When you hear of pro gaming, the two things that come to mind are either Esports or pro poker. The two are just among the vast variety of pro gaming categories that host big events annually.
Some are so big they have to be hosted geographically or semi-annually. The events don’t have to be competitions. On the contrary, the biggest pro gaming events are normally expos and gaming conventions.
These events, especially the annual ones, carry the gaming industry through the next year. They contain gaming news, press releases about games, and networking activities.
New games are tried in such events, whilst entertainment and other mini-events like tournaments go on. Some worldwide pro gaming events are always worth looking out for. Here is the pick for 2022.
- World Series Of Poker
This is the most famous pro poker event in the world. In previous years, there has been a cocktail of summer and winter time hosting, but that changed. In 2022, the event will be well within the summer, running from May 31st to July 20th.
The event is normally hosted at The Rio, but again, this has changed this year. The event has been split up into two venues, Bally’s and Paris. Also, this year is the first time the event will be hosted at the iconic Las Vegas Strip.
This is according to this 2022 WSOP schedule. The event will be pretty packed, with 88 bracelet events, the Tournament of Champions, and 13 online events. The earliest events per day will start at 10 am, while the latest events kick off at 4:30 pm. The latter is an online event, hence why the time could be pushed a bit.
The WSOP is very accommodating, as you can play no matter what your bankroll says. There is at least a game for everyone and prizes with million-dollar pools in the main events.
2022 is also special because there is an event making a return after 12 years. The Tournament of Champions invitational. The event even offers competitions for casino employees.
- Tokyo Game Show
This is one of the biggest pro gaming events in the world, both commercially and for gamers. The four-day event is held annually in Tokyo, attracting interest from all over the world.
Big press conferences and press releases that happen only once a year lead the way in this event. Loads of games are also played within the four days, as prolific pro gamers are always in attendance.
The event runs from the 15th of September to the 18th day of the same month. It will be returning to physical grounds after the pandemic. It had for the past two years been hosted online due to unavoidable circumstances.
Some content will still be held online, as some exhibitors and visitors have confirmed they cannot make it physically. The event has in previous years boasted some serious guests, including PlayStation, owned by Sony.
The first two days are set aside for press and industry members. The other two days are left open for the rest, including enthusiasts in the gaming industry. The 2022 event will be hosted at the Makuhari Messe.
- E3
Other than the WSOP which is only a poker event, this is the biggest gaming event in the US. The E3 is an expo, which in full means the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It was not always a popular event, as it was not even a public expo.
Only electronic companies used to attend, the likes of Sony. The event kept growing until it was made a public event in 2017. Due to the increased popularity and public opening, Sony stopped attending the event.
The event normally takes place in June of every year. 2022’s event has not been confirmed whether it will be online or in Los Angeles as usual.
- Brazil Game Show
The Brazil Game Show is South America’s biggest gaming event. Other than being an expo and a gaming event, it poses as a gaming convention. Developers, gamers, enthusiasts, and cosplayers are always in attendance during the week-long event.
During the whole week, three days are meant for gaming conventions only. The future of gaming and the industry as a whole are discussed by the various bodies in attendance.
The event will be hosted in Sao Paolo in 2022, at the Expo Centre Norte. Other than fun and games, the event aims to encourage networks between industry giants and new promising talents.
- Gamescom
In Europe, very few events can match the magnitude of Gamescom. The event is hosted in Germany yearly, being one of the biggest gaming conventions in Europe. The 2022 event will be 4 days long, running from 24th to 28th August.
It will be hosted at the Koelnmesse, in the city of Cologne. The event is making a comeback online, just like all the other big events that had to compromise. Big developers will be making their way to the event, which gives a platform for big announcements.
The event is used by video game developers to showcase their work. If measured through exhibition space and the number of exhibitors and visitors, it is the largest gaming event. The most notable game developers are probably EA Sports.
- PAX
The Penny Arcade Expo started as a local indie gaming event for enthusiasts. However, the event has over the years attracted bigger developers and gamers. It has become big enough to be hosted in four different locations per year.
For 2022, only the Boston venue has been confirmed, with the rest subject to updates. The Boston one is called PAX East, while another one that has been confirmed minus the venue is PAX Unplugged.
The latter will take place from December 10th to December 12th. The event is so popular that tickets are sold in Australia as well as Boston, Seattle, and San Antonio.
Conclusion
Events in pro gaming, expos, and conventions happen to help elevate pro gaming. These are some of the world’s most popular, but there are thousands of others all over the world.
