When I first heard the term “Digital Video Game Convention”, I was confused. Intrigued, but also incredibly confused. “How does something like this work?” I asked myself as I waited for ENDIX to finish downloading. My question was immediately answered as soon as I booted up the program, with a quick Mission Statement flashing across my screen. ENDIX is a fantastic way for folks with social anxiety, those who have never gone to a convention before, those who are interested in learning more about fantastic indie games, and those who find themselves unable to travel. It’s the perfect stepping stone for folks interested in the idea of conventions. But most importantly, it’s a great use of technology for things like this.
“Connecting Your Game with the World!” Is Something I Can Get Behind
After creating my avatar, it was time for me to dive in. ENDIX officially started on May 24 at 12:00AM GMT. Being based in the United States, I logged in on May 23 around roughly 9:00PM CST, and I was the first to start exploring the world. A digital recreation of a futuristic city, ENDIX was already much larger than I would have imagined. I figured that it was going to be a convention hall, roamable with my digital avatar. Instead, I was treated to a pseudo-PlayStation Home, complete with a cafe, an AMD hall showcasing indies and a massive graphics card, and plenty of NPCs to eavesdrop on. Yes, I could jump on the graphics card, and it would blast me in the air. Yes, I spent far too much time doing this.
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I spent a fair amount of time wandering the streets of ENDIX city before making my way to the digitalized convention center. Quirky NPCs littered the area, with the mascot of the event being the most memorable by far. Decked out in neon pink, this mascot teased me, had fun with me, and also told me to stop wasting time trying to get on the train tracks and just get into the convention center. Fine, I guess I can do that.
There Were a Fair Number of Outside Booths, Even Before Hitting the Convention Floor at ENDIX
On my way to the center, I had to stop and check out what was going on outside. DragonWars, Marvel, World of Tanks, and more had booths set up outside. To make life extremely easy, every booth has a QR code that attendees can scan to Wishlist or download a game, alongside a trailer and information about the games. Spoiler alert: my Steam Wishlist swelled up by the time I logged off during the second day. World of Tanks, in particular, had a very entertaining booth. I had to climb into the cannon of a tank and fire myself onto a new island, filled with all sorts of neat equipment. Very interactive and very memorable.
But, without any further ado, I finally made my way to the ENDIX center. A line of NPCs waited outside the door, each swapping witty lines as I walked past them. I was a VIP, I didn’t have to wait in line. Well, to be fair, any real person in attendance was a VIP, so we all got the same treatment. I walked in, went up the stairs, and was treated to a visually spectacular room, filled to the brim with indies. I just had to walk inside of each room to experience them, and this is where ENDIX shone.
Every Booth Was Extremely Cool, Filled With Tiny Details That Helped Them Spring to Life
I spend a lot of time diving into different indie games. No matter if it’s higher-profile releases like The Alters or smaller games like RATSHAKER, I’m always trying to do what I can to keep up with the latest and greatest. That’s where ENDIX genuinely shocked me. There were a ton of games here that I had never heard of before, alongside some very familiar faces. Three levels of convention floors, all packed to the brim with neat little titles. But the booths. The booths are what sold me on the premise of ENDIX more than I could have anticipated. Regardless of the game, the genre, or anything in between, each booth was a creative attempt to bring the world of its respective title to life.
For example, the first booth I entered was one for The Alters. It was suitably futuristic, blending the aesthetic of the game with just enough pizzazz for it to stand out. Neon lights, gray walls, and a sleeping chamber just like Jan has in the game. It was surreal seeing ENDIX go from black and neon to something that looks as if it was lifted directly from the game. It’s incredibly cool, with other booths having additional filters to make it feel like I was pulled directly into the experience itself.
It doesn’t matter how big or small the game was. Every booth was equally impressive. Anything from Star Trucker to Tinkerlands, there was a memorable and impressive booth that helped ENDIX attendees get the best experience around. While I may have been the only one around during this initial day, it was still an awesome experience. But the second day that I checked it out? Everything was all the more impressive.
Day Two of Endix Was Chaos in the Greatest Way Possible
I figured that I should check out ENDIX once more before the event came to a close. I’m incredibly glad I did. Firstly, there were many, many more attendees this time around. I wasn’t just roaming around these halls like a ghost. It was a party, with folks around the world speaking and screaming in excitement. It was a surreal, exciting experience to see firsthand. I had folks approaching me, looking to chat (sorry to the guy at the World of Tanks booth, I was fast-traveling and was teleporting when I heard you say my name), and just a ton of fun.
But the best part of the event was happening just out of my view. As I went into the Raw Fury booth to check out Post Trauma, I noticed a massive group of people. They were all talking over one another, led by a streamer who was having the time of their life. Next thing I knew? There was a massive breakdance party happening, and I was part of it. We were all laughing, screaming, and having a great time, all while ENDIX team members were joining in. It was a blast, and something that I’ll remember for the foreseeable future.
I didn’t know what to expect when I came across ENDIX, but it wasn’t this. This could genuinely be one of the best ways to help folks from around the world market their games. Having a digital world to explore, other people to collaborate with, and plenty of secrets hiding around the world for eager players to discover? It was incredibly unique. The best part? It costs nothing to get in. It’s free for players to explore, and in a world where everything is more expensive than ever, I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
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