If anyone is interested, this weekend is the 3rd annual Portland Retro Gaming Expo.
This year is looking to be the best one yet! There will be lots of contests, prizes, etc.
I don't know if anyone would be interested in a retro gaming room at Kumoricon next year, but I would be happy to help set that up if there is any interest.
Here are some snippets from the press release that should provide enough details:
The NorthWest Classic Games
Enthusiasts (NWCGE), a Pacific NorthWest-based group dedicated to the
preservation and promotion of classic video games, announces the 2008
Portland Retro Games Expo.
The Expo, now in its third year, brings together classic video game fans
from across the NorthWest. Open to the public, it is an opportunity for
nostalgic gamers to revisit their favorite video game systems of yore.
The Retro Gaming Expo isn't just for collectors. Anyone with an interest
in home video gaming will find something to enjoy. The Expo will feature
vendors and exhibitions of classic game consoles as well as contests and
tournaments.
What is a classic video game?
The classic gaming hobby is most closely associated with home consoles
like the Atari 2600/5200/7800, Nintendo NES and SNES systems, Sega
Master System/Genesis and other systems released in the 1980s and
early 1990s. Visitors can expect to see these systems as well as many
lesser-known systems at the Expo.
Portland has a long history of support for the classic video game hobby,
making it a great home for the Expo. In addition to a 1980’s-style game
arcade, there are many local stores where the nostalgic can still purchase
classics like Atari’s Yar’s Revenge, Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. and the
Final Fantasy series for Sony’s Playstation.
“There has been a lot of interest lately in older video games,” said Rick
Weis, one of the organizers of the Expo. “I think a lot of people who grew
up playing Atari in the 1980’s now have kids who play games. The
introduction of family-friendly systems like the Nintendo Wii have
renewed interest in the older games by parents who would like to show
their kids the games they used to play.”
The Portland Retro Gaming Expo will be held on August 2 and 3 in a 7000
square foot exhibition hall at the Portland Airport Holiday Inn and
Conference Center. Doors open at 10 AM on both Saturday and Sunday.
The exhibitor and vendor hall is open until 5:00 p.m. and the classic
game tournaments begin after the exhibitor hall closes at 5 PM each day.
Tickets are available at the door. Single entry is $10 for one day or $15
for both. The family rate (up to 5 people in one family) is $25.00 for one
day or $40 for both days.
Rick Weis and John Hancock are available to answer any questions at
For more information:
http://www.retrogamingexpo.com
