rAge 2023 – All About The Fan Interactions
14.12.2023 - 19:39
/ fortressofsolitude.co.za
The Really Awesome Gaming Expo (rAge) has returned for its 2023 edition. rAge has been a recurring annual event for the Fortress team, apart from the apparent gap due to the global lockdown. The event has evolved year-on-year from its early beginnings to the numerous location changes. Now a regular feature at The Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg, rAge will again be a slightly different experience for me in 2023. Let’s take a quick look back at the weekend that was celebrating another successful year, attending one of South Africa’s beloved geek calendar events.
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While the earlier meet-ups at rAge revolved around celebrating all things games, the culture has grown significantly over the past decade to go beyond this. With showpiece side events like Cosplay competitions, gaming tournaments, new tech unveilings and the ever-present NAG LAN, there’s plenty to see and do at rAge.
Having started with an early morning visit to the MSI stand for a particular run-through of their latest product lineup and breakfast, it set the scene for the rest of the event over the weekend. MSI had an experience zone for fans to interact with their product line and create content with a Game of Thrones-inspired configuration. Once the doors were opened to the public, it was clear to see it becoming an instant favourite amongst the patrons, with queues forming to play around with the range of laptops and PCs and take a few snaps at the zone.
The venue was filled with similar stands, where it wasn’t simply a matter of pushing the next sale but rather an engagement between like-minded people. As a result, I spent hours roaming the halls, interacting with many people, whether passing by or in Cosplay, to exchange pleasantries and compliments. However, I spent most of this time at the various booths, engaging with creators, artists and hobbyists.
The key takeaway from these interactions has been the fantastic boom in the anime scene. Before the 2020 lockdown, you’d be hard-pressed to find half of the attendees being anime fans. Fast-forward just three years, and most attendees and exhibitors could share some knowledge on their favourite series. What was interesting among a few of these exchanges was the eagerness of many to discuss their favourite shows and characters, even when the link to their stands wasn’t directly related. Anime has become a big part of the current geek scene and continues to grow among the masses.
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As a result of this trend, the increased quality and variety of anime-related products were also easily noticeable year-on-year. The range was much broader than in previous years, offering a