Graphics by Maj Quizon
CONQuest 2023 has officially ended! With a blast from different streamers and content creators for the three-day fest, the absolute CONQuest 2023 was truly unforgettable for most of us. Seeing Newt, Josh, Pokimane, Vallkyrae, Jayat, The Rose, and many more public figures up close was a worthwhile experience!
Cosplayers can be spotted anywhere as they bring to life characters from the games and anime we have grown to love. Streaming live games was also fun, especially watching your favorite content creators and streamers battling with one another in a friendly match of Valorant.
The RIOT area contains a lot of booths, an interactive section, and sections dedicated to VALORANT and League of Legends, where you can get freebies once you participate in the activities. You can also spot the game’s characters and take selfies with them.
The second floor was filled with booths that sold all sorts of goodies! From artwork to pins, stickers, shirts, figures, and more! There were also long lines to meet and greets for fans to meet their favorite artists. Not to mention, some workshops that were filled with different fun activities. Due to the number of booths and activities that CONgoers visited, the whole second floor got into a strict line during the second and third days due to the unexpected number of CONgoers.
Despite its success, CONgoers voiced their struggles, especially with the never-ending line and management. The whole SMX venue was so crowded during the last two days as the lines were long enough to reach the back side of the venue, plus it took hours for people to finally enter the premises. Lines were also confusing since some got tied up; some suddenly lost their lines entirely due to disorganization. The CONgoers faced a lot of challenges and confusion. The line issues made it hard for them to go out and come back in during the last two days. They also had trouble finding lunch and food options, with only a few food stalls inside the venue. Complaints can be heard everywhere: from social media to the people at the event. Some, unfortunately, could not enter due to insufficient wristbands, which resulted in refunding their money.
Organizers apologized for the inconvenience and unexpected crisis during the event. Some still found the whole event enjoyable, while some were disappointed. Yet despite the disappointment, the CONgoers gained new friendships and fun memories *except for the line part*. And who knows, maybe the next convention will improve, or another convention event might come again soon. We never know. Still, may this event hold a memorable one for us and give a valuable lesson to everyone.
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