rAge has always been defined by crowds of avid gamers, technology enthusiasts and lovers of all geek things, that make the annual pilgrimage to rediscover their passion for the fantastical. Some come for the whole weekend dressed as their favourite characters, while others are in and out in a few hours looking for a hot deal on a new graphics card, or to just wander the halls taking in the sights and sounds of this vibrant community.
Anticipation levels were high as we welcomed these visitors to a new era of rAge. The three years since we had a live event only served to deliver bigger crowds that were even more enthusiastic to be there, effectively securing rAge’s position as top dong in the video gaming event space.
With 32,011 people recorded at rAge between 9 and 11 December 2022, the expo was packed with joy, excitement, and thrills everywhere you looked.
According to rAge Project Director, Michael James, the event was a great success and solid proof that people still want to gather and share in their love for this unique lifestyle.
“2019 felt a thousand years ago. Not only that, so much had changed I wondered if rAge was ever going to be rAge again. We had a new venue, a new date, and a new team in the trenches. Needless to say, things were a little stressed going in,” he says, adding that he need not have worried. “Thinking back now, I don’t know what I was worried about really. On Friday when we opened the doors to a queue that stretched around the building and out onto the road everything felt right and good in the world.”
“Inside the new venue we saw many old friends returning (both exhibitors and visitors), many new ones, and a sense of optimism for the future. It always goes without saying that I thank each and every single person that made rAge happen,” said James, “Especially to my amazing management team that took every challenge presented and solved it with a smile. I’m looking forward to the end of this year where we can build an even bigger and better event now that we know the appetite for rAge is stronger than ever.”
And he wasn’t the only one who was enthusiastic. Marketing manager from Clear Access, Rob Nelson could not have been happier as he explained, “For Clear Access, rAge expo 2022 was a resounding success! We were able to showcase our Quark product to the audience it was created for! And WOW! They loved it! Looking forward to bigger and better rAge expo 2023!”
In fact, every single person from stall holders to sponsors, mentioned an excitement that has already built for the next event, all saying they’d be there no matter where or when it was.
“Cosplay was a huge success,” said head of GES Cosplay Jade Bayes, “We look forward to this year’s rAge and can’t wait to see all the new cosplayers coming through the doors.”
Each year rAge features the Artist Alley, a creator/maker space where vendors who make their own products are invited to participate, and sell their creations to the event visitors.
“The Artist Alley was a vibrant success, filled with arts, crafts and a variety of unique creative projects focused on the gaming and fantasy communities. We look forward to showcasing local talents and giving them a voice at future events,” said Nadja Späth from Legion Events who manages this unique part of rAge.
Country Manager at Intel South Africa, Nitesh Doolabh also declared rAge 2022 a success for the Intel Africa Masters brand.
“Hosting teams from all around the African continent was an honour, and it was a wonderful delight to name @15 Average Gaming from Algeria the Intel Africa Masters champions,” he said.
“The organization and setup of rAge 2022 was undoubtedly of the highest calibre, with thrilling tournaments allowing players to compete and display their skills. The connection Intel had with the gaming community was extremely useful since it taught us a lot about what hardware vendors like us can do to support gaming in Africa and helped us build ground level connections with the gaming community. I look forward to a bigger and better rAge 2023,” Doolabh added.
Stef Michael, Marketing Executive at Incredible said rAge was back at its best.
“We achieved record attendance over the three days that showcased some of the latest tech in gaming from computers and consoles to all the must have accessories,” Michael said. “We wish to thank the team behind this spectacular event and look forward to more initiatives in the gaming space coming soon. Our buying team is actively sourcing the latest innovation in gaming, and we look forward to launching some of these products to the market as we count down to rAge 2023. What made this year’s rAge so successful is the perfectly timed event that gave gamers access to some amazing Festive shopping deals!”
rAge not only showcases the latest in the technology sector but also has a significant impact on the economy in this sector and beyond. Nonnie Kubeka, Executive Director: Gauteng Convention & Event Bureau had this to add, “rAge is an event that stimulates economic growth, ignites knowledge sharing through technology and innovation, and we are excited that it attracted visitors from the region.”
rAge will be back in 2023 launching event fans, keen explorers and the curious into the future of technology!
To watch the #rAgeExpo2022 Aftermovie click here.
