UK GAMES EXPO 2023 – A WANDERER’S REVIEW

UK Games Expo (UKGE) is the largest Tabletop Games Convention in the UK – where all aspects of the tabletop gaming hobby are represented under one roof. The next UK Games Expo will be from Friday 2nd June to Sunday 4th June 2023 at the NEC, Birmingham and Hilton Metropole Hotel.

Review:

So, on Friday the 2^nd June 2023, I made my now yearly pilgrimage (with some gaming friends) to the biggest tabletop games show anywhere in the UK, namely the UK Games EXPO, held at the end of May / beginning of June at the NEC in Birmingham.

This year saw the show return to its’ pre-pandemic levels of traders and stands, over 550 in-fact, and a show spread over 3 of the massive halls at the venue.

According to early released figures, this year saw 52,000 visitors over the three days, with 32,000 of those being unique, i.e. only attending one of the three possible days, which looks like being a new attendance record as the show goes from strength to strength.

However, one difference from previous years was that I attended the show under the banner / guise of my YouTube channel, The Games Kingdom, which can be found here.

www.youtube.com/@thegameskingdom811

The organizers kindly granted me a Press Pass for the event, for which I’d again like to say thank you, and I happily went round and posted videos of my wanderings and thoughts, and thoroughly enjoyed my first experience of being an ‘almost live’ vlogger ( get me at 58 years of age J ), outlining how the show was going, the amount of people who were there, and the vast array of traders, exhibitors, demoers and gamers.

It was feared that the untimely rail strikes would affect the numbers attending, but for me this didn’t appear to be the case, and those early numbers seem to confirm this.

As you approached the EXPO once again outside on the ‘lawn area’ the Viking re-enactment group had made camp, and throughout the show were entertaining folks with how these Scandinavian raiders would have lived and survived.

The halls were once again split with traders and stands of various companies, with areas to play games including the Family Zone placed strategically throughout 1 & 2, whilst hall 3 was used for the Bring & Buy, the open gaming tables and the tournament area.

The Bring & Buy seemed as busy as previous years, and whilst there have been a few issues detailed online with games going missing without being paid for, I think this was once again a huge success in raising funds for the nominated charities. You’re always going to get a few issues, but on the whole everyone seems to be positive about how it’s run (which again, is by volunteers).

In-fact the EXPO is ‘manned’ by an ever growing army of willing volunteers, for both the organizing body behind the event, and for many of the trade stands etc., where they run demo games, and generally ensure that visitors of all ages enjoy their EXPO experience and want to return year on year.

As per previous years there were the UKGE Awards, and this year these went to:-

BEST ABSTRACT GAME

• Tiwanaku – Sit Down!

BEST ACCESSORY

• Gamegenic Token Silo

BEST BOARD GAME AMERICAN STYLE

• Oathsworn: Into The Deepwood – Shadowborne Games

BEST BOARD GAME (European Style)

• Earth – Inside Up Games (Carl’s Review) and  (Brad’s Review)

BEST BOARD GAME (STRATEGIC)

• Frostpunk: The Board Game – Glass Cannon Unplugged

BEST CARD GAME GENERAL

• Viking Raiders
• BEST CARD GAME (Strategic)Isle of Trains: All Aboard – Dranda Games 

  BEST CHILDREN’S

  • Dodo – Kosmos

  BEST DICE GAME

  • Solar Sphere – Dranda Games

  BEST EXPANSION

  • Living Forest Kodama expansion – Ludonaute

  BEST FAMILY GAME

  • Outrun the Bear – Around the Stump Games LLC

  BEST GAMING NOVELTY

  • EXIT Advent Calendar Hunt for the Golden Book – Kosmos

  BEST MINIATURES RANGE

  • Moonstone – The Arising Expansion – Goblin King Games

  BEST MINIATURES RULES

  • Moonstone – The Arising Expansion – Goblin King Games

  BEST PARTY GAME

  • How Am I Weird ‘Square’ – How Am I Weird Games

  BEST ROLEPLAYING GAME

  • Be Like a Crow – Critical Kit Ltd

  BEST ROLEPLAYING ADVENTURE

  • Blade Runner RPG Starter Set – Free League Publishing

  BEST ROLEPLAYING EXPANSION

  • The One Ring™ – Ruins of the Lost Realm – Free League Publishing

  BEST VARIANT

  •  CATAN – Dawn of Humankind – CATAN Studio

For me, the experience this year was once again extremely positive, and I hope to be back again in 2024 to do it all again, and maybe expand on my video musings if I am lucky enough to get another press pass, but if not, I will simply pay to attend as this is one show that once you go, you won’t want to miss out on.

Roll on 2024 when we’ll do it all over again.

 Check it out it HERE.

Do you find that you’re missing too many reviews as we drop them? Provide your name and email below and we’ll keep you in the know of what we reviewed that week as well as other hot news!!!!!