rAge, which will take place in Johannesburg from the 3rd to the 5th of October at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate, is back for the 6th year in a row and is in a league of its own as South Africa's coolest interactive gaming and technology expo.
rAge is a not-to-be-missed event for anyone interested in having fun in the 21st century. The gaming phenomenon no longer belongs to techno-geeks and spotty teenagers with twitchy fingers and a bizarre affinity for small dark rooms. The computer gaming industry is bigger than the film and music industries, and female gamers make up one of the fastest growing parts of the market. Business men bang away on PSP's [PlayStation Portable] as the bus sits in traffic in central London, and a receptionist in Prague spends her lunch hour whiling away the time playing Guild Wars against counterparts in Brisbane, Johannesburg and Dublin. Technological advances mean gaming has become increasingly interactive and social, with people from across the financial and social scale becoming more interested in this entertaining pastime.
There is an exciting future in gaming. With faster internet access and more bandwidth, online gaming is exploding worldwide. The enthusiastic uptake of PC-based games, particularly MMORPG's, [massive multiplayer online role-playing games] shows where gaming is headed. An MMORPG offers gamers a chance to control a character in a perpetual online world, simultaneously with thousands of characters all controlled by other gamers from around the world. The attraction to MMORPGs is similar to what draws people towards TV soap operas: A huge cast of characters - new and familiar - living through dramatic events in an ongoing world, the difference being that you are in charge of a character, making the whole experience more entertaining.
At rAge gamers (both professional and non-professional) are encouraged to not only attend the expo but to book a place at Africa's biggest LAN (Local Area Network). The NAG LAN at rAge 2008 will see 1,800 gamers all connected on the same network playing a variety of games 24 hours a day for three days solid. This is a truly awesome experience not only to participate in but also to see. The closest visitors will get to see a similar set up is to visit international events - some of which are only accessible to those in the media or directly involved in the gaming industry. This year at rAge, visitors are invited to participate in a gaming boot camp where professional gamers will coach newbie's and seasoned players on their technique and skills.
Games are constantly changing and adapting to new trends and social circumstance. An example of this can be seen as around the world increased focus is being placed on fitness and health. An awesome gaming development to look out for is ‘active gaming'. In May 2008 Wii Fit launched in South Africa. This brilliant addition to the ‘active gaming' phenomenon acts not only as a game, but a personal trainer - minus experiencing the embarrassment of huffing and puffing next to the stunning blond in gym. The Wii Balance Board actually measures your BMI [Body Mass Index], and once you start exercising it monitors the duration of exercise, as well as taking note of the category. It has four training categories, aerobic exercise, muscle workouts, yoga and balance games which will help all members of the family lose weight and get healthy. The on-screen trainer responds to the physical performance triggered by the Balance Board as well as the Wii remote, and gives helpful tips and encouragement, making exercise fun and a family game.
rAge will thrill visitors with the latest in PC and next-generation console gaming, computer hardware and software, accessories, mobile technology and digital lifestyle gear. If that's not your cup of energy drink, then come for the comics and anime figurines, trading cards and board games, sneak peeks at some of the hottest gadgets and gaming titles to be released in the upcoming months and loads more.
Visit our PRESS OFFICE: rAge, now in its sixth year, is set to blow visitors away at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate from the 3rd to the 5th of October 2008. Video games, consoles, gadgets, computers, hardware, peripherals, mobile technology, comics, anime cinema, figurines, trading cards and board games – rAge has it all.- more....
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