The Winter Gaming Expo -- better known as GAX -- will once again take place this coming February at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre after time away due to the ongoing pandemic.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” said Kristian Sjoberg with the Moose Jaw Gamers Association (MJGA), hosts of the GAX Winter and Summer gatherings “There will be lots of events and lots of stuff happening, and the Cultural Centre is helping us out with everything they can. It’ll be the same wonderful atmosphere and a chance to get back to the normal of things.”
When GAX claims to be ‘all things gaming’, they aren’t kidding. In addition to the traditional computer gaming LAN set up, the 2022 event will also feature Warhammer and War Machine miniature gaming to go along with the host of board and card games that remain among the most popular parts of GAX year-to-year.
Previous events have seen hundreds of players descend on the Cultural Centre throughout the three days and it’s expected that will be no exception this time around. One thing that will be different, though, will be the plans in place to help keep everyone safe — even though February is five months away, MJGA plans to take no chances with the pandemic.
“We’re going to follow suit with all the big events right now and as it stands we’re going to do a full proof of COVID vaccination or a 72-hour negative COVID test,” Sjoberg said. “It won’t be anything unusual for something like this, especially being indoors and with the number of people we expect we’ll have… Unless the COVID numbers are zero leading up to it, we’ll be taking precautions.”
All proceeds from Winter GAX 2021 will go to the Creative Kids arts and culture program, which gives youngsters a chance to participate in creative activities like drama, art, dance and music when they otherwise might not be able to.
“We didn’t get a chance to do a full year with Creative Kids last time, so we’re thinking that all of 2022 is going to go to them,” Sjoberg said. “We did donate around $500 in 2020, but all the proceeds from the weekend, every penny we earn at the Gaming Expo will go to Creative Kids and the money will stay here in Moose Jaw.”
The MJGA will still be busy leading up to GAX, with one of their more prominent events their ongoing Dungeons and Dragons Twitch sessions that are posted episodically on their YouTube channel. Their ‘No Good Rolls, Just Good Roleplaying’ series sees hour-long shows posted weekly, featuring the MJGA’s merry band of adventurers.
“It’s just a group of us playing D&D, filming it with maps and everything, and it’s something everyone can just watch and listen too,” Sjoberg said.
“It’s a good intro to D&D for people who haven’t played before, how the game works and all that. And if they really know D&D then they can cheer for us or make fun of us,” he added with a laugh.
For the latest on the Moose Jaw Gamers and their ongoing events, be sure to visit their website at www.mjga.ca and follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mjgamers/.
