GEEX social — Expo brings gamers together

In a dimly lit room, hundreds of gamers gathered at the GEEX Show on Thursday to watch and play some of the industry's "latest and greatest" in video-game entertainment.

They were college students with pierced eyebrows and tattoos. There were gray-haired business executives in polo shirts. And then there were the stereotypical gamers: young men in baggy jeans and T-shirts emblazoned with smart-aleck slogans.

Games such as "Guitar Hero" and "Fight Night Round Three" were projected onto massive video screens as players waited and watched in line.

"For me gaming is something that transcends religion, politics and even one's own environment," said Chris Kahl, a 40-something Kearns resident who is a self-described lifelong gamer. "I've met and played with gamers from foreign nations like Japan and Syria, and as long as they can speak English, we can connect and have fun together."

The physical limitations that time and space can impose on friendships and personal interactions don't apply to gamers linked to the Web. Those friends are just a click away. Yet for most gamers, it's still nice to get together and share one another's company in person on occasion.

For Kahl, the GEEX expo at the Salt Palace Convention Center this week is an opportunity to play games and compete for prizes, as well as a chance for gamers to gather and socialize.

Gamers often have parties online to play games through local area networks. The lines between virtual and actual reality blur so that they are difficult to distinguish. Yet at both the online gatherings and the expo Thursday, players unite in their love for games and fun.

"I look at this and see a lot of people I can immediately relate to," said Matthew Richardson, a Salt Lake County resident. "Age isn't an issue here. Everyone is familiar and nice."

Richardson, who is 18, and Kahl met at the expo and joined as a team in the computer game "Team Fortress Two." While they are still learning each other's technique and playing style, they were able to talk and laugh like old pals.

Today, both men will be competing in the "Team Fortress Two" tournament for a chance to win prizes and fame in Utah's gaming community.