'Amazing showcase' for UK gaming industry cancelled

One of the main showcases for UK gaming has been cancelled, reflecting the wider struggles of an industry which has seen a series of job cuts and studio closures.

The WASD expo - which is usually held in London in April - is a shop window for British talent, with a particular emphasis on smaller, independent game-makers.

But its organiser has now gone into liquidation.

Co-founder David Lilley told the BBC "increasing costs and less demand for stand space means running events is just not viable for us anymore."

There had been speculation about the event's future after the WASD website disappeared from public view months after its 2024 expo took place.

But the industry has still reacted with shock and dismay at the confirmation it was no longer going ahead.

James Lightfoot, from the UK-based Lightfoot Bros Games, was picked to showcase his game Sleepytime Village at the event this year, and said he was "so sad to hear it will be no more."

Dave Gilbert, the founder of American independent games developer Wadjet Eye Games, who attended the conference every year, called it "an amazing showcase for everything the UK game scene has to offer."

WASD first opened its doors in 2021 as an answer to the closure of EGX Rezzed, an offshoot of the London gaming festival EGX, which focused mainly on smaller, alternative video games and their developers.

The expo typically occurred alongside the London Games Festival in April.

As well as talks from industry members, WASD showcased a variety of demos from upcoming smaller games, alongside bigger releases such as Street Fighter 6 and Vampire Survivors.

David Lilley told the BBC he recognised the importance of the event for the "indie and creator community" and wanted "to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us along the way."

It comes at a difficult time for in-person gaming events across the UK and the gaming industry as a whole.

In September, Insomnia Gaming Festival, the UK's biggest gaming expo, was due to take place in Birmingham, but following a number of lay-offs at its organiser, Player1 Events, tickets never went on sale.

Whilst London's other video game showcase EGX did take place this October, it did so in partnership with MCM Comic Con, rather than as a stand-alone event.

The past two years have also seen mass lay-offs from some of the industry's biggest companies, such as Xbox makers Microsoft and Sony, which makes PlayStation, following a period of record growth and profits during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rachel Watts, games journalist and co-host of the Indieventure Podcast, believes the announcement is a reflection of a wider movement from companies towards announcing their games online.

"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."

"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."