Game On Expo 2026 in Phoenix: The best moments and biggest fails

Game On Expo respawned at the Phoenix Convention Center from March 13 to 15, unleashing three days of boss fights, joystick jockeying and full-on geekery.

For Arizona gamers, it was a weekend of button-mashing bliss. Elite players scored serious cash in esports battles. Cosplayers flexed in game-inspired costumes. And attendees got face time with voice actors from heavy hitters like “Final Fantasy VII” and “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.”

It wasn’t a flawless run, though. Parking hit wallet-draining levels. The exhibit hall got a bit too cacophonous. And some players treated vintage controllers like disposable gear.

Here’s a look at the biggest wins and a few frustrating fails from Game On Expo 2026 in Phoenix.

Best: It was an ideal weekend for big events like Game On Expo

The second weekend of March was a sweet spot for an event like Game On Expo. The first wave of the Valley’s heat showed up, but didn’t melt anyone. It lined up with spring break for plenty of local schools, meaning more free time and fewer excuses. And it landed far enough from Phoenix Fan Fusion that fans hadn’t already nuked their wallets. The result? Solid crowds, good energy and a steady flow of players all weekend. Benjamin Leatherman

Worst: Everyone else thought so, too

That same perfect timing cut both ways. There are only so many decent-weather weekends before summer turns Phoenix into a frying pan, so promoters stack the calendar. From March 13 to 15, downtown was slammed with can’t-miss events. Red Bull’s F1 activation roared a few blocks away and pulled huge crowds. The St. Patrick’s Day parade and fair flooded nearby streets, adding to the congestion. BL

Best: Security was a breeze

Getting into Game On Expo was refreshingly painless. Security lines moved fast, the staff kept things efficient and no one seemed interested in slowing gamers down with unnecessary hassle. Bags were checked and you were through in minutes instead of stuck in a snaking queue. Even at peak hours, the flow rarely bogged down. Cosplayers still had to get their props and weapons inspected and peace-tied, but it was handled quickly and without drama. BL

Worst: Parking prices were insane

If you drove to Game On Expo, your wallet probably took critical damage before you even made it inside. Besides the recent spike in gas prices, downtown garages near the Phoenix Convention Center were charging as much as $70 or $80 per vehicle. It felt less like parking and more like surge pricing gone wild. Add in traffic from other big events downtown, and just finding a space became its own frustrating side quest. Pro tip: next year, rideshare or light rail might be the real meta. BL

Best: VGM as BGM

Game On Expo’s leaned hard into sensory overload at times. A nonstop barrage of chatter, trash talk, beeps, bloops and hype men on mics filled the exhibitor hall. Up in the Phoenix Convention Center’s lobbies and hallways, though, and the vibe shifted. Instead of chaos, you got a steady stream of chiptunes, soundtrack cuts and video game rock humming in the background. Not cranked to 11. Not fighting for your attention. It was subtle, smart and weirdly soothing. A rare moment of restraint at a con that usually goes full volume, all the time. BL

Worst: Overlapping commentary

Toward the back of the exhibitor hall, a live wrestling ring was set up just a short distance from the esports main stage. The “worst” trouble was timing. On the third day, the “Mario Kart World” medal ceremony was underway while a tumultuous wrestling match was in full swing. Our applause for the go-cart driving winners kept getting drowned out by the wrestling announcers and the crowd reacting to the wrestlers duking it out in the squared circle.

Not long after, the “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” finals commenced at the same time as the annual event’s wrestling championship match. With the two competitions practically two turnbuckle leaps apart, the cheers and jeers from both crowds blended into a single loud mix. It made it tough to focus on either event. Spreading the two competitions further apart in 2027 might help. Mike Madriaga

Best: Foam fighting

Game On Expo wasn’t just about pwning friends on a screen. It also let you settle scores the old-school way: by whacking each other with foam “boffer” weapons. Inside a 20-by-20-foot arena, kids, teens and fully grown geeks unleashed chaos with foam-wrapped bats. Battles were loud, fast and delightfully unhinged, with flailing limbs and zero strategy beyond “bonk first, ask questions never.”

At any given moment, it looked like LARP combat crossed with grade-school recess gone feral. And honestly? It ruled. There’s something deeply satisfying about ditching the controller and going full-contact, even if it’s padded. Thankfully, most combatants kept their swings above the belt. Mostly. BL

Best: The massive VR Zone

Kids and adults were spaced out across a section of the exhibitor hall floor, each inside taped-off 6 to 8-foot sections while waving their arms and ducking invisible obstacles. The purveyors of Game On Expo’s VR Zone knew the players were inside a headset world, but from the outside, it looked like something else entirely. Watching dozens of people moving at once had a giant silent disco feels. Sorta strange, a wee hypnotic, and honestly perfect meme content if someone synced the random, non-uniform movements to the right complementary TikTok tune or trending voiceovers. MM

Best: Esports prize money

Over three days, hyper-competitive gamers battled across multiple titles with more than $5,000 in prize money on the line. Fighting game staples like “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” “Street Fighter 6” and “2XKO” drew the biggest crowds. Top players clashed in bracket matches while spectators packed around massive screens with booming audio and live commentary.

For many competitors, the cash raised the stakes. It wasn’t just bragging rights. It was fuel for the next gaming binge. MM

Worst: Sweaty controllers

Plenty of vintage and modern home consoles, along with stand-up arcade cabinets, were free to play throughout the three-day gaming binge. Nearly every machine pulled us straight back to the ’80s and ’90s, when turns rotated among friends at home or crowds packed around mall arcade cabinets.

Out of habit, I caught myself wiping down the controls with the bottom of my shirt before starting a game. By day three, some were downright slippery. Pro tip for next year: Bring wet wipes. And while some might rank this among the worst, Gen Xers may find it oddly fitting, a reminder of how those sweaty arcades and crowded family rooms used to feel. MM

Best: Huge TTG section

Outside the exhibitor hall, a massive tabletop gaming area featured more than two dozen eight-foot tables, each seating about eight players. Signs marked space for titles like “TUF,” “Critter Kitchen,” “Chronicles of Crime,” “Argon,” “Pathfinder,” “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” and more.

There was so much room that many tables welcomed walk-ups. Solo attendees could jump into a session, learn a new game and meet fellow players in minutes. It was one of the easiest ways to connect IRL. MM

Best: Video game fashion

Many metro Phoenix gamers treated the convention halls like a nonstop catwalk. Shoe charms for Crocs, gamer-themed press-on nails, character bracelets and earrings, 16-bit tattoo art, vintage iron-on tees, Ken and Ryu headbands, and even Japanese kimonos E. Honda would approve of. Game On Expo doubled as a full-on fashion flex.

Some attendees went all in, debuting cosplay and ornate fits they’d spent a year perfecting, ready for fellow gamers to hype them up online. What might seem like a niche gathering turned into a runway for personal style. MM