10 Must-Visit Best Gaming Havens Around the World

As the gaming industry grows from strength to strength as technology seemingly develops in an endless upward trajectory of creativity and innovation, we see more and more gaming conventions worldwide becoming gamers’ havens for everything they love the most. These “best gaming havens” conventions bring in larger-than-life crowds, with fanatics in their thousands making the trip each year.

Conventions bring investment, with some players aiming to get their hands on millions of dollars by participating in tournaments surrounding their favorite titles. Here are ten of the must-visit gaming havens across the world.

10 Must-Visit Best Gaming Havens Around the World

Spiel 

As top gaming destinations go, this one is different as it focuses on an older genre of gaming, the board game. Held in Germany, this board game festival has been running for 40 years and is the largest convention of its type. With a chance for companies to showcase the latest board games, Spiel attracts massive crowds every year, hoping to get their hands on the newest household favorite. Although there is a much lower focus on video games, Spiel still attracts crowds of over 200,000. 

Gamescon

Open to the general public, Gamescon is one of the largest gaming conventions in Germany and the world. Attracting hundreds of thousands of international fanatics each year, Gamescom is often compared with E3, presenting some of the biggest and best names in the industry. There are over 1,000 exhibitions to explore here, making it a paradise for all game enthusiasts.

E3 

E3 is a 28-year event held annually in Los Angeles since its inception. Attracting huge crowds, this event is renowned for being the place to be if you’re somebody in the gaming industry. E3 reinvented the gaming convention and turned it into the event we know and love today.

EGX 

The UK’s largest convention, previously known as the Eurogamer expo, this fair holds everything a gamer could ever desire. There is no limitation to a particular gaming style or genre, as EGX offers something for everyone, delivering intrigue from every corner. Whether you want to show off your cosplay skills or try a new game, this convention has something for everyone, and it’s one of the best gaming havens in the world.

Dreamhack

Held annually all over the world, with its largest event placed in Sweden, Dreamhack is generally seen as an eSports gaming event, although this is not the sole focus of the convention. Other significant players in the industry, like Nintendo and Ubisoft, have been found hosting exhibits of their own at Dreamhack.

Brazil Game Show

is The biggest game convention in the world — the Brazil Game Show. A huge event that caters to everyone’s diverse passions, this convention has something new around each corner. There is an attendance of over 300,000 people each year, all looking to catch a glimpse of the most recent tech, latest titles, and even some of the smaller projects from new developers with Kickstarter looking to get their ideas off the ground.

ChinaJoy

Despite hosting smaller crowds than other conventions in this list, ChinaJoy is still a must-see. China is home to many creators and gaming companies, making it impossible not to feature a few of them on the top-ten list. Although this convention doesn’t see the largest attendance compared to others, it has some of the biggest names in the industry, showing they must be doing something special here, making it one of the best gaming havens in the world.

Pax

Originally known as the Penny Arcade Expo, Pax is a gaming convention with a difference. Rather than focusing on the typical major consoles and the latest technology, Pax focuses on arcade games, independents, and tabletop fun. Pax is a migrating event, changing its location each year. Over the years, the event has grown massively, attracting crowds more than 20x those at its first event in 2003.

BlizzCon

Blizzcon is a Blizzard-specific convention to showcase the entire Blizzard Entertainment collection, including games like World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Starcraft. This is a convention that attracts genuinely devoted and loyal fans. Blizzcon still draws crowds of close to 40,000 each year despite only showcasing a specific side of the gaming market. Held in California, this convention comes in festival style, with some of the world’s biggest bands and artists playing live, such as Metallica, Ozzy Osborne, and Foo Fighters, to name just a few.

Tokyo Game Show

Regarding conventions, the Tokyo Game Show is huge. Attracting crowds as big as 300,000, this four-day event is colossal. The event’s first two days are not open to the public; only industry professionals will get a chance to step inside. The second two days are open to the public and full of some of the most-loved spectacles in the gaming world.

The gaming is expansive and intricate. Events are found in all pockets of the globe and don’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon. There is something for everyone, and each event has a welcoming atmosphere, making these locations and conventions fantastic options for the people attending for the first time and the seasoned visitors.