Esports is getting its first player-focused conference and expo with the announcement of GG Expo 2018. The event will be held in the Seattle area during the Memorial Day weekend in 2018.

GG Expo said the event will cover the breadth of esports, including a focus on major esports titles and categories. Those will include leading multiplayer online battle multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), first person shooter (FPS), fighting, card, sport, and real-time strategy games. GG Expo 2018 will be a three-day event taking place at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Washington.

Esports is expected to grow to $1.5 billion business by 2020, according to market researcher Newzoo, and as the market grows, we’ll see more events crop up to offer convention experiences to its fans and competitors.

“We’ve set out to build something that we as esports players and fans will want to attend,” said Joe English, executive director of GG Expo, in a statement. “We envision an event in which the attendees play the latest games, meet with experienced players, and learn how to be successful in esports.”

Esports experts from Intel, RumbleMonkey, Curse Media, Splyce Gaming, and Stimulant are on the event’s board of advisers. When fully staffed, the board will include a community of players, cosplayers and representatives from esports-related companies to guide the development of the event and ensure an authentic esports experience.

The three-day program will feature gameplay strategy sessions, panel discussions, esports contests, and competitions across multiple stages, zones and exhibits. Top players and teams will talk about the trends in esports. Fans will be able to participate in contests. And players will compete to be the best all-around esports triathlete.

“Our aspiration is to create something truly unique for the players. GG Expo 2018 is where esports communities come together to share their appreciation for what they love,” said GG Expo founder and RumbleMonkey CEO Jacob Rapoport, in a statement. “‘GG’ is shorthand for “good game,” something that’s immediately recognizable to players and fans of esports alike, and highlights the community focused mission of GG Expo. It’s about creating the show fellow gamers and esports enthusiasts want to see.”

Additional details will be announced in the coming months. Tickets will go on sale in early 2018.

Source: VentureBeat