Gam3rs: video games come to the Geneva Automnales

While the video game industry weighs more globally than the cinema and music industries combined, it seems to have difficulty acquiring credibility at the Geneva Automnales.

Relegated to the back of a poorly marked room, the event GAM3RS, video game show looks dull. A few stands are distributed here and there: one exhibitor offers to discover Japanese sweets, another presents the essential pop figurines for sale. At the back of the room are tables lined up where it is possible to learn about trading card games (collectible card games). A unique animation which has the merit of being original. But in this video game show, the big absentees are the video games themselves.

Broken promises

In the program, available on the Automnales website, we were promised a “true immersive experience” including e-sport tournaments and the “discovery of independent Swiss video game studios”.

What about it? “Independent video game studios unfortunately did not respond this year,” explains Sébastien Leroux, organizer of the show. On the other hand, the director of the Geneva 3èmelieu training center confirms to us that from this Saturday it will be possible to attend retrogaming sessions. Streaming of card games and introductory conferences on blockchains and game design are also planned.

Compensate with the Japan Manga Family

Our experience at the video game fair left us wanting more, we decided to go and discover the space dedicated to Japan Manga Family hoping to have something to put our teeth into.

Here Japanese culture blends with pop culture and you get lost among the many exhibitors. Our eye is first attracted by a set of dice, ideal for games of Dungeons and Dragonsbefore our attention is captured by another stand, where a string of retro video game consoles are on display.

It is at the heart of the Japan Manga Family that we finally have the impression of being in a video game fair. An impression confirmed by an exhibitor: “Pop culture and the world of video games are closely linked, it’s normal that we exhibit similar things. It’s a shame that GAM3RS is poorly localized. If he were near us (editor’s note: the space dedicated to the Japan Manga Family)he would certainly be more successful.”

But nothing is decided yet. GAM3RS, like the Japan Manga Family, still has two days to attract its audience to the Automnales.

“Latest news”

Want to stay on top of the news? “Tribune de Genève” offers you two meetings per day, directly in your email box. So you don’t miss anything that’s happening in your canton, in Switzerland or around the world.

Other newsletters

Log in

Lauriane Sanchis is a journalist and social media manager for the Tribune de Genève, Le Matin Dimanche. Previously, she worked at the Geneva Tribune as a web editor and Free time as a web editor.More info

Did you find an error? Please report it to us.

0 comments