UK Gaming Expo WASD Ceases Operations Amid Industry Challenges

The WASD expo, a significant platform for the UK gaming sector, has been called off, underscoring the broader difficulties faced by an industry experiencing numerous job reductions and studio closures. This event, typically held in London each April, served as a key display for British talent, particularly highlighting smaller, independent game creators. Its organizing entity has now entered liquidation. David Lilley, a co-founder, informed the BBC that “increasing costs and less demand for stand space means running events is just not viable for us anymore.” Although speculation about the event’s future arose after the WASD website vanished from public access several months following its 2024 iteration, the industry has nonetheless expressed surprise and disappointment at the confirmation of its cessation. James Lightfoot of UK-based Lightfoot Bros Games, who was slated to present his game Sleepytime Village at this year’s event, conveyed his sadness, stating he was “so sad to hear it will be no more.” Dave Gilbert, founder of the American independent games developer Wadjet Eye Games, a regular attendee, described it as “an amazing showcase for everything the UK game scene has to offer.” WASD commenced in 2022, established in response to the discontinuation of EGX Rezzed, a spin-off from the London gaming festival EGX, which primarily focused on niche, alternative video games and their creators. The expo typically coincided with the London Games Festival in April, which has announced a new event, New Game Plus, scheduled to launch during the same period next year. Beyond presentations from industry professionals, WASD featured various demonstrations of upcoming smaller titles, alongside major releases such as Street Fighter 6 and Vampire Survivors. David Lilley communicated to the BBC his recognition of the event’s importance for the “indie and creator community” and wished “to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us along the way.” This development occurs during a challenging period for in-person gaming events across the UK and for the gaming industry generally. In September, the Insomnia Gaming Festival, recognized as the UK’s largest gaming expo, was slated for Birmingham; however, following staff reductions at its organizer, Player1 Events, tickets were never made available for purchase. While London’s other video game showcase, EGX, did proceed this October, it did so in collaboration with MCM Comic Con, rather than as an independent occurrence. The last two years have also witnessed extensive layoffs at some of the sector’s largest corporations, including Microsoft, creators of Xbox, and Sony, producers of PlayStation, following a phase of unprecedented growth and profitability during the Covid-19 pandemic. Rachel Watts, a games journalist and co-host of the Indieventure Podcast, suggests this announcement reflects a broader trend among companies to unveil their games online. She stated, “Now that bigger gaming companies are running their own digital events, there’s no reason for them to spend time, money, and resources on being present at in-person events.” She added, “But for indie developers, events like WASD are vital to showcase their games to the public while also building a community within the indie space.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.