The new-look Rand Show just got bigger and better for gamers and geeks. The show’s Play Zone 2 is being transformed into every escapist’s dream as the Festival of Gaming explodes onto the scene from 8-13 April 2020. 

The team at NAG has partnered with the Rand Show to turn Hall 8 into an epic geek destination. The Festival of Gaming will play host to a variety of video games, gadgets, tech, esports and cosplay, plus a feast of other pop culture delights. 

Digital battles, booming bandwidth, all the gaming and tech gadgets you need and loads of cool toys, collectibles and must-have gear, along with tournaments and other digital attractions, will be on hand to tempt seasoned geeks and newcomers alike. Michael James, Publisher of NAG and Senior Project Manager of Vodacom rAge says, “Our objective at NAG has always been to grow the gaming industry. The exciting reinvention of the Rand Show in 2020 is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the culture we all love so much to an audience that hasn’t been exposed to our industry on such a large scale. We’re also working on bringing a few amazing experiences to our existing community by leveraging off the footprint and power of the Rand Show. We look forward to fresh gaming, technology and geek culture for everyone while staying true to our hardcore gaming audience. The NAG, Vodacom rAge and Rush esports teams have come together to use their combined influence and existing audience reach to bring an enticing new digital energy to the legendary Rand Show.” 

This partnership also means that NAG is moving their annual Rush esports event to the Festival of Gaming in 2020. The event will celebrate its fourth iteration by expanding scope to include casual gamers while still hosting tournaments for professional players. This is in line with the company’s objective of growing local esports by enabling new audiences to participate in and experience this global phenomenon. 

Ulanova Visser, Marketing Director of Vodacom 4U, Vodacom’s Youth Branded Channel says, “Rush esports is going to cause a huge spectacle at the Rand Show this year, and Vodacom 4U can’t wait for the big reveal on 8 April. This is South Africa’s biggest show, so of course we have to bring something that matches its stature. It’s going to be huge.”

Another exciting addition to the Festival of Gaming will be the World Cosplay Summit (WCS) South African Championship. Beginning in 2003, World Cosplay Summit has grown to be the largest cosplay event in the world - teams of two must design and create their own costumes, as well as perform a skit, of their favourite Japanese pop culture characters. In August 2020, over 40 countries will send their representatives to Japan to compete in the WCS Championship, where one team will be crowned the WCS Champion. The Festival of Gaming will be hosting the WCS South African Championship round, where the country's top cosplayers will battle it out to become the National Champion, and fly to Japan in 2021 to take on the world's best in the biggest cosplay competition in the world. 

Les Allen, WCS Regional Organiser for South Africa says, “South Africa has a special place in the WCS global community, being the ONLY country in Africa to be a participant nation. This represents a massive opportunity for local cosplayers - the chance to represent your country and take on the best in the world. 2020 will be our third year in WCS, with our previous national teams performing exceptionally well - our 2019 team placed in the top 8 after the Tokyo round this year.”  

“Partnering with the Festival of Gaming is a truly exciting opportunity to further showcase South Africa's incredible array of cosplayers, who are already making their mark in the pop culture scene around the world. We look forward to having the Rand Show crowds cheer on the best cosplayers in the country as we search for our next National Champion team.”  

Craig Newman, CEO of the Johannesburg Expo Centre said, “The Rand Show is moving with the times and reinventing itself for a new generation. The Festival of Gaming is adding a whole new dimension to the show for visitors – both new and old – to discover. The 2020 show is shaping up to be the biggest yet. We’re all ready to go and very excited about launching this brand-new attraction.” 

Tickets to the Rand Show will go on sale on Black Friday 29 November 2019 on the Rand Show website. This Black Friday only, discover the Rand Show and the Festival of Gaming at a fraction of the price. Buy one ticket and get one free. A single day pass will get you into any one of the six show days and includes access to the Festival of Gaming. Max per person: two tickets per basket and stocks are limited.  

The Festival of Gaming will be in Play Zone 2, Hall 8 at the Rand Show, Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec from 8-13 April 2020. #MyRandShow #festivalofgaming

The annual Rush Esports event is quite literally upon us, and esports enthusiasts are gearing up, locking down and putting on their game faces for one of South Africa’s most thrilling events on the esports calendar.

The multi-tournament, multi-platform celebration of all things competitive gaming will be exploding into life on 28, 29 and 30 June 2019, at the Sun Arena, Time Square, Pretoria. It goes without saying that the variety of tournaments being hosted is enough to get you firing on all cylinders - FIFA 19, CS:GO, DOTA 2, StarCraft, Hearthstone, Fortnite and Tekken 7.

But it’s the list of prizes up for grabs that is truly going to blow your mind. The prize pool for Rush, sponsored by Vodacom 4U and Samsung, includes cash prizes, product prizes and overseas trips, totaling over R450,000. The stakes have never been this high, the tournaments never this grand and the prizes never before this sensational! “At Vodacom 4U, gaming and esports is one of the key strategic pillars that support our brand strategy,” Says Ulanova Visser, Marketing Director at Vodacom 4U. “Last year we were very excited for the opportunity to partner with Rush Esports South Africa and offer massive prizes for three gaming titles.

The success of this partnership has led to us upping the ante for 2019 by doubling the number of gaming titles to six - as well as substantially increasing the overall prize purse that will be up for grabs to the competitors. “Because Vodacom’s Youth Franchise Channel is fluent in “gaming speak”, it’s only logical that Vodacom Fibre will be providing all the connectivity for the event to ensure that our gamers can enjoy serious uninterrupted gaming while competing during the weekend.

Through Vodacom Fibre, we are able to offer our customers finance options to purchase gaming consoles and other products by simply adding on to their monthly contract commitment. We are also thrilled to be supporting a Fortnite Cosplay category competition at the event.” Aside from competing, Rush offers the perfect opportunity for all ages and skill levels to get a taste of esports – even if they’re just watching. Big screens and live commentary will be giving visitors throw by throw run downs of the tournaments, guaranteeing maximum audience thrills.

This year entrance tickets to Rush also include entrance into GeekFest - a complete weekend invasion of all things geek including Sumo Wrestling, a Dance Dance Revolution setup, Robowar competitions, a Gladiator Ring, cosplay and a LARP tournament. To say this a jam-packed entertainment lineup is an understatement. Rush has pulled out every single stop, and then some, to ensure maximum gamer and geek immersion across the whole weekend. Tickets to Rush are on sale now at Ticketpro and include full access to GeekFest. GeekFest tickets also include full access to Rush. #rushesports2019 #connected

EVENT DETAILS: When is Rush? 28, 29, 30 June 2019 Times: Friday 10am – 8pm | Saturday 10am – 8pm | Sunday 10am – 5pm Where is Rush? Sun Arena, Time Square, Pretoria How do I buy tickets to Rush? Tickets to Rush are on sale via www.ticketpros.co.za

Day Pass: R120 (valid for one day only on any of the three days)
Weekend Pass: R300 (valid for all three days)
Player Pass: R250 (valid for all three days for players competing in tournaments)

How do I stay connected? To stay up to date with all the Rush announcements and additional info, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or go to www.rushesports.co.za

A school holiday without the Summer sun can be challenging, but don’t despair, there is fun-filled holiday action to be had at Rush for esports fans, junior geeks and aspiring gamers.

This June will see the annual Rush esports event, along with GeekFest, running at the Sun Arena in Time Square Pretoria. Visitors can expect a thrilling variety of competitive games to participate in and watch. SA’s top gamers and teams will be competing for prizes on esports stages, complete with big screens and live commentary. More good news is that gaming enthusiasts will also be able to compete for prizes by signing up to the FIFA 19, Tekken 7 and Fortnite tournaments now.

Last year’s big Fortnite winner was an ecstatic Prep School pupil - proving that age is definitely just a number at Rush! This year’s Fortnite and FIFA 19 tournaments are sponsored by Vodacom 4U and Samsung. FIFA 19 players will be competing on PS4 consoles, and Fortnite players will be using Samsung Galaxy S10+ phones to play on. Entry into both these tournaments can be done via Mettlestate now, and there are some awesome prizes to be won.

For teens and older, UGCZA is hosting a Fighting Game Workshop from 11h00 to 18h00 on Friday the 28th, where you can come and learn some new skills from the pros, or just brush up on your moves.

Great news from PlayStation is that they will be showcasing a host of cools games including: GT Sport; Team Sonic Racing; MotoGP19 – as well Virtual Reality games such as Everybody’s Golf VR, Far Point and Beat Saber. In addition to all the esports action, there will be geek-related retail stalls, food vendors, a Cosplay competition, LARPing (Live Action Role Playing), Robowars, a Geek Quiz and Hawkeye Arrow Tag will have a fun archery activity arena suitable for ages 10 and up.

Players are split into teams and will battle it out against each other using air-filled bunkers for cover as they try and take out their opponents with recurve bows and foam-tipped arrows. Vodacom 4U are also sponsoring a Fortnite-inspired cosplay category. This is the chance to dress to impress as you channel one of your favourite Fortnite characters.

The winner of the Vodacom 4U Fortnite cosplay will walk away with R10,000, so ramp up your creative juices and enter now! The stage is set to give geeks and gamers a three-day weekend of unprecedented entertainment, geek culture and competitive gaming. There is something for everyone at Rush 2019, so bring along family and friends and get lost in the fascinating, fast paced and fun-filled world of esports and all things geek, first-hand!

Tickets to Rush are on sale now at Ticketpro and include full access to GeekFest. GeekFest tickets also include full access to Rush. #rushesports2019 EVENT DETAILS: When is Rush 2019? 28, 29, 30 June 2019 Times: Friday 10am – 8pm | Saturday 10am – 8pm | Sunday 10am – 5pm Where is Rush 2019? Sun Arena, Time Square, Pretoria How do I buy tickets to Rush 2019? Tickets to Rush are on sale via Ticketpro. Day Pass: R120 (valid for one day only on any of the three days) Weekend Pass: R300 (valid for all three days) Player Pass: R250 (valid for all three days for players competing in tournaments) How do I stay connected? To stay up to date with all the Rush announcements and additional info, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or go to www.rushesports.co.za.