{"id":6214,"date":"2018-10-11T05:51:14","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T04:51:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=6214"},"modified":"2025-12-02T07:21:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T06:21:59","slug":"game-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/events\/game-city\/","title":{"rendered":"GAME CITY gaming weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/gamecitysmall1.jpg\" alt=\"List of video games\" class=\"wp-image-76395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/gamecitysmall1.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/gamecitysmall1-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Slap on your Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3 costume and warm up your thumbs: it&#8217;s GAME CITY time. Once a year, Vienna&#8217;s historic Rathaus town hall and square turn into a hi-tech meet for gamers of all ages, from young to young at heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Austria&#8217;s largest gaming festival, including a cosplay parade<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Free entry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A great way to see inside the neogothic Rathaus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8230;view the Ceremonial Hall<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2026 dates: TBA (was Oct 10-12 in 2025)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a 2-hr <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-walking-tours-l205287\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_AnEvent\" rel=\"sponsored\">walking tour<\/a>* in Vienna<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/events\/comic-con\/\">Vienna Comic Con<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/events\/comix\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"58214\">Vienna COMIX<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/october\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"18528\">Vienna in October<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is GAME CITY?<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/gamecity.jpg\" alt=\"Game City vista\" class=\"wp-image-47601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/gamecity.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/gamecity-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Games and neogothic architecture)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A 3-day &#8220;gaming fair and exhibition&#8221; sums up the event, which features the usual attractions of such occasions, many of which naturally require swift reflexes. A typical year has:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Games and hardware to view and try<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Numerous exhibitors, often including such behemoths as Nintendo &amp; Samsung<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8230;but also indies and related organisations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Live eSports events<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Special games zone for younger children (4-12)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cosplay parade<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>On my previous visit, for example, other bonuses included a marketplace for merchandise, plenty of VR experiences, numerous street food trucks, games-related photo opportunities and more.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"361\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/gamecity1.jpg\" alt=\"Game City exhibition hall inside the Rathaus\" class=\"wp-image-61756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/gamecity1.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/gamecity1-300x217.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Inside the exhibition hall; press photo \u00a9 Andreas Tischler)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The event typically attracts more than 85,000 visitors along with dozens of exhibitors. Get an impression of it all from a video flashback at the bottom of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GAME CITY places a strong emphasis on attracting people beyond what you might call the core gaming audience (though plenty of that exact audience also attend).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The focus is on the fun, but the event also covers the wider aspects of gaming, such as the educational opportunities and, of course, the surrounding social and parental issues.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"361\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/gamecity2.jpg\" alt=\"Cosplayers outside the Rathaus\" class=\"wp-image-61757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/gamecity2.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/gamecity2-300x217.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Cosplayers at a previous event; press photo \u00a9 David Pan)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike most of its colleagues around the world, the festival does not occupy a convention centre or hotel complex. Instead, you enjoy the intriguing contrast of modern tech with historical surrounds. The location is the Rathaus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/rathaus-2\/\">town hall<\/a>, built in the late 1800s and one of Vienna&#8217;s iconic buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The festival fills part of the square in front of the Rathaus, then continues inside across floors and into the large central courtyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As such, GAME CITY actually gets you into the building (at no cost), which is not otherwise normally open for you to wander around freely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you can enjoy rare interior views of the wonderful neogothic architecture with its Hogwarts-like staircases, as well as revealing such joys as the 71m-long ceremonial hall used for balls and other grand events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dates, tickets &amp; tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t have 2026 details at the time of writing, but the previous GAME CITY took place across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 10th to 12th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Opening times were 9am to 7pm on the Friday and 10am to 7pm at the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned, entry is free and you don&#8217;t need to get a ticket in advance. Check on arrangements, more details on the programme etc. at the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.game-city.at\/\">official website<\/a>, once available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a local event, German dominates. But the prevalence of English in the gaming world (and in Austrian schools) means you should have no trouble communicating with exhibitors and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you want to explore the history of the tech that runs all the screen-filling excitement, consider a trip to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/museums\/retro-gaming-museum\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"62158\">Retro Gaming Museum<\/a>. There you can also play, for example, some of the games that set us off down this path: Pong, Pac-Man and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get to GAME CITY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As you might expect, the Rathaus is central and easy to reach. Simply walk there from the old town. Or&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Subway: take the U2 line to Rathaus and go around to the other side of the town hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tram: use any of these lines to reach the Rathausplatz\/Burgtheater stop&#8230;1, D or 71. Or take the 2 tram to Parlament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Address: Rathausplatz, 1010 Vienna<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1CvFy08QgKnm1x4rkMf89o2bjRoLw78on\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You may need to have consented to YouTube\/Vimeo cookies, depending on the implementation, to see the following video(s), otherwise you&#8217;ll get an error message:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Das war die GAME CITY 2023!\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/osPtzRnfH5s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Slap on your Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3 costume and warm up your thumbs: it&#8217;s GAME CITY time<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":76395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6214","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-events","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6214"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6214\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86424,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6214\/revisions\/86424"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}