BetaCon Game Expo

About

The Portland Mercury proudly presents, BetaCon: Oregon's first major video game and technology expo. BetaCon's mission is to bring together gamers, technology fans, educators and innovators. Connect with developers, designers and artists, try new titles, meet studios and inventors, compete in contests and competitions and attend betaLIVE panels and conferences. Experience the future of gaming and technology at BetaCon. BetaCon takes place in Portland at the Oregon Convention Center, April 15 & 16, 2017.

Hours for both days of BetaCon:
Open: 11am for the general public (10am for VIP ticket holders)
Close: 8pm

Exhibiting or sponsoring BetaCon is a unique opportunity to feature your product, introduce it to current and future customers and make vital business connections. Contact us via the links below if you have any questions regarding exhibits, vendors, sponsorship or media.

General event questions and media requests: info@betacon.org

Event sponsorship information: sponsor@betacon.org

Event exhibitor & vendor information: exhibit@betacon.org

Schedule

Check out our blog for complete betaLIVE schedule details!

Saturday, April 15th

11:45 am

Portland Retro Gaming Expo presents Memory Lane: A Walk Down the History of Gaming

Retro gaming experts discuss the history of video games.
John Hancock - Portland Retro Gaming Expo
Chris Trimiew - Lost Classics

12:45 pm

Elite Performance: The Process of Creative Development

Top performers in gaming and athletics discuss the creative development process.
Jeff Atienza - Nike
Ashton Eaton
Ryan Schneider - Insomniac Games
Hayden Walling - Nike

1:45 pm

Wacom and Polycount present: Live Art Battle I

It’s do or die as artists battle live, presented by Polycount and Wacom. Don’t mess up!
Seth Thomas - Polycount
Megan Davis - Wacom

2:45 pm

Lessons from Oregon’s Video Game Entrepreneur

Oregon gaming entrepreneur discusses his experiences and new video game resale app, Kinjo.
Justin Field - Kinjo
Moderated by Ashton Eaton

3:45 pm

Art Institute of Portland Live Demo: Oculus Rift

An experienced 3D animator and professor demos the Oculus Rift.
Nikki Dunsire - Art Institute of Portland

4:45 pm

The Time is Now: Opportunity in the VR Industry

A presenter describes VR’s potential to impact every industry. So, let’s get ready.
Shelley Midthun - Oregon Story Board

5:45 pm

Passion to Action: Getting into the Gaming Industry

Experts discuss tips for how to get your start in the video game industry.
Stefan Henry-Biskup - Liquid Development
Chris Reese - Sony
Alan Rogers - Oregon Games Project Challenge
Jeff Ross - Sony
Ian Tornay - Phoenix Labs

Sunday, April 16th

11:45 am

Wacom and Polycount present: Live Art Battle II

Artists play for keeps as Polycount and Wacom host another live art battle on stage.
Seth Thomas - Polycount
Megan Davis - Wacom

12:45 pm

Enabling the Future of PC Gaming and VR

An insider presents on the co-evolution of VR and PC technology.
Kim Pallister - Intel

1:45 pm

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

Panelists describe essential skills for surviving and thriving after getting a job in video games.
Phillip Torres-Greene - Sony
Derek Czerkaski - Ubisoft
Pat Wilson - Teak

3:15 pm

How Hackathons Cultivate Innovation

Hackathon-winning college students discuss their “Game Full of Animals”.
Edward Szczepanski - University of Oregon
Howard Lin - University of Oregon
Joseph Yaconelli - University of Oregon
Sam Schooler - University of Oregon

4:15 pm

Art Institute of Portland Live Demo: Meet Maya, VR Architect

Who is building the virtual future? An animation expert introduces you to Maya.
Nikki Dunsire - Art Institute of Portland

5:15 pm

The Future of Indie

Panelists discuss the growing popularity and burgeoning business of indie games.
Ian Tornay - Phoenix Labs
Stephen Kick - Nightdive Studios
Raghav Mathur - BlackShell Media
Mike Jones - Pipeworks

Check out our blog for complete betaLIVE schedule details!

Getting Here

Flying

The closest airport is Portland International (PDX), which is just 8 miles away from the event venue. There are ample transportation options from the airport into the city. Visit www.flypdx.com/PDX for more information about traveling to PDX or from PDX into Portland.

Driving

The Oregon Convention Center is right in the middle of Portland, in the NE corner of the city near the Willamette River. You can access the convention center from Interstate 5 North, via exit 302A-Rose Quarter or from Interstate 84 West via exit 1-Lloyd Boulevard. Once you’re nearby, you’ll find Holladay Street, NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Lloyd Boulevard and NE 1st Avenue directly surround the venue. Click here for driving or biking directions.

Other Ways to get here

It’s easy to bike to the convention center. But, we can’t make any promises about the weather. April in Portland is beautiful but rain or inclement weather is definitely possible.

Biketown is a program in Portland that offers easy, inexpensive access to bikes for use all around the city. Learn more about bicycle rental at www.biketownpdx.com.

Portland also offers rideshare options as well as taxi service.

Parking Here

There is pay-per-hour parking located at the Oregon Convention Center, with 800 total parking spaces available. This garage does tend to fill up during busy event weekends. There are also a number of other parking lots (as well as street parking) located in the neighborhood around the venue. For more information about parking, including free bike parking, visit: www.oregoncc.org/visitors/parking-and-directions

Staying Here

Portland is a great place to stay! If you aren’t from around here or don’t have a place to stay in town, there is plenty of affordable accommodation.

The official BetaCon 2017 hotel is:

DoubleTree by Hilton - Portland
1000 NE Multnomah
Portland, OR 97232
(503) 281-6111

The DoubleTree is offering attendees of BetaCon a special group rate and other perks. The group rate applies to any nights booked during the time period from April 14 - April 17, 2017. You must book your room either using this BetaCon Hotel Booking Link or by calling the DoubleTree Portland and letting your reservations agent know you want a room in the BetaCon block.

DoubleTree BetaCon Group Rates
Single Queen - $119.00/night
Double Queen - $119.00/night
Free WIFI access is also included for all guests staying for BetaCon.
The BetaCon group rate is available until 3/15/17 or until the reserved rooms sell out, whichever comes first.

Event Rules

We reserve the right to exercise any or all of the following remedies for those who violate the rules at the discretion of BetaCon staff: violators may be warned, ejected from the event without a refund and banned from future events. BetaCon staff may require the assistance of law enforcement if an attendee refuses to leave after being asked, acts in a threatening or intimidating manner or violates the law.

Respectful behavior toward all participants is required at BetaCon. Attendees may not behave in a manner that is intimidating, aggressive, violent or intolerant.
Weapons that may injure another person are prohibited. These include blunt or pointed objects or any weapons that fire a projectile or which in the opinion of BetaCon staff may pose a danger to others.
Drugs and alcohol are not welcome at BetaCon. Attendees may be asked to leave the event if staff believes they are visibly intoxicated.
Smoking and vaping at the event or near entrances are prohibited.
Theft/unauthorized removal of exhibitor or event items and causing damage to any property will not be tolerated. Attendees that steal or damage property at BetaCon may be arrested and turned over to police.
Behavior and dress must be appropriate for an all-ages event. BetaCon attendees and exhibitors should dress for an event that welcomes participants of all types, including families and young children. Attendees featuring partial nudity or overly suggested costumes may be required to change before entering.
Bicycles, skateboards, hover boards and other wheeled conveyances are prohibited inside BetaCon, except where medically necessary.
Additional Oregon Convention Center Rules: No pets are permitted (but properly documented service animals are OK), no helium-filled balloons may enter, no outside food or beverages are permitted and you do not need to bring chairs or seating (since plenty is available).

FAQ

Where can I stay while visiting?

There are tons of options! Navigate over to our Staying Here section.

How do I get to the expo?

It’s easy! Click over to the Getting Here section of the site.

Where can I park?

Visit the Parking Here section.

Where can I find a schedule?

The full betaLIVE conference schedule is available here.

What are my food options near the event?

The Oregon Convention Center offers a variety of food and beverage options through concessions at the venue. The venue is located within a long walk or a short drive to many of the great restaurants of Portland. There are a number of convenient options within a few blocks of the venue, including Burgerville, McMennamin’s Mission Theater Pub & J Café.

What are the event rules?

Check out our full listing of Event Rules.

Are cosplay costumes allowed?

Allowed and encouraged! For more info on the costume contest and free admission for the first 25 people who show up in costume each day, check out our blog post.

Can I get a refund?

We offer extremely reasonably priced tickets that everyone can afford, but there are no refunds once you purchase. But feel free to reach out if you have an issue: info@betacon.org.

How do I get tickets?

That’s an easy one: check out or Ticket Info section. You can buy discounted tickets before the event or grab your tickets at the door. We offer GA & VIP tickets for either one day or the entire weekend.

Where do I show up on the day of the event?

The Oregon Convention Center is the venue for BetaCon 2017. Check our Getting Here section for more about getting to the OCC. BetaCon is located in Hall E at the convention center. There will be maps and people to ask once you get there.

Are cameras allowed?

Sure! Feel free to come and document BetaCon with a standard camera or camera phone. Professional cameras and recording equipment are only permitted with media access. Contact us at info@betacon.org to request media credentials.

Can you accommodate my disability or mobility constraints?

The Oregon Convention Center is built to be accessible. Check out all the information about OCC accessibility here: www.oregoncc.org/accessibility. Contact the convention center for questions about venue accessibility or feel free to email us at info@betacon.org.

How do I exhibit at the event?

We’d love to have you exhibit! Check out our Participants Page or email us at exhibit@betacon.org for more information.

Can all ages attend?

Absolutely. This is an all-ages, family friendly event. For children under the age of 14, we require you to attend with a parent or guardian.

Can I bring my young children along?

Absolutely! Passes are not required for children age 6 or younger if they attend with a parent or guardian.