"Where Gamers Line Up: Top Spots for Waiting in Queues"

Explore the best spots where gamers wait in queues, including popular gaming events, exclusive gear launches, and high-demand releases. This guide highlights key locations where gamers gather, offering insights into the most anticipated events and where to join fellow enthusiasts. Perfect for those looking to maximize their queue experience and stay ahead in the gaming community.

From August 21 to 25, Gamescom, one of the world's largest video game trade fairs, will return to Cologne, Germany. This year, the event will feature over 1,400 exhibitors from 64 countries, primarily linked to the digital games industry. Although Gamescom was previously the top global trade show in attendance before the COVID-19 pandemic, it fell to third place in 2023, with attendee numbers still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels.

According to our chart, based on media and organizer reports, the China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference (ChinaJoy) leads in attendance, drawing 338,000 visitors over four days in 2023. This highlights China's status as the second-largest video game market, despite strict government regulations on video game licenses. ChinaJoy is followed by the Brazil Games Show with 328,000 attendees, an outlier as most major trade shows are held in Europe or Asia.

Even before the pandemic, the significance of large-scale in-person video game conventions was diminishing. For instance, 2019 marked the first year Sony did not participate in E3, a major U.S. video game fair that has since been discontinued. Sony instead focused on its State of Play showcases. Electronic Arts cancelled its EA Play live event in 2022 before E3's cancellation, while Nintendo’s pre-recorded Nintendo Directs have gained prominence over physical convention appearances. Microsoft now highlights key titles in its Xbox Developer Direct events, including the debut gameplay footage of its Indiana Jones game on January 18.

The annual Game Awards, hosted by Geoff Keighley, also competes with traditional trade fair announcements. The 2023 edition featured reveals like Monster Hunter Wilds, a new Crazy Taxi game, and Jurassic Park: Survival. Keighley has been bridging the gap between major announcements and trade fairs, hosting Gamescom Opening Night Live since 2019, which showcases world premieres and updates before the official start of Gamescom.

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Source: Statista‍