By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Friday, July 20th, Riocentro in Barra da Tijuca plays host to the three day ‘Geek & Game Festival,’ which will be continuing through the weekend until Sunday, July 22nd. This is one for all those comic book fans, super hero devotees and cosplayers out there.
From 11AM-9PM each day, there will be a huge array of events spanning the three days, including a gamer arena, a children’s area and a cosplay area, plus guests from the worlds of literature, TV and cinema; there will also be a food station, competitions and much more.
The massive Riocentro will be divided into different areas, with each area playing a very specific function throughout the weekend. The ‘Geek Station’ will be the place that brings together national and international idols of geek culture and their fans.
The stage has hosted world-renowned game designers, Hollywood producers, writers and youtubers in the past. This year it will be putting on three days of paneling with special guests, exclusive showings, question and answer sessions, and other activities that promise to thrill fans and enthusiasts.
‘Chaves’ is one of the most popular TV series in Brazil, and Édgar Vivar and Ana de la Macorra, will be present for a meeting of nostalgia and fun with their fans. For ‘Game of Thrones’ fans, Tom Wlaschiha will be present for an entertaining panel with the ‘AdoroCinema’ team, one of the country’s best known movie websities.
On the Game Stadium stage, professional gamers from all over the country will put their talents into practice to promote the fast-growing ‘eSports’ phenomenon. The Game Stadium stage will be a buzz with challenges, matches, disputes, championships and other demonstrations.
Fans will be able to watch the best gamers on a sixty square-meter screen competing in Clash Royale, League of Legends, Hearthstone, FIFA, and many other classics. In addition, there will be plenty of female representation, including the final of the Women’s Circuit of Rainbow Six Siege.
There will also be a ‘Little Heroes’ space aimed at the younger audience. Cosplay makeup, a cosmaker workshop, a chance to create your own comic book, and a potions workshop are just some of the activities that’ll be on offer. Parents also have a chance to participate alongside their children in various activities that promote education through the world of geeks and gamers.
There is also the GGRF lab, a place that focuses on the business and development side of the geek world. Here, members of the public will have the opportunity to learn about the development of programs, games and apps with the most advanced programming languages for web and mobile.
The mini-auditorium will be the stage for several lectures that will address topics such as the labor market, programming languages, games and marketing for the digital world. This is a unique opportunity for those who dream of working in both areas or want to expand their professional knowledge.
This is sure to be a great weekend for those who love all things geeky, or for someone who saw ‘Black Panther’ recently at the Shell Open Air and wants to get a bit closer to the action. The emphasis on innovation in the GGRF lab will be somewhat similar to the ‘Creative Conference’ that took place at the Cidade das Artes in April.
What: Geek & Game Rio Festival 20118
When: Friday, July 20th until Sunday July 22nd, 11AM to 9PM
Where: Riocentro, Av. Salvador Allende, 6555 – Barra da Tijuca
Entrance: R$35- R$70; available here