After successfully hosting its winter gaming expo (GAX) in February, the Moose Jaw Gamers Association is thrilled to host its summer event this month after a two-year hiatus.
This summer’s GAX occurs at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre from Friday, July 22 to Sunday, July 24. The doors open Friday at 3 p.m. and close at midnight. They re-open at 8 a.m. on Saturday and close at midnight, while they open again at 8 a.m. on Sunday and close at 5 p.m.
The cost is $20 for all three days, including pizza on Saturday, while another $10 ensures gamers have access to a Local Area Network (LAN) to compete against others.
Attendees accessing the LAN must bring their own computer.
Visit mjga.ca to purchase tickets and pre-register.
Nerds, geeks and gamers are encouraged to pre-register, although it is not required. Anyone who registers before Monday, July 18, will be entered for a prize.
Besides computer games, GAX will feature board games, card games, dice games, role-playing games, and virtual reality headsets.
Talon Regent, vice-president with the Moose Jaw Gamers Association (MJGA), said the group is excited to hold its summer GAX after a long, pandemic-enforced break.
“Our winter expo of 2022 was held in February and it was a roaring success. It was clear that after two years of not being able to get together as a result of the pandemic, people were interested and excited to get back together to gaming in person,” he said.
“People braved a blizzard in February to make it, so we expect an even better turn out here in July … given we should not have to worry about any blizzards.”
Regent also thought it “was a great honour” that the association’s gaming expos were the longest running in Saskatchewan.
With the winter GAX attracting about 185 people, Regent estimated more than 200 people could attend the summer event. The association has striven to grow its semi-annual events every year, which it did for a decade before the pandemic interrupted things, he said.
The winter event raised more than $5,000, while the summer GAX could raise a similar amount. After paying expenses, Regent thought the group could donate about $5,000 to Creative Kids as part of its annual charity of choice.
The cultural centre is a great venue because the three floors allow the organization to spread out the games and dedicate rooms to certain activities, he said.
This additional space allows people to roam around freely and — when excitement builds — become rowdy without distracting others.
“The Moose Jaw Cultural Centre itself has been fantastic to work with. We actually have volunteers and gamers that work at the cultural centre that come out to GAX time after time,” he continued. “So we have a close partnership and positive relationship with them that we will continue to share into the future.”
Regent looked forward to playing virtual reality games but was fond of board games since they drew him back each year. He didn’t have a favourite board game but enjoyed the chance to play new ones.
He noted that a big group will likely play Magic: The Gathering, a game that takes time because players must build a strong deck of cards. Meanwhile, Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) continues to grow, while LAN games are also popular.
People of all ages can attend, although adults must accompany youths under age 16.
Meanwhile, participants come from all walks of life, whether lawyers, engineers, ironworkers, electricians, retirees or students. Players have come from seven provinces, two territories and the United States.
Gaming is popular because of how humans and social behaviours have evolved, Regent added, while it’s an opportunity to share a common experience with others and have fun.
