Video Game Convention And Events Schedule Of 2024

There are plenty of video game conventions, award shows, and conferences every year, so fans and followers of the industry will never thirst for new announcements, networking opportunities, and all that other jazz. But with so many different events you can go to literally around the globe, it can be a Herculean effort to keep track of them all. From celebrating Dungeons & Dragons to all things Minecraft, it’s just a lot.

Not to fear, intrepid reader or casual visitor! We’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled a schedule of the major gaming conventions and shows that occur throughout the year and organized them by date. So get out your calendar and start planning for these upcoming events where you can get front-row seats to industry news and meet like-minded video game fans and professionals!

Updated on September 23, 2024: Now that we’re wrapping up our summer convention coverage (and looking forward to an interesting autumn ahead), we’re updating our industry conventions article with even more of our write-ups. Also, have fun if you’re heading to TwitchCon or the Tokyo Game Show in the coming week!

Upcoming And Current Events

• Gamescom is the biggest gaming show in the world, and plenty of our team was in attendance to check out everything on offer.
  • Our favorite stuff we saw on day one, day two, and day three, as well as some universal favorite moments.
  • Axel Bosso previewed Path of Exile 2, Killing Floor 3, and even interviewed the director of Splitgate 2.
  • George Foster saw how far Dragon Ball: Sparkling Zero has come since SGF, tested Little Nightmares 3, and sampled the Jackbox Naughty Pack.
  • Harry Alson peeked at Civilization 7, got violent in City 20, and fell in love with God Save Birmingham.
  • Meg Pelliccio saw Atari’s catalog of physical releases, tried Urban Myth Dissolution Center, and spoke with Naoki Yoshida about Final Fantasy 14’s future.
  • Rhiannon Bevan played Date Everything! for the first time, tried out New Arc Line, and spoke with Gamescom director Tim Endres.
  • Finally, editor-in-chief Stacey Henley split time in the Life is Strange: Double Exposure demo, enjoyed Infinity Nikki, and is calling Unusual June the next Psychonauts.
• PAX West also took place in Seattle, Washington last weekend, and both myself and Eric Switzer were on site to see a bit of everything.
  • The Mix is an annual highlight of indie games taking place off-site to highlight roughly 50 unique titles. Eric and I played a bit of everything, with a highlight reel of our favorites.
  • Eric did plenty of on-camera interviews during the convention, like with:
  • I played a number of really cool previews at PAX West and spoke with a number of developers about their projects! Some of my highlights were:

Biggest Game Events In January 2024

January starts off with the Consumer Electronics Show. CES is not open to the general public, but if you happen to meet registration requirements and are interested in consumer technology, you can register for a pass to attend.

We’ve also got the New York Game Awards with its 13th annual show and after party! The event this year was hosted by Reggie Fils-Aimé, Harold Goldberg, and Neil Druckmann.

Biggest Game Events In February 2024

If you happen to be a video game exec and you’re seeking to network with like-minded individuals and companies, don’t miss out on registering for D.I.C.E. Summit. You’ll get the chance to hear from some of the top minds in the industry who are pushing the growth of titans in gaming.

And let’s not forget the first of the Magic: The Gathering conventions of the year. MagicCon: Chicago features Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor, sneak peeks at new cards, and, of course, a ton of event-exclusive MTG merch.

Where Were We In February?

Though we didn’t attend many events for gaming specifically in February, Jade King and Meg Pelliccio were in attendance at the red carpet for the BAFTAs!

Biggest Game Events In March 2024

We have two gaming events set for March! GDC is an annual conference for game developers and other industry professionals. Pass prices are quite steep, but the workshops, rant sessions, and the Game Developers Choice Awards are just a few of the things that make this an event worth attending. (We have an example of insights you can learn from a GDC panel in this coverage of a WoW Shadowlands discussion.)

PAX East is another one of the PAX series of conventions that celebrates all aspects of gaming. It’s an expo for fans by fans, and it’s a delight to attend. If you’re in the Boston area when PAX is happening, even just walking outside the Exhibition Center is enough to share in the energy and excitement that surrounds it.

Where Were We In March?

March was a fun month here at TG! While Eric Switzer headed west for GDC, Gabrielle Castania and Andrew King went the other way across the US to PAX East.

Biggest Game Events In April 2024

We have two events slated for April. The first is WASD, which is a fantastic convention that celebrates the best in indie games. It features talks from veteran developers and exciting news about upcoming releases. If you’re in the area and raring for industry info, WASD is the place to be.

The second is EVO Japan, and if you haven’t heard of EVO, you must not be a mega fan of the fighting game genre. It’s the biggest fighting game tournament around, and it’s a thrill to watch. Speaking as a person who’s not that skilled at the genre, I can still say my heart pounds watching some of those matches. The talent on display is undeniable, and if you get the opportunity to go to EVO or watch some of its games online, it will be well worth it.

The WASD website was having technical issues at the time of this article’s most recent republish.

Where Were We In April?

April was a big one for us at TheGamer! Jade King, Meg Pelliccio, and Helen Ashcroft headed to WASD and saw some cool indies during their time there, while James Troughton checked out the Elder Scrolls Online event. Meg also went to Japan for the Megaton Mushashi World Cup and fought valiantly on TG’s behalf.

Biggest Game Events In May 2024

May gives us two events you can go to if you’re in (or planning to be in) the United States before the heat of summer. Originally known as Wizard World Philadelphia, FAN EXPO Philadelphia has evolved into a show that hosts a myriad of pop-culture celebrities, incredible workshops with talented artists, and a ginormous show floor.

Next, we have OtakuFest, which is a three-day celebration of all things anime, manga, and cosplay set in Miami, Florida. If those three things sound right up your alley, then this festival is the perfect event for you to attend.

Where Were We In May?

Joe Parlock checked out UK Games Fest, and saw plenty of interesting tabletop games both new and old.

Biggest Game Events In June 2024

The big event of the summer is the aptly named Summer Game Fest. SGF is mainly a digital event with a focus on game announcements and livestreamed panels. It’s a chance for game developers to showcase what they’re working on and to reveal new projects that are still in the pipeline. It’s also a chance for viewers to learn about what new games are on the horizon and to (hopefully) mark down on calendars any release dates that get announced.

After Summer Game Fest, we have a Future Games Showcase and a PC Gaming Showcase that we can tune in to via YouTube and a variety of other platforms. Both are broadcasts that will give us more info on upcoming games and also showcase some newer titles that we should put on our radar.

MagicCon: Amsterdam, the second MTG convention of the year, takes place in June as well, featuring a different Pro Tour for Modern Horizons 3. And for the first time ever, GamesCom is coming to Latin America!

Where Were We In June?

We started a busy summer here at TheGamer in June! Meg Pelliccio started the month with a Final Fantasy Dawntrail preview and interview with director Naoki Yoshida (a game for which she’s writing plenty of content!). Meanwhile, Stacey Henley, George Foster, and Eric Switzer went to Summer Game Fest in Los Angeles, while Zoë Osik checked out the Disney Lorcana Challenge in Chicago. Santi Leguiza rounded out the month by attending GamesCom LATAM in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Biggest Game Events In July 2024

Though San Diego Comic Con started its life as a convention centered around comic books, the blend of interests shared by the film and games industry has made it an exposition of pop culture as a whole. Hosted in the beautiful climate of coastal southern California, SDCC features a massive exhibit hall with plenty to experience and a diverse array of panels for guests to attend. Just prepare your souls for the Hall H line.

Where Were We In July?

July brought some of TheGamer staff out to California for San Diego Comic Con, where Eric Switzer and I saw plenty of cool game and movie previews, bought a ton of sweet merch, and even met up with a few of our colleagues along the way!

Biggest Game Events In August 2024

A lot is happening in August, with PAX West scheduled late into the month, and with QuakeCon and GamesCom also set to occur earlier. QuakeCon celebrates the games and properties helmed by id Software, and it’s most notably recognized for its LAN parties and competitions.

GamesCom is a massive trade fair for video games hosted in Germany and is one of the most highly attended gaming-related events in the world. If you’re going to have attending a video game event on your bucket list, GamesCom is the one to go for!

Where Were We In August?

Jerel Levy made his way to GenCon, while plenty of the other staff at TG headed over to Germany for Gamescom. Eric Switzer, meanwhile, was at the Pokemon World Championships in Hawaii.

Biggest Game Events In September 2024

All right, forget GamesCom. You want to know what one of the best game trade fairs in the world is? It’s the Tokyo Game Show! A flood of developers exhibit their games during the days of TGS, and if the bustling crowds of the show floor are too crowded for your liking or the flight to Japan too pricey, the event is livestreamed via YouTube and Twitch to a worldwide audience.

Where Were We In September?

September began with myself and Eric Switzer heading out to Seattle, Washington for PAX West over Labor Day weekend.

Biggest Game Events In October 2024

October is another action-packed, event-filled month! We get another PAX in the form of PAX Melbourne, which is the only PAX event hosted outside of the United States in Australia. EGX is a trade fair that has been hosted in the UK and in Germany in the past. It’s an annual event, and over the years, it has built up solid attendance.

The Brazil Game Show is the massive gem of gaming events this October. It’s known as one of the largest gaming conventions in Latin America, and it’s only continued to grow as time has gone by. Numerous game developers are represented at the exposition, and though breathing room is in short supply, the heaps of awesome you’ll find there are neverending.

Honestly, October is just jam-packed with events, but we can’t forget the last MTG con of the year, MagicCon: Las Vegas. It features the Magic World Championship 30 and, of course, a host of panels, merch booths, and other competitions. Additionally, the Montreat Inernational Game Summit will take place at the end of October this year, too!

Biggest Game Events In November 2024

Even though BlizzCon was canceled this year, we still have Paris Games Week and the Montreal International Game Summit to look forward to in November! We’ve added the WePlay Expo to our list, which is the largest showcase of indie games in China that takes place in Shanghai the middle of the month. We’ve also just received word that the Montreal International Games Summit will take place at the end of October this year instead of early November like it was in 2023.

Pax Unplugged is all about board games and card games, so if you lean toward gaming sans a screen, visiting the Pennsylvania Convention Center in December should be on your itinerary. You’ll be able to play new tabletop games that have yet to reach the public or you can try your hand at a tournament if you’re feeling competitive!

Also in December, we have The Game Awards, gaming’s premier award show where we celebrate the past year’s accomplishments in the industry. New trailers and upcoming announcements are teased throughout the ceremony, and at the end, the game of the year is crowned! You can tune in to The Game Awards on a variety of streaming services!