A Borg-like collective of computer-game enthusiasts nears invasion of Texas this month under the cloak of the Austin Gaming Expo. A kind of interactive Smithsonian playroom that will showcase Reagan-era consoles like Atari 2600 and Intellivision, as well as today’s cutting-edge platforms like Xbox and PlayStation2, the expo is coded for Saturday, July 26, from 10am-8pm, at the Marriott Austin North (2600 La Frontera Blvd., Round Rock). With more than 40 exhibitor and vendor booths filled with consoles, games, gadgets, swag, and God knows what else, the event is a rare opportunity for nostalgia hunters to play Pong, Mario Bros., and Halo all in one sitting. New games for old systems will be available for purchase, and in-house tournaments will give gamers a chance to wear down their opposable thumbs. In addition to door prizes, the Digital Media Collaboratory will give away limited quantities of PC games to attendees who register for its Artificial Intelligence in Games Workshop (held in August). Expo tickets are $5, and you may assimilate further information at www.austingamingexpo.com.
This article appears in July 18 • 2003.