Following the success of its inaugural show last year, GameStart 2015 will take place Nov. 13 to 15 in Singapore at the Suntec Convention Centre, Halls 401 and 402, with double the floor space from last year at almost 4,000 square meters.
This year, visitors can expect to see numerous trial stands and demo booths across all platforms – PC, console and mobile – and over 60 hot new games, including several that have yet to be launched. There will be meet-the-producer sessions, show matches, eSports tournaments, cosplay runway showcase and exclusive promotions for game bundles and show merchandise.
Visitors to GameStart 2015 will be the first in Southeast Asia to try the PlayStation VR headset peripheral. When worn during gameplay with PS4 VR games, the headset gives the user a truly immersive experience.
Bandai Namco Entertainment will showcase upcoming games Dark Souls III and Gundam Extreme vs. Force. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will be presenting Lego Marvel’s Avengers, which is expected to launch in January.
Thanks to the Star Wars fans at Geek Culture, GameStart 2015 attendees will also be the first in Singapore to experience the Star Wars™: Battle Pod™, an experiential arcade game that features a dome-shaped screen, transporting players into heated battles in a galaxy far, far away. In iconic locations like the Death Star, players will be able to take control of some of the most memorable vehicles and moments in the Star Wars universe and pilot them to victory.
No Average Joe, GameStart 2015’s Production Partner for the show, has brought back the popular retro gaming section “Retro DNA”, where gamers can check out vintage game consoles, games and arcade machines from the 1980s to the early 2000.
Celebrity cosplayers Johnny (Junkers Cosplay) and Karin (Acanthastar Cosplay) from the United States and TUNA from South Korea will be at the show to meet their fans and will also be judges for the Game On! Cosplay Runway Showcase on Nov. 15, organized by cosplay partner Neo Tokyo Project.
With events and games that will appeal to everyone from core and casual gamers to cosplay enthusiasts, this year’s organizers have expanded the show to include an industry-focused Business Day and conference session on Nov. 13 themed “Gaming in Asia: Trends & Insights”. The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) is the supporting agency for the Conference, with the aim of profiling and promoting the career opportunities within this dynamic and exciting industry.
Ubisoft Singapore Senior Producer Hugues Ricour will be the keynote speaker for the conference and will share his views on how AAA HD game titles put Singapore on the map. Attendees will also get the inside scoop from experts from Facebook, Mad Catz and Twitch, among others.
The first 500 visitors to the show on Saturday and Sunday will receive a “Random Loot Bag,” which contain anything from exclusive T-shirts to games, posters and other exclusive items. All paid ticket holders qualify for the show lucky draw in which they can win prizes such as consoles and gaming accessories. These include a SecretLab chair, Obutto racing seat, products from Armaggeddon and Razer, Kinetiquettes Street Fighter statues, and more. Full details will be revealed on the GameStart.asia website. Homegrown gaming gear company Armaggeddon will be also be launching exciting new products at the show.
Merchandise for fans and collectors include official Blizzard merchandise including items from Blizzcon 2015 that will be sold in limited quantities, exclusive pieces from Simply Toys, and Arc System Works from Japan will be offering exclusive merchandise of their critically acclaimed fighting game franchises, BlazBlue and Guilty Gear.
Official apparel partner for GameStart, Xmashed Gear will be debuting new designs for sale at the event. Also available for sale will be game-themed socks specially created for GameStart 2015, in collaboration with Freshly Pressed. A total of 17 designs will be available at the event.