Video game exposition coming to area Saturday

A video game exposition organized by students and staff at Wayne Community College is expected to draw a crowd of thousands from all over the state and nation Saturday.

The second annual Goldsboro Gaming Expo was put together by Phi Beta Lambda business club to promote career opportunities within the growing video game industry. The event promises to be one of the largest in the state and the only event of its kind in Eastern North Carolina.

"There are no other events like this in North Carolina or in Eastern North Carolina," said Tracy Schmeltzer, expo producer. "There are smaller ones that are commercially based and tournament-based ... we are the biggest gaming event in North Carolina."

The day-long expo will fill two floors of the Wayne Learning Center with game tournaments and several companies' expositions of video games. Activities, including game lounges and simulations, are also planned outside the building.

It sounds like it's all fun and games, but students and staff want game players to realize high-tech careers in the industry.

"It's education-centered because we wanted parents to come, too," Schmeltzer said. "I'm older than most of the students (at Wayne Community College), and I don't know about a lot of this. I thought, 'If I don't know about it, then I'm sure there's parents that don't know about it.' We want parents to see that if their kids are playing video games, there's a future in it."

Much of the expo will focus on speakers and topics regarding graphics and game design. The keynote speaker will be Steve Reid, the executive vice president and managing director of Red Storm Entertainment in Raleigh which produced "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon" earlier this year.

Bruce Shankle, a software developer with Red Storm, will also speak.

"It gives us a chance to meet talented individuals who might be interested in pursuing a career in this industry," Shankle said. "This is an area I am especially interested in: Helping potential job candidates understand what the industry needs and how they can best qualify themselves for available positions. I'd like to dispel the myth that it is an impenetrable, elitist industry."

But the biggest draw will be the opportunity for avid gamers to get involved in tournaments and the exposition of new Xbox 360 games.

Schmeltzer recommends folks who want to enter tournaments get there at or before 10 a.m. to sign up for competition. People should also bring money for refreshments, as the cafeteria will be open.

Michael Abernethy can be reached at (252) 527-3191, Ext. 232, or at mabernethy@freedomenc.com.