XCL Kicks it Alberta Style at the 3^rd Annual XCL Expo

When I heard my good friends over at Xbox Canadian Live (XCL) were gearing up for their third annual XCL Expo, I had to get the straight goods right from the source for you, the devoted Xbox gamer in Canada. Some of the most happening cities in Canada have been home to the XCL Expo in the past – Vancouver, Toronto, and this year’s event is shaping up to be another world class extravaganza in… Edmonton.  Okay, for the uneducated, Whyte Ave is pretty happening for those of you fearful to venture north of the 53^rd parallel and Devlin’s makes a mean martini (and my Toronto-centric tastes are VERY picky). I sat down with this year’s organizers Night Chicken and NinjaRay to find out what is in store for attendees this year.

Jade: Okay, first off enquiring minds want to know…why Edmonton?

Night Chicken: This event takes a lot of planning and organizing. I should know after planning last year's Toronto event. We wanted this year's event to be in the Western part of the country but not Vancouver since that city has already hosted. The biggest reason we chose Edmonton is because NinjaRay offered to step up and put together the event (KUDOS!)

NinjaRay:I’d like to say that Edmonton was chosen because of its beautiful summers, plentiful festivities, great shopping, dining and fantastic NHL hockey Team. But the truth is that I volunteered to host/organize it before anyone else had a chance to offer it in their own city. We do want to try to hold it in different cities each year but there is no real criteria we use in deciding the host city. It could be in Yellowknife next year if somebody offered to host it there next year. But alas, we have no Yellowknife members.

Jade: I love being a part of the XCL community - how long have you been members of XCL?

NinjaRay:Both Night Chicken and I are Charter Members of XCL which was formed in July 2003. This July will mark our 3rd year anniversary.

Jade: Tell me about the XCL event you are holding this year?

Night Chicken: The XCL Expo is a weekend dedicated to gaming and getting to know our fellow XCL gamers in person. We dedicate a large portion of the weekend to large 16 person networked Xbox 360games (on big screens with HD projectors!) and fill in the rest with smaller games, partying, wining and dining and generally having a great time.

NinjaRay:And this year’s event promises to be the biggest event yet with members and friends coming from across Canada and parts of the U.S. But as Night Chicken says, it’s not just about gaming. One of the focuses of the event is to put names to faces and meet new friends with a common interest. But of course, we also want everyone to experience an atmosphere of gaming that is second to none. The event commences with the arrival of members on Thursday, June 30th and ends Monday, July 3rd.

Jade: Seriously sounds like gamer nirvana. Who are you expecting to attend the event this year?

NinjaRay:Each year is exciting because there are good “old” friends from previous expos that attend but as XCL grows so to does the potential for meeting new friends. This year’s expo will include roughly half “veteran” members and half newer members.

Night Chicken: And the Expo is attended by XCL members only. Our community is still rather small since we focus on participation and maturity, so we routinely cull our membership to ensure that focus is maintained. We number about 140 members and will likely have 20-30 show up at the Expo. Unfortunately one of our moderators and Microsoft MVP - Jakenbear will be unable to make it this year.

Jade: What are the big tournaments set for the event?

NinjaRay:The first person shooters are always the fan favorite among XCLers. We’ve set a tournament schedule to include Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat and Perfect Dark Zero. On top of that we will be holding sparring contests in Fight Night: Round 3 and DOA4. We’ll also throw in a little Table Tennis. And of course, what would gaming in Edmonton be without some Hockey playoff action in NHL 2K6?

Jade: Any extracurricular activities planned for the event outside of playing awesome Xbox games?

Night Chicken: Thursday is the calm before the storm.  We always have an opening 'Dinner of Champions' at a nice restaurant. Additionally we are trying to get in a round of golf, but other then that we focus on gaming over anything else.

Jade: Do you have prizes for any of the top players or is everyone just going for the love of the games?

NinjaRay:A long weekend full of gaming with friends is the first prize. We will have a few prizes for the tournaments but the event is 100% funded by each attending member. The titles of “Top Shooter”, “Biggest Camper”, “Easiest kill” and “Most Whipped”, among others will be once again handed out at the event as part of this year’s annual Gamer Awards – created by Members, for Members of XCL. These coveted titles are held in higher regard than any material prizes.

Jade: How can Xbox fans in Canada join in on the fun?

Night Chicken: Step 1 - Join XCL, it’s free and you can apply through our website www.xboxcanadianlive.com.  You must also be at least 18 and have a mature and relaxed gaming persona (for the most part - we all like a little trash talk but just in good fun).

Step 2 - Participate with XCL - on the forums or in XCL Live games (they take place pretty much every night).

Step 3 - Make travel arrangements to come to the expo. Event costs are split between all attendees.

Jade: This passion and dedication to the fine art of Xbox gaming truly warms my heart!  Any closing words so I can let you get back to the prep for the big event?

Night Chicken: Do you play on Xbox Live and are tired of the immaturity in many public games tarnishing your gaming experience? Do you wish to connect with like minded gamers that seek a relaxed, laid-back and most importantly FUN gaming experience? Are you 18 or above? If you answered yes to all these questions, look into XCL, the best gaming group I have ever been affiliated with. While we are based in Canada and have predominantly Canadian members, we welcome all nationalities to the fold.

NinjaRay:The event has been anticipated since the last day of last year’s expo. Everyone is really looking forward to attending and meeting some of our newer members. Anyone interested in the event and/or XCL should visit our website at www.xboxcanadianlive.com to find out more. We encourage everyone with a passion for gaming and a mature attitude to apply for membership. Who knows, next year we might be in a city near you.  Or Vegas, that’s my vote!

Thanks guys for giving us the scoop on the event.  And check back for pics from this year’s XCL Expo in Edmonton to see what you missed!