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Oh man, do I have a life outside of video games? You bet. Like, I’m actually shocked that people think I don’t, but whatever. I mean, sure, I’m a nerd, and I’m totally proud of that. But hey, I took off on this little adventure. The UK Games Expo 2025. And boy, did it deliver on the hype. Or maybe it was just chaos. Hard to say.
So, the whole thing went down at the NEC in Birmingham, England. And this place, it’s packed to the gills with all the board game brilliance you can imagine. Picture a video game convention, but replace the screens with endless rows of tables and… voila! Same buzz, different vibe. Merch everywhere, people. Seriously, felt like I needed to hide my wallet.
You got this giant split between two spots—the NEC and the Hilton. Beginning at the Buy, Sell, and Swap tent is genius; it’s like treasure hunting for board games. I snagged, like, three bags full of “I didn’t even know I needed this” type of stuff. But, hey, time is money and all that jazz, so I had to roll on.
Saturday? I wandered over to the Hilton. Comedians duked it out in these shows called Werewolf Live and Blood on the Clocktower Live. Oh, and Knightmare Live. Now, that’s a blast from the past! Just gotta laugh at the 80s nostalgia, even though it’s, let’s face it, super dated. But whatever, still fun if you don’t take it too seriously.
Later on, everyone was chilling at the Hilton playing games into the night. It’s like this unplanned meet-up where strangers are instant pals. They had a game library, too—best idea ever, if you ask me. Why doesn’t every city have one? No clue.
Back at the Expo on Sunday, the NEC looked like a carnival of gaming delights. Over eight hundred companies. Like, my head was spinning, trying to see everything. Roll the dice, pick up some quirky game tables—it’s all there. Authors and artists hung around too. If you’re more into aesthetics, you might just lose your cool.
Heads up: plan early if you’re thinking about it. Hotel rooms vanish quicker than my attention span. Tickets drop around Christmas, and I’m telling you, you’ll want to act fast unless you’re into the whole “sleeping in your car” vibe.
Honestly? This thing is an absolute need-to-see for board game lovers or anyone looking to break out of the usual routine. I’m already planning on going back next year, but this time? All three days. Lesson learned. Oh, if you’re not in the UK, this might travel—figure out where it goes and hop on board. Trust me, it’s a wild ride you don’t wanna miss. And who knows, maybe you’ll find it right next door.
