It’s the second year in a row that I’m missing out on rAge, and honestly? My FOMO levels are non-existent. There’s a number of reasons why I generally make the trek up from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg. I’m there to see certain faces, to mingle and to make connections that are all too important in this industry.
Some times, I’ll be roped into doing interviews with visiting developers, because apparently my fat face is a perfect verbal punching bag. Most of the time, I live for my cosplay and spending a day in sweltering heat while encased in full-body leeeeaaaaaaaaather while people take photos, satisfies the vainer side of my personality. Heck, it’s just good fun, is what it is.
Comic Con Africa scratched that itch for me and then some. I met new faces, I saw awesome panels and my wallet barely survived the journey through artist’s alley. On multiple levels, I’m more than satisfied with that magical weekend from a few weeks ago at Kyalami. And then you have rAge, which feels somewhat diminished in the face of Comic Con Africa’s wild success.
Credit where credit is due, rAge set a benchmark for the South African gaming scene and made massive strides in making video games more mainstream thanks to its annual growth. In recent years however, there has been a feeling of stagnation, of boredom and of an annual event failing to evolve any further.
Just look at the schedule for rAge’s main stage, to see an example of this. For a convention that is focused on video games and esports, having only a single game showcased is damning stuff when compared to the rest of the 2018 video game calendar. I’m not saying that there isn’t a gaming presence at rAge this year, thanks to our local distributors having their own booths, but considering the price tag to enter rAge and seeing a lack of focus from the event itself does not bode well.
You could say that Comic Con Africa has stolen a lot of rAge’s thunder, and the OG gaming festival is going to need to put in some serious elbow grease if it wants to remain relevant. How rAge intends to do so is up for debate, but it will result in a battle of the conventions. Only one mega-expo can afford to remain standing, as lines in the sand are clearly being drawn between the two as various companies and exhibitors find themselves taking sides.
Can the South African gaming and pop culture scene even handle two mega-events that are so closely paired together on the convention circuit, or will one of these giants eventually fall and leave a massive void that the other titan will consume? Sound off below, and place your bet on who you think will be running the annual showcase for video games in South Africa.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Critical Hit as an organisation.
Last Updated: October 5, 2018
Matthew Holliday
October 5, 2018 at 10:52
Cape Town deserves a gaming expo.
The gamers can handle at the very least.
For years Cape Town was more dominant in the majority of leagues than anywhere else.
But I dont think we have enough cool things to sustain two full expos of panels and stage things, and most of the companies hosting the cool things and panels would be JHB based.
Admiral Chief
October 5, 2018 at 10:48
Haven’t been to rAge in Ages. Too many logistical dramas.
Don’t get me wrong, I like meeting up with the LAZZY folks, but I’m too old for this sh!t
Original Heretic
October 5, 2018 at 10:56
I’ve yet to mean any of you lazzy’s. Best I’ve done is game chat with Hammer.
Pariah
October 5, 2018 at 10:50
I think I pretty much agree that rAge is just too old thinking to survive. If it wants to, then it needs to shift its approach and its offering. If, for instance, rAge focuses JUST on the games and gaming-related tech, while Comic Con caters for the entire nerd-culture, then perhaps rAge can survive.
But survive is about all they might do, because with South Africans’ limited budget, most people can only afford one convention a year – and with Comic Con just being better, the choice is easy as of now. Comic Con came in with a ton of international experience, and if it gets better next year, rAge is dead in the water.
For the Emperor!
October 5, 2018 at 10:58
Perhaps if rAge moved closer to some of the international electronic games convention dates, so we can get the videos, hands on experiences etc. before the internet ruins it for us, and as you mention focus on that? But so close together, I almost want to believe that ComicCon will win out in the end…
Lord Chaos
October 5, 2018 at 10:59
But then we also have geek-fest
Matthew Holliday
October 5, 2018 at 10:52
Cape Town deserves a gaming expo.
The gamers can handle at the very least.
For years Cape Town was more dominant in the majority of leagues than anywhere else.
But I dont think we have enough cool things to sustain two full expos of panels and stage things, and most of the companies hosting the cool things and panels would be JHB based.
Original Heretic
October 5, 2018 at 10:53
Gawd, I struggle to make the little Con.Ect in PE. No way am I ever going to make it to rAge or Comic-con. Not any time soon, anyway.
By the time I’m able to, I’ll be able to convincingly cosplay Stan Lee.
Pariah
October 5, 2018 at 12:54
So when you do attend, you’ll make a cameo appearance?
Original Heretic
October 5, 2018 at 12:57
In camo.
Which means nobody will even see me.
For the Emperor!
October 5, 2018 at 10:56
My biggest issue with rAge: by the time it comes around, most awesome game news is old news as the reveals, demos and videos are all released at the time of the foreign game shows. So there is little or nothing regarding anything we have not seen before. It is only worth it when you can get hands-on with the next generation of console, or if you can grab a collectors edition game with a statue included on the cheap at the BT Games stall.
Now this year there is a new issue: ComicCon happened like yesterday. Many friends went there, and see no reason to go to rAge as they are less into the electronic games. They got their Geek fill and Cosplay itch scratched already.
I am missing BOTH this year, because I will not fly up JUST for rAge, and ComicCon was sold out on the days I could attend and happened to be in Gauteng 🙁
Caveshen Rajman
October 5, 2018 at 10:59
The answer is yes.
Thabang Mamabolo
October 5, 2018 at 10:59
I think that South Africa should have to mega Expo’s. They should just focus on their key elements. Comic Con should be about the comics and rAge should be about gaming. It’s that simple.
Pariah
October 5, 2018 at 11:13
So while I do agree with that for the most part, internationally ComicCon has become about the entire scene, gaming included. To remove one of the elements that make up ComicCon today could have implications. I feel though that the gaming part of it should be equally weighted with the other elements, like the cosplay, comics, local artists, etc.
Happy Meal
October 5, 2018 at 13:11
I agree but maybe they should not have the two Expo’s so close to one another maybe to give visitors a break.
Gavin Mannion
October 5, 2018 at 11:05
I was very disappointed with rAge last year there was nothing new to see. Obviously I can’t make either this year but Comicon seemed to have gone down exceptionally well and when I saw that rAge schedule yesterday I just laughed.
One of the main stage event is Pratley glue… I mean wtf, I’m sure it’s a quality product but who really wants to sit and listen to some PR person telling us how good the glue is for 45 minutes? Same people who sit and watching the shopping channel on TV I guess.
I legit don’t see rage lasting another year without a huge makeover and a massive drop in costs to actually exhibit there. Right now it’s only massive corporations who can afford it really and they’ll see a better return on investment from Comicon
Darren Peach
October 5, 2018 at 11:57
I’m surprised its lasted this long.
Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd
October 5, 2018 at 11:52
Not going to rAge this year.
Went last year and it really wasn’t anything special from the previous years. I probably hated more, as the Ticket Pro Dome was WAY to packed. Bumping, pushing … was not worth it.
My aim was Comic Con this year and I’m happy.
Magoo
October 5, 2018 at 12:38
Are you kidding me D?! You don’t think that rAge has an over-population problem?
I will be glad if 1/3 of the usual crowd pitch up to rAge. As for how the longevity of the event will cope with that, we will have to see. But I’d rather skip it altogether if the crowd continues on it’s growing-in-size trend.
Magoo
October 5, 2018 at 12:41
The general consensus at the CCA DGC though was that while it was still a great event, we were a lot more comfortable at rAge in previous years. Would like to see DGC move back now that CCA has established it’s presence in good stead.
Captain JJ
October 5, 2018 at 12:43
Man, the rAge in Cape Town just seriously needs to be moved to a nice venue. As long as they keep having it where it is now I won’t attend.
Pariah
October 5, 2018 at 12:44
rAge in Cape Town was cancelled after that first dismal foray. EGE is what we have.
Captain JJ
October 5, 2018 at 12:48
That’s okay. I’ve gone to EGE a few times. Went to rAge once and just said I wouldn’t go again. I don’t know whose idea it was to host it at the Casino but it was idiotic, and this on the same day they had that “Afrikaans is groot” thing there as well.
HvR
October 5, 2018 at 12:49
And EGE is fast going the rage way.
This years showing was really bad, basically 90% stalls selling fake merch. If I want that I can go to green market square for free.
Captain JJ
October 5, 2018 at 12:52
Yea, it’s a pity.
Pariah
October 5, 2018 at 13:00
I didn’t go this year, and I didn’t feel like I missed out. I feel the same about rAge this weekend. It’s sad, really.
Sageville
October 5, 2018 at 14:51
So went to CCA instead of Rage this year, no ragrets!
I’d like to think both can survive, but there needs some changes:
1.) Remove the eSports from CCA, that did feel out of place.
2.) Remove the PC hardware stands from CCA.
3.) Don’t schedule Rage and CCA so close together.