At SPIEL Essen, the world's largest public trade fair for games, the dice are rolling at the tables and game pieces are jumping across the field. Game boxes and cartons are piled up to the left and right of the superstructures. They take up entire displays at the presentation stands. Costumed professional gamers explain to young and old fans of the scene how the rules of strategy masterpieces or board game classics work and which move is the smartest.
Would you like to look over the shoulder of an illustrator at work, attend the German Games Award ceremony or would you prefer to watch live role-players at a show? Passers-by can talk to the development teams at the counters in the Grugahalle as they enthusiastically present their innovations. One exhibitor from Korea, for example, is showing a modern app that uses augmented reality technology to project characters into real space.
Those who want to be active themselves can take part in international competitions and championships ranging from chess to collectible card games. Prize money and honorary titles await. For younger guests, the trade fair organizers from Friedhelm Merz Verlag have also set up an area with outdoor games, where romping around and playing is the top priority. Presentations and discussion panels on topics such as "Playing in public cultural spaces" and "The digital world of analog games" round off the trade fair.
Speaking of digital: every year there is also an online stream of the trade fair so that those at home don't miss out.
