EVENTFUL ALTERNATIVES

CAN’T GO TO QUAKECON? TRY THESE INSTEAD

EVOLUTION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

■ Since 1996, this series has brought some of the world’s greatest virtual fighters to Japan for a high-stakes tournament that focuses exclusively on fighting games. The gathering features showdowns in games from series like Street Fighter, Tekken and Mortal Kombat as players fight for a prize pool of $125,000.

BLIZZCON

■ Blizzard Entertainment, the publisher behind storied hits like Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo and Hearthstone, has hosted its own game gathering and tournament since 2005 in Irvine, California thanks to the massive fanbase built by its signature MMORPG World Of Warcraft.

GAMESCOM

■ This annual game expo held in Germany since 2002 is a trade event but it’s also partly morphed into a con that’s driven by fan involvement, discussion and enthusiasm. It attracts crowds that reach well over 200,000 as well as some of the most sought after game studios and franchises.

DREAMHACK

■ Just about every videogame from almost every era on consoles, PCS and mobile devices are featured at this massive tournament gathering. It started in 1994 as a small, friendly gathering in Malung, Sweden. It has expanded to multiple events in five countries throughout the year.

PAX

■ Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, the authors of the popular webcomic Penny Arcade, launched their own gaming expo in 2004 to celebrate games and gaming culture. It has expanded to places like Boston, Massachusetts, San Antonio, Texas and Melbourne, Australia as well as a tabletop gaming gathering and a developer convention.