Last weekend, many game fans went to Tampa in Florida to take part in the national game exhibition. The convention, in the first year, promised to meet with actors, such as the cast of Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Mortal Kombat, as well as aged voices behind the peach and Bowser Nintendo, composer Donkey Kong Grant Kirkhope and much more.
Instead, the participants of the Convention were treated in empty corridors, missing talents, a photographer without shows and … camels?
The National Gaming Expo took place on August 8-10 at Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. . Official website He claims that he expected that about 30,000 people present and talent signatures, photographic capabilities, suppliers and cosplay competition were promised. In social media, accounts such as Reservation of celebrity talents And voice actors, such as Ned Luke (GTA V) and Rob Wietfoff (Red Dead Redemption), promoted their performances at the convention. Withoff, who plays John Marston, raised a special enthusiasm with the initial teasing “exciting news”, which aroused fans about some franchise news – but it turned out that he was just talking about the meeting of Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2 cast on the Expo.
However, this meeting was … at least disorganized. The entire convention has been disorganized. Despite the lofty promises of the National Gaming Expo, the fans paid USD 40 for a one -day ticket, 90 USD for the weekend and appeared at a pretty idle event, as revealed in various photos and films in social media:
It was my first cheater and not what to expect, but it was definitely not. Do not support Mike Wittenberg because I was at the National Gaming Expo and it was so awkward and unorganized 😬 pic.twitter.com/vgi2d7dwvd
– spanapus 🫧 (@papus) August 11, 2025
The National Gaming Expo was a disaster. The Con floor was empty, maybe 10 sellers. The only panel that even happened was such a mess, Ned Luke started working MCS because he did such a bad job. They fucked celebrities. And now they remove their social media. @NGLEESHOW pic.twitter.com/3kjp8tbzci
– I 🎸✝️ (@Husbeep) August 10, 2025
Social media bills lament for the gloomy number and assortment of suppliers and cabins, as well as lack of security. One Reddit commentary He complained that there were health insurance and T-Mobile sellers and almost nothing to do with games. “It was the equivalent of entering the best purchase in search of a game, a view of shelves filled with broccoli, vascular soap and various car parts. Then somewhere in the back of the store is an open magnetovid for $ 600” Another commentator said.
Inexplicable, one attraction was Present on the Expo was … petting zoo with a camel and a few other breeding animals:
National Gaming Expo must be the worst convention they got everything they got is a camel and without games pic.twitter.com/whoexks6ha
– Functions (@funkonoki) August 9, 2025
The convention was not just idle. Apparently, many talents that were supposed to be there, or did not appear at all, or appeared delayed or sporadically in a way that hindered fans of the actors they wanted to see. Several participants who claim that they went to the concert on Friday said that the cast of Red Dead Redemption was not there at all, and they were told that a mistake with their agency was made. Others reported that they later met with the Red Dead Redemption team, but they complained that paid photographic possibilities and other talents were canceled because of one photographer allegedly employed by the convention that did not appear.
As a result, participants reveal their feelings to national game organizers in any way. Convention The official website on Instagram has been removed And this The event’s Facebook page has been blockedBut Comments on Facebook At the field in Florida, they are filled with nervous participants at the party. Many posters give warnings about the organizer of the event: CEO of Event production CEO Michael Wittenberg.
Wittenberg, which previously led the National Vape Expo, before he was closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Gaming Expo began this year Returning from a year and a half.. He was arrested there in 2023 for international drug trafficking during a networking event in the center, after signing a “700-pound palette filled with promotional items, but according to CBS news, Dominican officials smelled pills, jelly beans and contributions containing THC, an active ingredient in Marijuana.” Wittenberg claims that all positions were federal legal in the United States. “Did I know for sure that things were in the palette? NO. But I thought it was possible. Was I stupid or ignorant? Yes. I was not guilty. There is a difference,” said Wittenberg. “For 10 years I made the main conventions with these products in the main congress centers throughout the country.”
The warnings divided by the convention does not apply to THC, but more about the history of Wittenberg with conventions. According to commentators, Wittenberg had previously ran Threadbare, fraudsters, and some even came up to claim that he did not pay employees in the past. Although it is hard to find a useful online record of his past events, these claims are in a sense maintained At least one National Vape Expo review is still floating on the internet. “At the weekend I had to come up with ways of spending time, such as counting the number of steps between the racks and regular coffee breaks,” reads a review from a personnel reporter at Vapouround since 2017. “I have never done a large flat white latte in my life for so long. I am normally an espresso type, but five seconds that they take to a drink, I just didn’t cut it out, I don’t run a corpse.
A handful of the involved sites publicly commented on the situation at the National Gaming Expo. In a statement for IGN, actor Michael de Santa from GTA 5, Ned Luke, simply said: “It was a fraud, the guy he led was a cheater. He put on a comic.”
Authentics Venture, who advertised “shipments” to the Expo (allowing people to send collectible for autograph by talent) and stated that it would cause that the phrases were not taken into account because of “James Burnes, Michael Antonakos, Grant Kirkhope and others.” IN Comment on FacebookThe company explained: “This is not the guests of the guests, it is 100% at the convention. I prefer not to describe in public, but do not blame guests. It seems that they are equally shocked.”
Roger Clark, the voice of Arthur Morgan, similarly recognized his absence:
With my deepest apologies I say that I was unable to participate today on the last day of the national game exhibition, as announced. My absence was caused by circumstances outside my control. Crazy shit. Sorry.
– Roger Clark (@rclar98) August 10, 2025
Many people in social media who claim that they have participated in the Convention are now trying to get phrases. Some report success by questioning the tickets or receive refunds by Eventbrite, while others say they are not sure how to get a refund for photographic capabilities that have never happened.
Ign contacted the reservation of celebrities’ talents (which seems to coordinate many actors), Michael Wittenberg, National Gaming Expo, The Florida State Fairgravent, Kenny James, Michael Antonakos, Grant Kirkhope, James Burnes, Take-Dwo and Rockstar (for good measurement) and agency representing Roger Clarka, Rob Wiethoff and Samantha Kelly.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior Ign reporter. You can find her post on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.skyla. Do you have a hint with history? Send it to ralentine@ign.com.
