gaming Expo powered by BT Games and Good Hope FM, is gathering momentum as gamers, their supporters, Cosplay artists, children (of all ages), parents, fans, shoppers and even spectators eagerly anticipate the launch of the Expo today.
Building on the absolute success of the inaugural event in 2016, the organisers have pulled out all the stops to offer more competitions, more prizes and more opportunities to experience one of the world’s fastest growing experiences and sectors – electronic entertainment.
Complementing the latest gaming releases, early festive season specials, news and insights from the gaming world, the Canal Walk Gaming Expo will also stage the Kwesé Ace Football Tournament using the brand new Xbox FIFA 2017 game.
Not to be outdone, PlayStation fans will also have their share of the fun with the chance to be a part of the future of gaming, by experiencing the much talked about PS Virtual Reality headsets, which run on PS4 consoles, in special booths that will be on site at Canal Walk. Now that a number of PSVR specific games have been launched in the UK (13 October), BT Games has confirmed there will be a wide selection from which to choose at the upcoming Gaming Expo in Cape Town.
However, the company also advises that it will be taking pre-orders of these PSVR headsets and games for customers ahead of the official launch in South Africa early 2017, as stocks will be limited.
Vanessa Herbst, marketing manager at Canal Walk can’t wait to be in the thick of the action: “Last year we were overwhelmed by the positive reception of the concept. We knew gaming was big, but the level of support and interest was more than we expected. Taking this growing phenomenon into account, we have worked closely with all our exhibitors this year to bring an even better experience and even more variety to the party, as electronic entertainment is appealing to all age groups.”
Besides the e-sports releases on offer, the Canal Walk Gaming Expo will also host a number of other competitions including an even bigger and better Cosplay initiative that will take place on Saturday 29 October from 12H00.
Cosplay costumes and cosmetics are also growing in popularity and profitability across the globe. Moving out of geekdom into full-on popular culture and the spotlight, Cosplay is also a performance art and for many, an expression of their inner self. Cape Town is no different with a vibrant and rapidly developing Cosplay culture that will be celebrated at the expo.
Karl Klöpfer, marketing manager at BT Games is equally enthusiastic about the event, saying: “It’s hard to believe a year has already come and gone since our first expo! Gaming is an affordable form of entertainment for the whole family. Many of the best games are released at this time of year so we have worked hard to bring a mix of content for all – new games, upcoming games, retro content, competitions and much more. And along with that shoppers can expect big savings on consoles, games and related items during the expo.”
Other confirmed exhibitors include: Xbox, Prima Interactive, Megarom Interactive, Nintendo, PlayStation, Electronic Arts and a number of others.
Dates for the Canal Walk Gaming Expo powered by BT Games and GHFM are Tuesday 25 October to Sunday 30 October 2016. Hours are from 09H00 – 21H00
