Game On For Classic Gaming Expo 2004

jm writes "The Classic Gaming Expo 2004 kicks off this weekend, with over 60 industry guests. This year the CGE is being held at San Jose's McEnery Convention Center, August 21st & 22nd. Learn about the origins of the video game industry, straight from innovators like Al Alcorn and Steve Wozniak. Check out new games for classic consoles, plus the latest retro game offerings from SNK, Konami, Midway, Digital Eclipse, among others. Also this year is the CGE 'swap meet', where you can buy and sell classic gaming goods, with table proceeds going to the Special Olympics. Another favorite is the CGE Museum exhibit, where you will find all kinds of rare video game console hardware on display. For those into arcade gaming, there will also be coin-ops in free-play mode, plus of course tournaments."

So that's the cause!

[shfted!]

So maybe the hords of fat gamers making their way to this convention is the cause of this [slashdot.org] ;)

Re:Bigot!

[shfted!]

I'm a nerd and I'm fat, though I am not a gamer.

Simply a product of the fad?

[chrispyman]

While this sure does sound like a fun expo to go to (if it wasn't 300 miles away that is), I wonder if this is simply nothing other than a product of the recent 'retro is cool' fad.

Re:Simply a product of the fad?

[FlipmodePlaya]

Certainly is a long lasting fad! The conference involves games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders. I remember those games being popular 30 years ago...

Re:Simply a product of the fad?

[chrispyman]

I wouldn't quite say its a long lasting fad. For instance, if you look at the average price of the arcade game Centipede (which most can agree is a popular game, but not cult-popular like Pac Man or Space Invaders) for now vs 10 years ago, you'd easily be able to see that a game like that was much cheaper (even taking into account inflation) 10 years ago compared to now. Even if you look at Nintendo and their NES-style Game Boy and the NES ports, you can see that this is simply a retro fad. Games like Pac M

Re:Simply a product of the fad?

[Zapper]

if it wasn't 300 miles away that is

If it was only 300 miles away. It's over 6000 miles away from me. [sigh].

No it's hardcore classic gamers

[veganjay]

I can understand what you are saying. In Hot Topic, and other stores you can buy all those old school Nintendo shirts. So, yes, some are cashing in on classic gaming as a fad.

But I went to the convention last year. There were are a few kids who probably never played Donkey Kong in the arcade.
But, for the most part, it is old school gamers (like me) who are now in their thirties, who are more entertained by games like pacman & tetris, than doom 3...

In fact, there is a huge online community for clas

Re:Simply a product of the fad?

[kingsmedley]

Fad? I disagree. I've been involved in the classic gaming community (what we called it before the term 'retro' became common with the kids) for several years now, and many more people have been doing this for at least 15 years or more. Some guys I talk to got started back when Pong was new and simply never lost interest in their early consoles.

And in the retail mainstream, emu packages have been available for about ten years now. This is not a fad, just a way for people to play the games from the past on m

These shows need to hit the road, 24 7 & 52.17

[2TecTom]

Just imagine if stuff like this came to your home town even once a year or so, eh?