(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Growing up, my dad told me a story about how he and my mother went to a small comic convention in New York City during the early 1990s. They paid only a few bucks for entrance, and after some browsing, my dad walked out with a few signed cards featuring illustrations of Lady Death. Those cards are long gone now, but the idea that you could just stumble upon a convention and drop a few dollars to meet like-minded individuals was something that stuck with me even to this day.
As I got older, I learned that conventions were far more cutthroat than I had imagined. As events like New York Comic Con grew in popularity, so did pricing and availability. What once was a last-minute purchase became a quick draw at an online checkout with a couple of thousand other fans. That's why IGN Live is so cool. It's a huge, fan-focused event that lets attendees get a sneak peek at upcoming games, movies, and shows for only $25.
(Editor's Note: PCMag shares the same parent company as IGN.)
Games and Giveaways
The energy was already high as I entered IGN Live on Saturday morning. The main stage area filled as the hosts tossed free swag into the crowd (like the Meta Quest 3!). Away from there, rows of retro, free-to-play arcade and pinball machines lined the room's perimeter. A few House of the Dead rounds were all I needed to get into the proper show mood.
A modern playroom filled the second floor. A section dedicated to the Nintendo Switch 2 dominated one area, while a cat-petting simulator (complete with a mechanical cat butt) drew curious attendees in another.
Indie and AA titles stood side by side, while folks lined up to sample them. Game, movie, and TV show previews filled the various monitors, but there was plenty of time to spend intimate moments with small-scale titles like Fractured Blooms.
As a member of the press, it's easy for me to take these types of events for granted. I can't imagine how many IGN Live attendees played the Switch 2 for the first time or sat in the same room with their favorite video game creators. The panels were tight-knit, intimate affairs. It's a good hang.
IGN Live also stocks the halls with tons of treats. To paraphrase Denzel Washington, "If you go to IGN Live, you're leaving with something." There's nothing better than entering a convention empty-handed and leaving with a bag of snacks, posters, merch, and even a piece of art from the artist alley.
I was most charmed by the many families roaming IGN Live's panels and halls. You can get a family into the show for less than $100, depending on size, of course. That's not happening at New York Comic Con, where a single adult ticket starts at $80 (kids get in for $30).
Other Conventions Should Follow IGN Live's Model
Gaming has become a luxury. The $80 game is here, and many people can't keep up with the latest releases without a significant sale. However, that doesn't mean it's time to ditch your hobbies and passions. I hope that in the future, fan-focused conventions will offer more affordable ticket options so people don't have to take out a mortgage to spend a day in a fun environment. So, kudos to IGN Live. I hope there are many more days of play in your future.