Before I begin with what will be a mostly negative article, I would like to thank the team at Bastion for granting me a press pass for MCM Comic-Con/EGX 2025. Now, I love a good gaming convention, and they usually bring the inner child out in me. However, it has been a long while since we have had a decent one, and I must say that since ReedPop took over EGX, the quality of the event has dropped like a lead balloon.
Part of me keeps giving them the benefit of the doubt, and I eagerly keep filling in the feedback forms every year, venting my frustrations. They don’t appear to listen to the gaming community one bit, though, and this year shows that to be true. Is this the end of EGX as we really know it? Last year, I closed out my coverage, stating that I would love to see the event return to its former glory as a standalone convention without the shackles of MCM Comic-Con, but that doesn’t appear to be happening anytime soon.
What Was Actually On The EGX Side Of The Show?
Same situation as the 2024 show, everything that is supposedly tied to EGX was tucked into one tiny corner of one convention hall. Gone are the days when the event dominated one convention hall with a plethora of titles that haven’t been released yet. Brushing the indie titles to one side, I counted two games at the show that aren’t publicly available as yet. They were the LEGO Batman game and the Anno 117 title that is out soon from Ubisoft.
Bandai Namco were on site with a flurry of titles such as Little Nightmares III, Digimon Story and a few others. This was simply it for experiences to play unless you hung out in the PC freeplay area. Gone are the lines of pinball and arcade machines, which were very popular in previous years. The panels and talks seem to be the strongest part of the event, with several taking place, including a look into the new 007 First Light game coming next year. Unfortunately, the main event didn’t keep me engaged enough to hang around for that towards the end of the first day. I decided to leave the event and make the trip back to Cornwall after less than four hours. Previously, EGX would have kept me invested for several days, so it makes me a little sad if I’m honest.
What Are The Good Parts?
The scene here is very cosplay-heavy, so whether you’re looking to dress as your favourite movie or video game character, you’ll fit in fine here. Dungeons and Dragons, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, amongst tons of other anime, are featured heavily throughout the show, whether you want to mingle with fellow fans or simply browse the huge array of merchandise stalls. If you’re looking to spend money, then take plenty of it because there are a lot of opportunities to spend it. There are plenty of one-of-a-kind displays of people’s work to purchase alongside limited edition items. Celebrities are on site from various TV series, movies and video games to sign autographs and snap photos, all at an additional cost, of course.
Unfortunately, it just isn’t my scene and the entirety of the event is dominated by the Comic-Con atmosphere and vibe. This is where EGX is forgotten about, eclipsed into a tiny corner. So yes, if you’re into everything Comic-Con has to offer, then it is a great atmosphere for that community. For the video gamers amongst us, though, you’re going to be done and dusted very quickly.
Final Thoughts
EGX is totally non-existent at this point. The identity of that name has some fantastic memories of years gone by. Earls Court and Birmingham NEC were the highlights of the show, and since it arrived in London, Excel in 2019, which was probably the last good show, the organisation has been a total shambles. ReedPop really should drop EGX altogether, as this event is very much MCM Comic-Con with a small handful of games.
This isn’t me being negative about MCM Comic-Con, because it is fantastic for those who love cosplay, anime, different vendors, artists and celebrities of the movie/gaming industry signing autographs and taking photographs at an additional cost. But is exactly that, it’s Comic-Con, and aside from an hour on a couple of indie titles in the tiny Rezzed section, I spent my time weaving in and out of two packed convention halls filled with shops. Ultimately, I feel sorry for anyone who has paid for an entire weekend ticket for the best part of £100, expecting to play lots of video games. Sadly, I think this will be my last attendance for anything under the Reedpop umbrella. EGX was great while it lasted, but it’ll remain a distant memory now.