Downtown Phoenix is about to get a lot nerdier, in the best possible way. Game On Expo, billed as the Southwest’s biggest gaming-and-anime weekend, lands at the Phoenix Convention Center from Friday through Sunday, filling the place with vendor halls, a free play retro arcade, esports brackets and a marquee cosplay masquerade. Organizers say an amount equal to certain promo discounts will be donated to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, so some of that convention spending could help a local cause too.
When and where
Game On Expo runs Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15 in the Phoenix Convention Center North Building. According to Game On Expo, doors open at 1 p.m. on Friday and at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with VIP badgeholders allowed into the exhibitor hall one hour before general admission each day.
Guests, passes and photo ops
Passes range from single day tickets to VIP full event packages. Phoenix New Times lists Friday and Sunday day passes at $47.49, Saturday at $67.99, a full event pass at $87.99 and VIP passes at $222.99. The outlet also notes a 10% promo code "ExtraLife" that the show says will trigger a matching donation to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
More than 30 guests are scheduled across the weekend, including voice actors, YouTubers and industry creators such as Cody Christian, Tyler Hoechlin and Britt Baron. Many autographs and photo ops are sold separately through the ticketing page at Capture, so fans eyeing specific meet and greets will want to budget accordingly.
Tournaments and Retro Championships
The competitive slate includes esports brackets for Halo, Tetris, Dr. Mario and Super Smash Bros., along with hundreds of consoles and a free play arcade area. The Retro Championships program runs qualifiers throughout the weekend, then wraps with a Sunday final where the top eight players race through a gauntlet of classic cartridges for cash and a custom wrestling style championship belt, as detailed by Retro Championships. Organizers link tournament brackets and sign up pages on the official event site, so players should check Game On Expo for the latest bracket information.
Getting there and event policies
Everyone will be screened at entrances, and cosplayers must have props checked and peace bonded. Prop guns, items resembling firearms, bladed metal or wooden weapons, whips, metal chains and spikes are not allowed. Outside food and drinks, except sealed water bottles, are prohibited inside the convention center, and there are water refill stations on the North Building’s first floor.
Street parking runs roughly $1 to $1.50 per hour, while nearby garages and surface lots typically cost $20 to $50 per day, according to the City of Phoenix ParkPHX events listing. Expect busy security lines and long autograph and photo op queues, so plan extra time and buy add ons in advance if you can.
