Calling all Joburg, Cape Town and Durban gamers and geeks!
Although South Africa doesn't have anything to rival the San Diego Comic-Con, E3 or Gen Con in terms of scale, local equivalent conventions and exhibitions do exist - and the major batch of gaming and comic cons are coming up shortly.
First up is ICON, South Africa's biggest games and comic convention, which takes place annually in Johannesburg. Although disappointingly I can't make the July event this year for budget-watching (AKA unemployment) reasons, I had an absolute blast last year and highly recommend that anyone with geeky passions - role-playing, card gaming, tabletop war gaming, boardgames, anime, sci-fi, comics and superheroes, and a teensy bit of videogaming - pop in this year. Especially since 2010's theme is "Attack of the 80s"! So you just know that the annual costume contest will be fantastic.
ICON is a great opportunity to meet and "geek out" with like-minded individuals; demo games without the pressure of an expensive purchase; enter various competitions and tournaments; browse mountains of incredibly tempting merchandise at the exhibitors' stalls, and this year even enjoy a geek-centric comedy show.
Everything you need to know about ICON can be found in the downloadable brochure (Man, oh, man, I would so sign up for the Nightmare Before Christmas-themed Call of Cthulhu module and Dracula LARP). And if this isn't enough information to tempt you, you can still also check out the ICON Facebook group - which contains plenty of con pics that have been collected over the years.
ICON 2010 Details:
Date: 23 - 25 July 2010 (Friday through Sunday)
Location: Jabula Recreation Centre in Sandringham, Johannesburg
Cost: R20 per day / R40 for the entire weekend.
If you can't get to Joburg in July for ICON, the next big gaming con on the local calendar is Dragonfire, which is taking place in Cape Town in early August. Run by CLAWS, the University of Cape Town's role-playing society, Dragonfire is South Africa's OLDEST and second biggest gaming convention. This year marks the 22nd Dragonfire con and this year's theme is Forgotten Nightmares. The organisers have promised "Four days of roleplaying, LARPing, wargaming, CCGs, parties and general mayhem!"
Having never attended Dragonfire, I'm currently flirting with making an appearance this year. Somehow.
Dragonfire 2010 Details:
Date: 6 - 9 August 2010 (Friday through Monday)
Location: Kramer Law Building on University of Cape Town Middle Campus
Cost: ???
Mired in apathy as usual, my hometown of Durban has no gaming conventions. Hmph, let's call this part of the post NO-Con then. Jerall of the gaming blog tenletter, however, has been working hard to introduce Durbanites to tabletop gaming as a pastime, running boardgaming and role-playing events essentially every month.
The next event coming up in mid July is entitled Deathwatch: Final Sanction, and is a pen-and-paper role-playing adventure set in the Warhammer 40K universe. If you have ever fantasized about being a badass, bio-engineered Space Marine, here's your chance. All are welcome to the game day, and you need only bring a pencil, and 2 10-sided dice if possible. Deathwatch: Final Sanction is being run in conjunction with the Durban War Games Club, many of whose members play Warhammer 40K as a tabletop miniatures war game. Interested people can sign up on the event's Facebook page.
Upcoming Durban Game Day Details - Deathwatch: Final Sanction:
Date: Sunday, 18 July, 10am
Location: Westville Civic Centre Library
Cost: FREE
Finally, if pen and paper doesn't feature in your definition of gaming, there's the rAge Expo, Joburg's massively popular annual video gaming and technology exhibition - which is organised by New Age Gaming, South Africa's premiere gaming, computer and technology magazine. Along with plenty of exhibitors (and their booth babes) flaunting hi-tech wares to gadget-slut guys, rAge is probably best known for featuring the 3-day NAG LAN. The LAN the largest gaming LAN in South Africa, with 2000+ gamers networked for competitive combat chaos.
rAge 2010 Details:
Date: 1 - 3 October 2010 (Friday through Sunday)
Location: The Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg
Cost: R50 per day / R80 for the entire weekend / R350 LAN entry
And there you have it - a complete list of all the major events, exhibitions and conventions that South African gamers and geeks can look forward to in the next 6 months. For the record, Pretoria's UPCON 2010 gaming con already took place back in April.
Of course, if I've missed anything important, please let me know...
First up is ICON, South Africa's biggest games and comic convention, which takes place annually in Johannesburg. Although disappointingly I can't make the July event this year for budget-watching (AKA unemployment) reasons, I had an absolute blast last year and highly recommend that anyone with geeky passions - role-playing, card gaming, tabletop war gaming, boardgames, anime, sci-fi, comics and superheroes, and a teensy bit of videogaming - pop in this year. Especially since 2010's theme is "Attack of the 80s"! So you just know that the annual costume contest will be fantastic.
ICON is a great opportunity to meet and "geek out" with like-minded individuals; demo games without the pressure of an expensive purchase; enter various competitions and tournaments; browse mountains of incredibly tempting merchandise at the exhibitors' stalls, and this year even enjoy a geek-centric comedy show.
Everything you need to know about ICON can be found in the downloadable brochure (Man, oh, man, I would so sign up for the Nightmare Before Christmas-themed Call of Cthulhu module and Dracula LARP). And if this isn't enough information to tempt you, you can still also check out the ICON Facebook group - which contains plenty of con pics that have been collected over the years.
ICON 2010 Details:
Date: 23 - 25 July 2010 (Friday through Sunday)
Location: Jabula Recreation Centre in Sandringham, Johannesburg
Cost: R20 per day / R40 for the entire weekend.
If you can't get to Joburg in July for ICON, the next big gaming con on the local calendar is Dragonfire, which is taking place in Cape Town in early August. Run by CLAWS, the University of Cape Town's role-playing society, Dragonfire is South Africa's OLDEST and second biggest gaming convention. This year marks the 22nd Dragonfire con and this year's theme is Forgotten Nightmares. The organisers have promised "Four days of roleplaying, LARPing, wargaming, CCGs, parties and general mayhem!"
Having never attended Dragonfire, I'm currently flirting with making an appearance this year. Somehow.
Dragonfire 2010 Details:
Date: 6 - 9 August 2010 (Friday through Monday)
Location: Kramer Law Building on University of Cape Town Middle Campus
Cost: ???
Mired in apathy as usual, my hometown of Durban has no gaming conventions. Hmph, let's call this part of the post NO-Con then. Jerall of the gaming blog tenletter, however, has been working hard to introduce Durbanites to tabletop gaming as a pastime, running boardgaming and role-playing events essentially every month.
The next event coming up in mid July is entitled Deathwatch: Final Sanction, and is a pen-and-paper role-playing adventure set in the Warhammer 40K universe. If you have ever fantasized about being a badass, bio-engineered Space Marine, here's your chance. All are welcome to the game day, and you need only bring a pencil, and 2 10-sided dice if possible. Deathwatch: Final Sanction is being run in conjunction with the Durban War Games Club, many of whose members play Warhammer 40K as a tabletop miniatures war game. Interested people can sign up on the event's Facebook page.
Upcoming Durban Game Day Details - Deathwatch: Final Sanction:
Date: Sunday, 18 July, 10am
Location: Westville Civic Centre Library
Cost: FREE
Finally, if pen and paper doesn't feature in your definition of gaming, there's the rAge Expo, Joburg's massively popular annual video gaming and technology exhibition - which is organised by New Age Gaming, South Africa's premiere gaming, computer and technology magazine. Along with plenty of exhibitors (and their booth babes) flaunting hi-tech wares to gadget-slut guys, rAge is probably best known for featuring the 3-day NAG LAN. The LAN the largest gaming LAN in South Africa, with 2000+ gamers networked for competitive combat chaos.
rAge 2010 Details:
Date: 1 - 3 October 2010 (Friday through Sunday)
Location: The Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg
Cost: R50 per day / R80 for the entire weekend / R350 LAN entry
And there you have it - a complete list of all the major events, exhibitions and conventions that South African gamers and geeks can look forward to in the next 6 months. For the record, Pretoria's UPCON 2010 gaming con already took place back in April.
Of course, if I've missed anything important, please let me know...
Comments
I won't be making it to ICON this year, but I'm aiming for Dragonfire.
Nice new theme for the blog btw.
Mark, no worries. I thought as much.