Launched in 2006 by several big local names including Nottingham Trent University, Game City is all about showcasing video games as an art form that should be taken seriously as a popular cultural phenomenon.
The event was hosted prominently at Market square, where for the duration a huge screen flashed up information about new Nintendo Wii games, including Lego Star-Wars. However, Game City events were also held at The Broadway Cinema and many other Nottingham locations. The programme included clinics for aspiring designers, information for those looking for a step onto the gaming careers-ladder, as well as many keynote speeches (introductory talks) about new games and other such cyber-stuff.
Completely independent from the games industry, the event (unlike other media showcases) never feels like an excuse for games manufacturers to push their advertising upon you. The result is that people aren't scared away, and are able to walk away without piles of glossy flyers stuffed in their pockets. Many of the people I spoke to at Game City weren’t nerdy games enthusiasts, but had just come along to have a look at what was going on, exactly as the organisers had intended.
Sarah Mallick and Rosie McCrossan were two such people. They said: “We came to Game City because we wanted to try the Wii. We've never played before but thought it was really good." Sarah added: "Wii-tennis was good fun, even though I'm rubbish at normal tennis.”
When asked about the organisation of the event, the two seem pretty satisfied: "The stewards are really good at making sure everyone gets to try the games and stopping the kids from hogging them."
Other games on show were Guitar Hero as well as the newly released Halo 3. Possibly the most anticipated product was the new Lego Star-Wars game, which enables gamers to wield their Wii remotes as light-sabres. Demoed on the big screen by a Nintendo representative, this was big news for the gaming community and Star-Wars geeks alike.
Consoles didn't take all the limelight however, as PC games had as much exhibition and interest, but seemed to be geared more towards the hardcore gaming fanatic. There's something about sitting at a desk with a keyboard and mouse that makes PC gamers seem more dedicated and thus geekier than their console-playing counterparts.
Game City managed to generate massive interest in the centre of Nottingham. Despite being held during the half-term holidays, it wasn't beset with children or teenagers. The stewards were all friendly and made sure everyone was able to sample the range of digital-delights available. For the more serious gamer there were plenty of careers advice, designer workshops and industry announcements.
These latter events were ticketed, but if you just wanted to drop into Market Square and try some of the new games and consoles then you were able to do so completely free of charge. For an event that is only its second year, Game City had loads to offer. It’s set to return in 2008 and you should expect it to be much, much bigger.
Game Boy: Alex Ward
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