Gaming in Europe vs U.S

[Suggs]

Eurogamer at Earls court london . 26th-29th september (every year) i cant wait as i go every year
Great gaming convention, all the big titles there like elder scrolls online, bf4, cod ghosts ps4/xbox 1 stuff should be there this year and many other games/developer sessions. (alot of stuff not yet updated on the site)
http://www.eurogamerexpo.com/

[Ultima]

What country/ city are you from? Give us more information.

I generally feel that Europe has a larger and better player base than the US. This can be attributed to a larger population, wider spread of cultures and just general awesomeness.

Obviously, I live in London. I attend MCM Expo at the Docklands twice a year. That covers Gaming, Anime/ Manga, TCG, Sci-Fi Television & Film. I've gone to other events that covers me pretty well.

[Deleted]

There are a few geek / gamer bars in France Meltdown is a Moba / Starcraft bar in Paris at least. (We got one in London too)

The difference with gaming in the stats and EU is the advantage US have of a lot of them speak a universal language and gambling laws.

If any of you remember a few years ago when Blizzard opened the arena servers EU had a cash prize and now only get a title / pet while US get Cash / pet / title.

[Noomz]

Hey everyone, while I was searching for gaming conventions in Europe, and failing to find one that could interest me and/or could attend to, I began thinking about the differences in gaming mentality between our continents.

From the multitude of video game media I generally check, I'm left with the impression that gaming in the U.S is a real sub-culture, a real hobby, that it doesn't seem very hard to find people with a similar interest in video games in general and form groups to play. Whereas in Europe, or at least where I'm from,I have the feeling it's completely different, I have trouble just trying to find people to play and discuss video games with. Maybe it's an area or city problem, where living outside of big cities is the source of the problem ?
What's your opinion on this? It may just be a personal difficulty or a lack of interest in video games in my area, but I'm interested if this thought ever occurred to you ? Do you European gamers ever had any trouble finding other gamers ? Do you Americans feel there's this real sub-culture ?
Cheers

Aren't all the largest gaming conventions in Europe?

When it comes to competitive gaming, many European countries are much more prolific than the US. SC2 and LoL comes to mind.

[Deleted]

Aren't all the largest gaming conventions in Europe?

When it comes to competitive gaming, many European countries are much more prolific than the US. SC2 and LoL comes to mind.

Biggest is E3 followed by Games com followed by all the smaller ones.

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Eurogamer at Earls court london . 26th-29th september (every year) i cant wait as i go every year
Great gaming convention, all the big titles there like elder scrolls online, bf4, cod ghosts ps4/xbox 1 stuff should be there this year and many other games/developer sessions. (alot of stuff not yet updated on the site)
http://www.eurogamerexpo.com/

Never been to the Eurogameexpo but I do live in london, How it is normally? thinking of going next yr now that I have someone to go with ^^

[Bakis]

Well I'm not really a gamer so I don't look to attend gaming conventions but we got dreamhack here, which is pretty big.

Lies, you go there to pick up girls both winter & summer Dreamhack

[Jackmoves]

Lies, you go there to pick up girls both winter & summer Dreamhack

I've never been there but I can think of better places if I needed ;P ... not a fan of the gamer chick type anyways.

Here was an interesting read btw

Google translate, so crap english, about this summers DreamHack

According to surveys , the proportion of computer game playing women about 50 percent. But at Dreamhack , they are a minority. " Girls are met with a lot of prejudices ."

Elaine Bostrom, 24 , devotes much of his free time playing computer games . But she was not at DreamHack , the world's largest computer festival that is on his last day at Elmia Fair in Jönköping.

- I have been to many similar events and know how it is . DreamHack I stay away from . As the girl met by guys who gives one a look that means " what are you doing here ? ' . Or seen it as a potential partner. But as a girl, you are deemed to never be as good , she says.

- I think they are afraid that we will encroach on their territory .

For Rebekah Prentell , Chair of game hobby association Sverok , the problem is familiar.
- We have a lot of girls who are really good at gaming . But there are not several hours drive to Dreamhack just to be treated like someone's girlfriend. Girls are greeted by a lot of prejudices.

Recently wrote Aftonbladet chronicles Eva Franchell a chronicle entitled " DreamHack is sexist " with the message that the gaming industry should test the quota to be more equal . It did not take long for than the first comments came on Fragbite , one of the largest forums for e-sports and computer games , "Are games industry the last bastion of anti- feminism and philanthropic ideals ."

Dreamhack organizers do things to wash away the stamp. Among other things, workshops on sexual harassment in the network. It has also stopped the exhibitors who wanted scantily clad " båstjejer " to attract the young male audience . But discussions on Fragbite , which is the largest forum for e-sports and computer games, before Dreamhack 2013 , speaks volumes . " Easy to snag bitches on dh , va a bride who said she would suck me if I could fix the system for her ," wrote one user. Another comment : " DreamHack is a whorehouse not counting the official matches, nothing new there."

For Elaine Bostrom is sexism in the world of computer games not news . She confronted with it every day when she is playing computer games in the so-called e-sports competitions online, the anonymous users from around the world .
- I have kept me in this world just because I 'm stubborn and has a mind of her . Otherwise, you do not feel . You can not do it . It is so extremely much sexism. I hear maybe six times in one e-sports game that I'm a whore , slut and a cunt. It's clear you become angry. And playing worse .

Press officer at DreamHack , Fredrik Nyström , think it is a shame about girls stay away from DreamHack only because of how the atmosphere is online.
- We are aware that there is a pretty hard lingo online, but I do not think it reflects how it is in Dreamhack. We work to have a good environment where everyone feels welcome.

[Kurioxan]

Gaming scene in europe is quite huge, albeit the subculture differs from the american one.

Less work hours, more social stability, more free time means a lot more people play video games.
To be fair if there is a major difference would be that in the US gaming is a bit more of a niche/socially shunned than in the EU, so more people organize conventions and such for likeminded people, while in EU almost everyone plays games or some sort and its considered a normal facet of life, not many people feel the need to create niche places/events for it.

Not to mention EU has some of the biggest gaming events in the world like dreamshack so not sure what your problem with finding gamers is tbh.

[Deleted]

Typically, you won't see such "geeky" stuff like the ones in the US with all the "roleplaying" and " game clubs ". The atmosphere @ most teenage groups is more sober, because everyone wants to reach maturity in a snap. So you will see teenagers and young adults mostly interested in physical sports, traveling, clubbing and having sex....lots and lots of sex.
That's "our sub-culture" and it cannot be changed ( that easily ). Usually, the gamer type guy \ girl is frown upon by the rest.

[Djuntas]

I have seen plenty off gamers, hell some off my best friends are gamers, even good gamers - Like gamers I would be proud to play with, if you could put it that way. Then there are others who are just casual random players, not gamers.

edit: Denmark, scandinavian, EU. Grew up with gaming friends inn school that I played mostly Diablo2 with, and later wow.