Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2012

[Mechblue]

I'm thinking i'm going to make it this year. Sounded like it was great last year and the venue is even bigger for 2012!

http://retrogamingexpo.com/

Wondering if anyone is planning to go?

[Cronozilla]

I might be going. My buddy wants to go ... I certainly wouldn't be doing it if I was going solo ... I have next to no money to spend on stuff like this, by myself would just be me paying to walk around a convention center by myself.

[BurningDoom]

I'm gonna try and make it. It's a few hours from where I live in Northern California. It'll be my first gaming convention, but not my first convention. I went to the Wonder-Con comic convention in San Francisco in 2009, which was freaking massive and amazing!

[BurningDoom]

CRAP! Just talked to my wife, and her best friend's baby shower is that weekend. We only have 1 car, and that of course takes preference. I won't be going.

Maybe next year.

[mustardseed]

That looks like a fun expo. Didn't know Portland had something like. I will definitely be looking into going since it's only a few hours away.

I've been to the Midwest Gaming Classic and the Screwattack Convention and those were an absolute blast!

[Mechblue]

it's a great event. It got big last year and I guess it was successful enough that they've moved to an even bigger venue.

I mainly went for the large vendors area which had just about everything and some decent prices. They didn't have a ton to do outside of the vendor area, a free play arcade was a recent addition and it looks like that could be close to 100 machines strong this year!

Plus some speakers so it should be fun.

[BurningDoom]

CRAP! Just talked to my wife, and her best friend's baby shower is that weekend. We only have 1 car, and that of course takes preference. I won't be going.

Maybe next year.

Sooo, anyone live near Redding, CA or passing through and going? I've got gas money and will bring beer if wanted.

[Dakinggamer87]

I was thinking about going but I need to save the money for PAX Prime in Seattle which is coming up in a few weeks.

[gradualmeltdown]

This year should be really fun if even half the things I've heard about happen. The panels and tournaments will have far more space than before making for a better experience. I work at the venue so I am really stoked and will be helping out a little bit with volunteer work.

The arcade is the new big focus this year. Over 100 arcade machines from local arcades and collectors are already lined up. Basically they have WAY more space and want to make the freeplay arcade a nice place to chill. I'll be supplying a stylin Capcom Big Blue with Super Puzzle Fighter X and some other CPS2 game's if requested.

I'll also be hosting a booth that is celebrating things I think are cool. Day one I'm hosting a local pottery duo that are making retro game themed work. The pac-Man themed cake tray is really sweet along with shot glasses and other stuff too. Day two of the event my booth will have circuit bent video game systems for sale and on display. You've gotta see the nasty things my buddy Drew has done with Sega Saturn, Atari Music, 3DO, Colecovision and others.

[Mechblue]

So did anyone other than me make it out to the event last weekend?

Thought it was an excellent venue for the show and wish I could have made it to the retro games road show and some other panels.

Vendor area was huge and I spent almost all day Saturday just seeing everything for sale. Just about every game system was represented, tons of games, prices were pretty fair and folks would haggle. There were plenty of non-game sellers with game art, t-shirts, even some anime booth. Lots of local Portland game stores representing.

Hope it's just as great next year!