If redemption is dominating the marketplace at the expense of video these days, try telling that to the crowds filling the stands and aisles of GAGA 2013, the Panyu Animation and Game Expo in Guangzhou, China, this week.
Rather confusingly held at the same time as the China Guangzhou International Game and Amusement Exhibition, which has traditionally been held in March, GAGA 2013 is crammed full of video-based games fueling the region’s appetite for shooters, racing games and dancing machines.
Louder and busier than the neighbouring show, GAGA has drawn the biggest names in the industry to the Poly World Trade Center, including Namco, Universal Space and Wahlap, the latter also presenting equipment from the likes of Sega and other leading manufacturers. Huge banks of racing games and large stages presenting the very latest big-screen dancing games, as well as new single-player games based on the most popular apps, such as Fruit Ninja and Temple Run, all suggest that in this corner of the world, at least, video remains a crucial ingredient within the amusement mix.
