This passed weekend EGLX happened in Toronto and it was jammed packed experience. Let’s break it down and see what this event was all about and what you can expect at EGLX.
What Is EGLX and What does it Cost?
EGLX is the Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada over the Halloween weekend. This open to the public event, touted as Canada’s largest Video game event, packs pretty much every kind of video gaming or competitive gaming experience you could think of in under roof.
Tickets for the event for the whole weekend will cost you $80CDN at the door. For comparison PAX east tickets cost roughly $53USD per day. Most of the big gaming companies were not in attendance here, but there was tons of local Canadian Gaming Developer goodness to check out.
Esports for all
I am happy to see more Esports events happening in Canada. By the size of the crowds here, I hope more companies start paying attention, People want to watch Esports Teams Live! There were several Canadian Esports competitive gaming events happening. From the World Electronic Sports Games (WESG) Canadian Grand Finals to Canada Cup (who hosted 23 tournaments) to on going continuous Fortnite Tournaments this place was packed full of Esports goodness. There were lots of cheers and Ooo’s from the crowds gathered for these events.
Fortnite Everywhere
Fortnite really has taken the videogame world by storm. The battle Royal is still super popular with gamers of all ages. There was more Fortnite here than I have ever seen in one place. There was an on going Fortnite tournament area, and most booths had some form of Fortnite Tournament going on. Fortnite… .everywhere…
Special Guests and Panels
There were also some special guest and panels. Talks ranged from topics like – The Great Nintendo Debate: Top 10 Best Nintendo Games to Beginners Guide to Speedrunning to God of War’s Gameplay Director Jeet Shroff Meet & Greet. There is a definite need for more panels and tracks here though as there was only about 10 or so panels per day.
Developers Conference
There was also an entire separate Developers conference with many game dev panels and even included social events. There was a separate cost to this. I have no idea about this section unfortunately, because anytime I asked a helpful volunteer about it, they had no idea where to direct me. It seems like this was a part of a different conference which is too bad.
So Much Gaming Goodness…
There was also…. A cosplay area, a lounge for people to relax and sit their tired gaming feet, a Retro gaming area, Tons of cool swag, geeky merchandise and awesome unique items, A section for Minecraft that has partnered with Brick Works Academy ( This area also included a lego and robot building area too) A Retro Area packed with tons of games for you to play for free on every console imaginable! I mean it. Dreamcast to Gamecube everything here for you to enjoy. Really, if anything my biggest complaint was there was too much going on, and not enough direction or signage on where things were happening. It felt chaotic in many areas with no signs or directions on how you got involved in the games or events happening. I hope as the conference continues to grow they work more on the signage and layout so its clearer.
Awesome Canadian Video Games To Play
It’s true a lot of the big Gaming companies were not in attendance, but there was no shortage of gaming to be had. There was tons of local smaller Canadian developers here, which is great! Canada gaming representation tends to be missing at most of the American events, so this was a great thing to see. Here are just some of the cooler video games I saw and played, 99% of them awesomely based in Toronto Canada:
Aria’s Legacy
This IOS app makes any room into an instant AR escape room. It works and it’s fun. Open the app and get started solving various puzzles just like a real escape room, no matter where you are. Lots of fun. Coming for android soon they assure me. Toronto Based
The Exorcist Legion VR
This Oculus/ HTC VR game is just in time for Halloween. Play in a first person role and figure out what spooky happenings are going on in this super creepy supernatural game. It got quite a few screams and jump scares out of me. The controls are a bit tricky at first, as with most VR games, but once you get it you’ll be immersed in this horror game before you know it. Each chapter runs for about 20 minutes… Get hunting! UK based.
Light Fingers
A fun family couch co-op for the Nintendo Switch. Nice graphics and straight forward game play for anyone looking for an easy to pick up co-op game. Play as a thief and try and steal more loot than your team mates. Toronto Based
Furious Seas
I had a TON of fun with this one. You control a pirate ship. Right behind the wheel. Then take aim and shoot down apposing pirate boats with cannon balls! Easy to learn and fun. Toronto Based.
EGLX Final Thoughts
Should you attend EGLX? Although it not as big as PAX, or E3.. This Canadian video game conference is off to a good start. With almost chaotically too much going on, and way more to check out than you can accomplish in a weekend, this conference is worth seeing if you like anything to do with gaming and geek culture! If you’ve never been to a major Con, or a video game event and are based in Canada, this is definitely worth it. I look forward to seeing what it brings in the upcoming years.
