We are still a long way out from October, the traditional celebratory month of the EB Games Expo. We're so far out in fact that the games retailer has only just been confirmed to return to the Sydney Showground.
From October 2-4 this year, gamers will again be able to strap on their favourite cosplay costume, head out to Homebush and enjoy the cacophony that is the year's most exciting games releases from all the big publishers.
Tickets will go on sale from 9am AEDT on April 16 for the October event, opening up 15,000 square metres of show floor to attendees.
We're still a long way from knowing exactly what to expect this year, but if history is any indication, there are a few safe bets on the types of areas we can expect to see.
Plus, the announcement of the event's return brings with it the promise of entertainment beyond just games, so there'll be plenty for everyone at the show.
We'll keep this page updated with details as they come to light, but in the mean time, here's everything we expect to see at the EB Games Expo 2015
Games, Games, Games
For the past few years, the big three console manufacturers have all had pretty massive stands, with an emphasis on trying to showcase the benefits of the next-gen lineup of consoles, from the PS4 and Xbox One to the Wii U.
Naturally, a big part of these stands are the exclusive titles destined to be released, and with games like Uncharted 4, Halo 5 and Forza 6 all destined to launch this year, we expect this year's show to be a hotbed of awesome gaming action.
Even though the show has just been announced, we still know that PlayStation, XBOX, Nintendo, Activision, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will all have playable experiences on the show floor.
2. Entertainment aplenty
Confirmed for this year's show is a showing from comedy duo The Umbilical Brothers, who will be entertaining show-goers across the whole weekend with stuff from both their new show and their stand-up routines.
It's not all funny noises and weird faces though – family's will be getting in on the entertainment as well, with Adventure Time live on stage, and the EB Bunny's amusement show rides making an appearance on the Sunday family day.
If popular culture is more your thing, you'll love the Operation Awesome stage show from Russall S. Beattie, and live shows from John Robertson in the new Zing Pop Culture zone on the show floor.
3. Zing Pop Culture zone
Speaking of which, it's probably worth pointing out the newest addition to the EB Games Expo 2015: The Zing Pop Culture Zone.
The new home for Cosplay competitions and promising an enormous display by The Sydney Brick show, the Zing Pop Culture Zone is for all the geeks at the show.
This is also going to be the home of the new Zing Mega store, where you'll be able to take out a second mortgage on your home to buy awesome pop culture toys and collectibles. My wife should probably make sure I don't go into this area, if I'm being honest.
4. EB Community
If there's one thing gaming expos have shown us, it's that gamers love listening to people from the gaming industry talk. Whether it's a panel on making a AAA title or industry veterans discussing moving trends and challenges they face in their work, you just can't have a gaming expo without panels.
At the EB Games Expo, these panels fall under the banner of EB Community. Last year, a 1,000 seat stage area hosted Q&A sessions with the team from Good Game, some comic performances, Cosplay competitions and heaps more.
This year, we expect a similar lineup, but we'll have to wait and see exactly what to expect.
5. EB Megastore
EB Games may host a pretty successful gaming Expo, but it's also a pretty successful games retailer. So it's no surprise that a big section of the show floor is dedicated to the EB Megastore.
EB makes it nice and easy for anyone impressed by a game on the show floor to pre-order or purchase, with a convenient shipping option so you don't have to carry your purchase around all day.
There's also a huge amount of collectibles available, so make sure your credit card is fairly empty before joining the EB Games Megastore queue.
6. Family Day
Even though the average aim of the modern gamer is well over 30, there's still a massive market for the kiddies out there.
For the past few years, the EB Games Expo has dedicated its Sunday to being a Family Day, with dedicated shows and panels specifically targeting a younger audience.
If previous years are any indication, this year;'s event will feature specific events for kids, a whole heap of kid-friendly games on show and exclusive competitions for the kids to win.
7. Home Grown Gaming
Aussie developers are the best developers. Well, they're as good as any other developers around the world, anyway.
The EB Games Expo 2015 will undoubtedly dedicate a section of the show floor to showcase some of the best local indie developers and their games.
In previous years, more than 20 local devs have had a stand to show off their games, which were among some of the highlights of the show. Definitely worth checking out should you head to the event.
8. Cosplay aplenty
It wouldn't be a celebration of geek culture if there wasn't cosplay, and given just how big a part of last year's show Cosplay was, we expect the same this year.
While some will just dress up for the thrill of it, EB Games Expo attendees will also undoubtedly have the opportunity to enter Cosplay competitions on each day of the event, with the chance to win some pretty sweet prizes.
9. More to come
We expect EB Games to confirm dates for this year's show in the near future. But until then, we'll keep an ear to the ground, our eyes on the prize and our hopes that this year's EB Games Expo is going to be bigger and better than previous years.
And when the show happens, you can bet that we'll be on the show floor, covering all the news from the event.
March 31, 2015 at 11:45AM
Nick Broughall
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