The 10th annual 2012 rAge gaming, gadgets and lifestyle event drew 28,930 people through its doors. This is an 8% growth over 2011’s event.

“We have never seen anything like it, the crowds were amazing,” said Michael James, Senior Project Manager at rAge. “The growth is unbelievable. Just when we think that the show cannot get any bigger, we experience another rAge and we are completely blown away. This show celebrates and feeds South Africa’s gaming culture and without our visitors’ passion and dedication, rAge would not be the success that it is today.”

The organisers are already planning ahead for next year, having learnt from the negatives of the 2012 event. Fire and safety concerns mean that aisles will be widened to ease congestion, and more tellers will be added to the entrance of the venue to process the queues (wait times at rAge 2012 were sometimes up to an hour). More ATM machines will be added, and all exhibitors will be required to use hard lines for credit card machines.

The NAG LAN @ rAge will be presented in a different configuration in 2013, in terms of Internet and network structure, to improve on the gaming experience. “I really want everyone to have the best time possible at the show and my team and I will not rest until it’s perfect,” said James. The NAG LAN saw over 2,500 gamers were hooked up to one network to engage in a 53-hour gaming marathon.

“The amount of positive feedback that we have had, as well as the attention from the media, positions rAge firmly on the international gaming scene. It is an incredibly exciting time for South Africa’s community in this regard. Without the dedicated sponsors, exhibitors and fellow gamers, South Africa’s gaming culture could not possibly be where it is today,” said James. “Keep on gaming and keep on growing!”

Check out all of MyGaming’s rAge 2012 coverage in case you missed anything awesome.

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