Classic Gaming Expo 2008 (Cancelled)

[y-bot]

I love the fact that it's in Vegas. I was really looking forward to going there again just to hang out in Las Vegas. Having a booth at CGE = free/cheap trip to Las Vegas for me. Going to Las Vegas without CGE = $1000-$2000 wasted. San Jose and whatever that shitty place by the San Francisco airport is called were ultra-lame. CGE was great but there was absolutely nothing else to do in the area.

y-bot

[98PaceCar]

Vegas is the way to go for sure. I attended all of the CA shows and found that they were much more expensive and not near as fun. Flights to Vegas are plentiful and cheap, hotel rooms are everywhere, there is every manner of food you could ever want in every hotel, and there is plenty to do to keep significant others entertained while you spend time at CGE. Moving it somewhere else (again) would be mistake.

[Coldguy]

Why not have CGE as an every other year thing? In the lulls some other event can take place on the East Coast. Problem solved.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I have yet to get bored in Las Vegas. Seriously. I wouldn't want to stay there for, say, two weeks or anything, but for a weekend? There's always something new.

And I thought this fella:

Why not have CGE as an every other year thing? In the lulls some other event can take place on the East Coast. Problem solved.

...might be on to something. It might be easier to work the numbers financially to make it every other year, and lessen the possibility of burnout among attendees, organizers and special guests.

CGE isn't the World Series - it's the freakin' Olympics. So every other year wouldn't break my heart to be honest. It's almost an overwhelming experience every time I go.

But it really, really needs to stay in Vegas. I don't even think that's open to debate. As much as I might want it to come to my back yard - I've got actual acreage for square footage, and I'd even buy some of the beer - the real deal only happens in Vegas. That's as it should be.

[DreamTR]

I honestly think there is no burnout year by year. It's something to really look forward to.

[Chainsaw_Charlie]

I think the every other year thing is a great idea. I would be moring than willing to help out with an east coast event

[WizDawg]

If CGE does not happen in Vegas this year, I noticed a few other neat conventions (if you need to get out there ).

http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex/ - Plaza Hotel 7/26/-7/27

http://www.defcon.org - Riviera Hotel 8/8-8/10

ps. But I'm still crossing my fingers that CGE happens.

[jeannerocket]

I completely agree that Las Vegas is not boring. I stayed there almost a week last year and barely gambled at all. There is so much rad stuff to do: gondola rides, animatronics shows, Cirque De Soleil, pop culture museums, water shows from the Eiffel Tower replica and some of the best food in and shopping in the world. That’s not even close to being a comprehensive list of Las Vegas entertainment highlights.

I would also contend that skipping years makes CGE lose momentum, not prevent burnout.

[Flack]

If CGE does not happen in Vegas this year, I noticed a few other neat conventions (if you need to get out there ).

http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex/ - Plaza Hotel 7/26/-7/27

http://www.defcon.org - Riviera Hotel 8/8-8/10

ps. But I'm still crossing my fingers that CGE happens.

I attended both of those last year as part of my CGE trip as well. Icebreaker, 98Pacecar and Ubikuberalles went to CommVex with me. If you are in Vegas and interested in the C64 then I recommend hitting CommVex ... but if you are making a special trip just for that, I am afraid to say you will not find much to do. When we were there, there were less than a dozen people there. IIRC there was only one table selling anything -- most of the people there were just there to hang out. The people were all extremely nice and I had a good time talking to people, but we had seen everything in about 10-15 minutes. My pictures of the show are in the middle of my GGE photo album -- it starts with a sign for the show.

http://www.robohara.com/albums/cge2k7/

I also attended (and spoke at) Defcon last year. Here are pictures of that.

http://www.robohara.com/albums/defcon

[ubersaurus]

I also disagree with the notion of it being biyearly. I was really looking forward to hitting it again this year up until the shenanigans in Vegas. It's just a great convention to go hang out at. And why move it again? I liked San Jose and all, but there's a hell of a lot more to do in Vegas outside of the con then there was there.

Here's hoping something comes together. If not, I guess I'll see you folks next year! Maybe I'll have some good amounts of spending money piled up by then

[Bojay1997]

I agree, and I echoed that comment when the possibility of skipping '06 came up. I was against moving the show to Cali (because it was firmly established in Vegas), but also against moving it back (b/c the Cali attendance #s were better than any year in Vegas). It's a shame CGE and CAX never joined together, but teaming up with Tim Arnold's Pinball Museum last year was a nice bonus. Hopefully that will be expanded on next year.

I would really love for the show to happen this year, regardless of location. I do have to say that I liked the California show better, if only because it wasn't so exhausting to walk around casinos to get to the show, there was no dealing with heat and to try and find a place to eat didn't require fighting huge amounts of traffic, etc...Also, it seemed like we got a better mix of speakers including Woz if I recall correctly. When I go to CGE, it's pretty much only to go to the show anyway. Vegas is not a place you can spend more than a day in without wanting to leave. I have to go occasionally for work and when given the option, I try to fly out the same day if at all possible. In any event, like everyone else here, I am more than willing to do whatever I can do to help get the show moving forward for this year and will volunteer to help during the show if needed as well.

[DreamTR]

Midwest Gaming Classic and CGE are the only shows with comparable attendance to one another, and both are slightly different beasts, but I look forward to both EACH year. I honestly liked the Vegas shows better because it was established there, and the two different locations in San Jose and near San Francisco just did not seem as enthusiastic, but you can sure get a lot more game industry folk having them up there.

[rolenta]

and the two different locations in San Jose and near San Francisco....

BURLINGAME, CA

Everyone seems to forget the name of this city where 2005 CGE was located, but it's very important in the history of videogames. It was here where Sanders and Magnavox showed off the Odyssey before it was released, and where Nolan Bushnell saw video ping pong for the first time.

[swlovinist]

While I think that the speakers offer flavor to the show, I often saw most speakers talking to a paltry small amount of people in the crowd. I really dont care where the show is. I am just lucky to go to several of these in the past. I look forward to seeing more of these hopefully. Helping put on the NWCGE event in Portland, planning an event can be exhausting a huge headache. I can only imagine how much of a headache planning from thousands of miles away from the event can be. Good luck with future shows guys.

[y-bot]

BURLINGAME, CA

Everyone seems to forget the name of this city where 2005 CGE was located, but it's very important in the history of videogames. It was here where Sanders and Magnavox showed off the Odyssey before it was released, and where Nolan Bushnell saw video ping pong for the first time.

I've been trying to forget that place. Walking down some nasty busy street to get to some greasy mexican restaurant that wasn't very good. There just wasn't anything remotely cool near there. Not saying it's not historic just not Las Vegas.

[Bojay1997]

While I think that the speakers offer flavor to the show, I often saw most speakers talking to a paltry small amount of people in the crowd. I really dont care where the show is. I am just lucky to go to several of these in the past. I look forward to seeing more of these hopefully. Helping put on the NWCGE event in Portland, planning an event can be exhausting a huge headache. I can only imagine how much of a headache planning from thousands of miles away from the event can be. Good luck with future shows guys.

Part of the diminishing crowd for speakers probably was linked to the fact that in the past few years, it has almost always been the same speakers doing the same panels. I'm not trying to be critical, but having attended all but one CGE, I have seen each panel at least twice, maybe three times by now and there is only so much new information these guys can remember some 20-25 years after the fact.

[DreamTR]

Koei is in Burlingame!

[vectrexer]

Ok Folks, is it a go or not?

[GrandAmChandler]

Ok Folks, is it a go or not?

Nope, 'fraid not.

http://cgexpo.com/

-GAC-

[Dan Iacovelli]

sorry to hear about that CGE got cancled for 2008.
I understand the problems finding a location, since I tried to do that for my show.
and I basicly found out that our one location was the best for this year.
We did intially want to move out to a new hotel,but the costs wasn't in our favor.
Keep The show in vegas, as long the duce is running in vegas I don't mind it being back at
plaza.