Midwest Gaming Classic returns to downtown, expected to bring in 20K people

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS58) -- The Midwest Gaming Classic is back for another year of fun.

"Everything under the sun that's gaming, it's here this weekend," organizer Andy Nelson said.

The convention runs from Friday to Sunday this weekend.

Nelson calls it a gamers utopia because it has over 200,000 sq. ft. of gaming.

"It's everything you could possibly imagine," he said. "Retro pinball games, arcade games, console games like 'Sega Genesis' and 'Atari,' and 'Nintendo'. There's an entire gaming museum where you can play everything from 'Pong' to 'Oregon Trail' to 'NBA Jam'."

The locally started convention, first held in a Boy Scout's office basement, now takes up three floors of the Wisconsin Center in Downtown Milwaukee. This year, they are set to bring in more than 20,000 visitors.

"These people are from all over the world. They're from Germany, they're from Japan. These people are getting hotel rooms. They're going to downtown restaurants. It's estimated they're going to spend more than $2 million downtown in Milwaukee," Nelson said.

Regarding classic arcade games, you do not have to worry about inserting 25 cents every time you get a "game over."

"All of this is free with the price of admission," Nelson said. "You don't have to come in with a huge bag of quarters dragging you down."

Whether you are six or 86, there is something for you.

"Maybe it's a mom and a dad that grew up playing one of these pinball games. Maybe they loved Jurassic Park growing up, and they're sharing that with their kid, but their kid loves Pokémon cards or some VR game, and they get to show that to their parent or grandparent," Nelson explained.

There will also be cosplay competitions, panels from industry experts, live music, board games and dozens of vendors.

You can purchase tickets at the door or at www.midwestgamingclassic.com.