A video game that started with the first iteration of the Game Discovery Exhibition (GDX) will be part of the eSports tournament at the resurrected version of the independent game expo at this year’s K-Days.
The opportunity to show Little Helllions, a “passive-aggressive fighter where you can’t fight” from Schadenfreude Studios, is one of the many things that excites Interactive Arts Alberta’s Derek Kwan about GDX’s return to Edmonton after a six-year hiatus.
“The story behind Little Helllions is that they first showed it at GDX 2015, our first show,” Quan said. “And now it will be released this year. They have had this journey with us.”
GDX will be part of the Maker Faire July 22-24 at the K-Days Fairgrounds. “We are pleased to bring an expanded gaming and esports presence to K-Days through GDX; not only can we showcase local Maker Faire talent to our attendees, but we can also support the local interactive digital media sector,” Explore Edmonton CEO Tracy Bednard said in a news release.
Now is the time to show that support, Kwan said, as Alberta’s gaming industry continues to grow.
“Alberta is home to a lot of innovation and creativity and I’m excited for audiences to see that,” he said. “If there was ever an argument to get behind the industry and maybe take the gas pedal off to support the industry – we’re about to shoot for success.”
During the first incarnation of GDX in 2015 and 2016, eSports was nowhere near as big as it is today. But almost half of the space will be set up for esports run by TGS Esports at this year’s event, giving new and experienced players a chance to compete for prizes.
Other exhibitors include GDX stalwart Beamdog and its 80s nostalgia-soaked MythForce, as well as small studios and indies like Good Agreement Games, Greater Evil Games, Polar Tabby Interactive, PolyHobby Studios and RaVeN Madd Studio. Other interactive digital companies such as vrCAVE and Story City Inc. will also be there, as will Edmonton Shift Lab’s Treaty 6 awareness board game Exploring Wahkotowin.
Professional development will be offered in the weeks leading up to GDX, Kwan said, with talks from the likes of Inflexion Games’ Aaryn Flynn and a chance for developers to win a one-on-one session with Execution Labs’ Jason Della Rocca.
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