At the end of May, Asmodee attended UK Games Expo, the largest consumer event in the gaming calendar. Over the course of the weekend, the event welcomed a record-breaking total of over 65,000 visitors, surpassing the previous year’s total of 52,000. The energy and enthusiasm from both the attendees and exhibitors truly made this year’s expo unforgettable!
Asmodee hosted more than nine stands throughout the show, featuring a variety of popular brands and partners including Coiledspring, Bandai, and Waterstones. Additionally, several renowned studios joined the UK team, such as Fantasy Flight Games and Atomic Mass Games, along with a number of other colleagues from the Asmodee Group. The collaboration and shared passion among these teams created an inviting and exciting atmosphere for all attendees.
Star Wars Stand: Gaga for Grogu!
One of the standout attractions was the Star Wars stand, which drew massive crowds eager to experience Star Wars: Unlimited demos. The show-exclusive Grogu card was a major highlight, exciting Star Wars fans and players alike. The buzz didn’t stop there; Shatterpoint and the highly anticipated upcoming release, The Mandalorian Adventures, also grabbed people’s attention. The continuous line of enthusiastic players was a testament to the enduring popularity of the Star Wars franchise and the engaging demos offered.
Preview Stand: Sneak Peeks
Asmodee’s preview stand was another major highlight for UKGE 2024 visitors, showcasing a wide range of yet-to-be-released games. Among these, Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth stood out, attracting a lot of excitement and interest. Every morning at 9 am, a crowd of eager gamers would rush to the stand to secure a spot for a demonstration. This high level of anticipation and enthusiasm was fantastic to witness across the weekend.
Family and Party Games Stand: Fun for Everyone
The Family and Party Games stand was a hub of fun and activity, where attendees could dive into a selection of beloved quick-play games. A major attraction was the DobbleGo! screen, where families could test their reflexes with the new Dobble app. The stand also hosted two engaging treasure hunt activities: The Asmodee Adventure Pass, where participants collected stamps for demos at each stand, and Trio, which involved switching cards with other attendees to complete a set. These interactive activities added an extra layer of excitement and engagement for guests visiting the stand, making the experience memorable for everyone.
Dedicated and Starter Gaming Stands: Gateway to Adventure
The Dedicated Gamers and Get Started with Gaming stands were equally popular, featuring games like Wyrmspan, Heat: Pedal to the Metal, and Ticket to Ride Legacy. These stands served as a gateway for new gamers to immerse themselves in the world of tabletop gaming. New releases such as Harmonies and Forest Shuffle emerged as surprise hits, particularly among families looking for something new to try out.
Looking Ahead to the Next UK Games Expo
As we look forward to the next board games expo, the excitement and anticipation are already building. With the success of this year’s event, UK Games Expo co-organiser Richard Denning says they expect to have around 20% more space in the trade halls by changing to a larger hall space in 2025.
With this record-breaking attendance, we are proud to announce that we completed an astounding 13,600 demonstrations on Asmodee stands across the weekend! See you next year, with even more demos, exciting new releases, and engaging activities from Asmodee.
