Road Journal: ReplayFX and TRISTAR Chicago

Our team was on the front lines for a pair of awesome events last weekend. We experienced more pinball and vintage arcade games than we’ve ever seen at Pittsburgh’s ReplayFX, and we worked alongside our partners at the TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion at The National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. Read on for some of our favorite memories from last weekend!

ReplayFX – Christie Stapf

With more than 750 arcade and pinball machines, and 2,000 retro console games, our team had a blast welcoming fellow gamers, snapping a few photos, and jumping in on the action (literally!) at this year’s ReplayFX.

While many of my teammates were checking fans in and handling walk-up sales, my fellow marketers and I got the chance to fully immerse ourselves in the energy and enthusiasm surrounding this awesome retro gaming event. We geeked out with cosplayers, cheered for our favorite Pinburgh players, raced through an obstacle course, and made sure to pick up some awesome event day souvenirs.

All in all, we had a great time and we can’t wait to check it out again next year. Relive some of our favorite moments with us on our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

ReplayFX – Lindsay Biondy

This past Thursday, I had the privilege of attending ReplayFX, my first event with ShowClix! ReplayFX is a fun, quirky, nostalgic event that holds more pinball machines and gaming consoles than I’ve ever seen. Our team took every opportunity to photograph all the retro games, fan artwork, and talented cosplayers we could find. We wanted to try and capture the whimsical atmosphere that ReplayFX created, while also highlighting the good-natured competition the many gaming tournaments cultivated. Experiencing an event that included so many games with a special place in my heart – like Dig Dug and ToonTown – was such a fun adventure, I know I won’t forget it.

ReplayFX – Ryan Hizer

ReplayFX returned to downtown Pittsburgh last weekend, transforming the David L. Lawrence Convention center into one of the largest, most eclectic arcades in the world. 

ReplayFX would have been my paradise as a young gamer, and as an adult attendee it brought back the same feeling of excitement reserved for hanging out inside arcades or taking home a rental from the video store. Sensory overload greets visitors who enter Hall A. Hundreds of backlit arcade screens mesh with a cacophony of video game sound effects and clacking pinballs to drop you inside a nostalgic haze that reminds you how it feels to be a giddy child.

Favorite Game: Ms. Pac Man
Runner Up: Magical Truck Adventure
Second Runner Up: The NBA pinball machine

TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion at The National Sports Collectors Convention – Brandon Lehman

July 26th marked the opening of the 38th annual National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago (NSCC), the premier showcase event of the collectibles industry. NSCC teams up with our partner, TRISTAR Productions, to offer the Autograph Pavilion: a magical place for fans to meet their sports idols for autographs and photo ops. Among those athletes in attendance were Dennis Rodman, Pete Rose, and our own hometown legend Hines Ward.

On top of photo ops and autographs, TRISTAR also offers fans the ability to authenticate their items for future selling. Working with the TRISTAR Productions team is always incredible; their 30 years of experience certainly shows. I worked with their box office team to provide walk-up sales and on-site fulfillment for tickets purchased online, and our Live iOS app kept the whole team in the loop with each athlete’s autograph sales.

I didn’t get a chance to explore Chicago too much this time around, but I did eat pizza every. single. day. So I’d say the trip was a huge success!

Catch TRISTAR’s next show in their hometown of Houston in February 2018!