Crying about Games Day North America

[The West Coast Knight]

Ok its of no shock to a lot of you that I live on the West Coast of Canada and I have made the trip for the last 4 years to Toronto for Games Day.
But now it is no more.
I am so upset about this but not surprised by this, their was a solid rumour last year during the event that this would be the last.
For some business reasons I can understand why this has happend but for others it makes no sense.
Think about Forge World that would sell 10's of thousands of dollers in product in all the regional shows thats now gone.
If you want to make the event central to North America why not keep Chicago or even have it in Vegas where everyone in the world can get a cheap flight too.
Baltimore is a pain to get to for me foresure and even those that live in the Toronto area could have easily driven to Chicago.
I am also having a laugh that for me as well as some other friends around the country we can fly to the UK for less than the air fare to Baltimore.
So I think I would rather do that and enjoy the main event of GD UK.
This is just my opinion.
Let me know how you all feal.

WCK

[Katie Drake]

I'm not all that bothered by the loss of Games Day Canada because it really hasn't been any good since about 2003 anyway.

What is annoying is the whole Hall of Heroes thing disappearing.

[N0rdicNinja]

I would complain as well... if I didn't live in Virginia ^_^;

[Lerra]

GW seems to be focused on the coasts (especially the east coast) and mostly ignores the midwest. I live in Minneapolis (metro population: 3 million, slightly larger than Baltimore) and the nearest GW store is 500 miles away in Chicago. I don't think GW has any stores in Vegas, but Chicago would be a much more central location than Baltimore.

/dream
You know what would be awesome? Have the NA Games Day in Chicago a few days before or after Adepticon. It would be huge.

[oni]

If you want to make the event central to North America why not keep Chicago or even have it in Vegas where everyone in the world can get a cheap flight too.

Why? Because Chicago accommodations are insanely expensive and Las Vegas is, well... Las Vegas and in no manner appropriate for a gaming convention. I understand you're upset, but quit whining, seriously.

Baltimore is where the original Games Day North America was for years. They were great until GW decided to do multiple conventions across the USA and Canada. Look what happened... The budget was spread to thin and the shows suffered greatly. Instead of one great show there were several mediocre shows. Now that there's only one Games Day again GW can focus on making it great again. I'm quite please with this decision, it will allow for a much more epic Games Day. GW can focus on a single event and attendance will be better and more diverse.

Honestly, I would be thrilled about a single Games Day regardless of where I lived in the country because travelling to it would most likely be worth it.

[Lerra]

Las Vegas is, well... Las Vegas and in no manner appropriate for a gaming convention
I'm curious why you say this. Vegas is one of the best locations for a large convention due to the many convention halls (there are more in Vegas than I've seen in any other city - most of them newish construction and very nice, too!). Vegas is an extremely clean city outside of The Strip (which is not where conventions are held, anyway). Airfare tends to be very inexpensive.

I recently attended a large professional conference held in Vegas.

Ideally the GD would be held in a different city each year, though. Your average hobbyist isn't going to go to GD every year, and attendance would probably be higher if they at least rotated between the two coasts.

[The West Coast Knight]

Oni please the entire city of Vegas is made for holding conventions give your head a shake.
I have been to Chicago on many business trips and you can find great deals on hotels right down town.
I was just there in May and stayed at the Hard Rock for only $109.00 per night.
As far as the quality of GD past I can not speak to the ones held in the States for I have not been to one but GD Canada for the last years personally has been awesome.
And now it is gone so I can be upset.

[ForeverHero]

The last Games Day that I attended was Baltimore in 2002 and it was a blast but I kept wondering why they only had it running for two days; really a day and a half. If they are scaling back to only one Games Day in the US then they should make is a Friday – Sunday event. Then I think it would be more worthwhile to make the trip and spend loads of cash on new products and other loot.

[oni]

I'm curious why you say this. Vegas is one of the best locations for a large convention due to the many convention halls (there are more in Vegas than I've seen in any other city - most of them newish construction and very nice, too!). Vegas is an extremely clean city outside of The Strip (which is not where conventions are held, anyway). Airfare tends to be very inexpensive.

I recently attended a large professional conference held in Vegas.

Ideally the GD would be held in a different city each year, though. Your average hobbyist isn't going to go to GD every year, and attendance would probably be higher if they at least rotated between the two coasts.

I have no doubt that it's great for conventions, but I'm not convinced it's an appropriate place for a 'Gaming Convention' such as Games Day. Games Day is relatively tiny in comparison to grander conventions such as E3 or the likes. Renting a hall in Las Vegas may not make sense when it comes to cost and hall size. I may be wrong, but just because a city has a convention hall or two doesn't make it an appropriate place to hold an event.

[Dingareth]

I would complain as well... if I didn't live in Virginia ^_^;

Shoot, I live in DC and I'll complain. GW's hyping this up as the one Gamesday to rule them all, but since they're sticking it on one end of the country, away from any MAJOR- Philly and Baltimore don't count- metro area, I bet that turnout will be low.

If only they put even this much effort into a tournament system, the hobby would be better off.

But as it stands, they'll just dump a whole bunch of money into getting 1,000 Baneblades and 1,000 Trygons all painted up for a gigantic battle that really won't be all that fun, as you'll have 5 year olds there that don't know that their super mega awesome tank can actually die. I think I'll be skipping this one unless they really do something spectacular...