Unplug Yourself at Comic Con Africa 2023

Fancy a bit of cloak and dagger? Or would you like to find out what Pokémon is all about? Is Magic the Gathering a trading card game you’ve always wanted to try? Do you think you have what it takes to be the next Catan champion?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions then you’ll be thrilled to know that Unplug Yourself will again be entertaining tabletop gamers, both old hands and newbies, at this year’s Comic Con Africa happening from the 22 to 25 September 2023 at JHB Expo Centre in Nasrec.

Philip Galliford, spokesperson for Unplug Yourself says:

“Last year’s Unplug Yourself zones were immensely popular with thousands of people joining tournaments and gaming sessions. This year we’ve made Unplug Yourself bigger, better and even more exciting! South African Pokémon Professor Kyle Bremer will be there, and we’ll be hosting the Catan Nationals Tournament that will see the winner qualifying for the World Championships next year.”

Location

Unplug Yourself will be operating from the Black Eagle Conference Hall, which is accessible through multiple doors in Hall 6 and outward-facing doors between Halls 7 and 8. It is also accessible from the food truck section. Adjacent from KFC Kentucky Town.

The Unplug Yourself Gaming Hall Free Activities

Free Play Board Gaming area – This 60-capacity section will offer a library of board games for convention goers to play. Games include classics like Ticket to Ride, Catan and Azul, as well as hot new games. Don’t know the rules? No fret! A team of passionate game guides will be on hand to teach you and ensure your board gaming fun abounds.

Tabletop Miniatures Feature – A section dedicated to tabletop miniatures so that convention goers can marvel at the beautifully painted minis and scenery, and learn how to play miniature systems such as Star Wars X-Wing, Star Wars Legion, the brand new Star Wars Shatter Point as well as Marvel Crisis Protocol.

Dungeons & Dragons – If a sword-and-sorcery adventure is what you’re after, then the D&D section is just for you. You will be able to book and participate in sprawling D&D adventures during the convention. The Dungeon Masters will be ready and waiting to take you and your party on an adventure, with everything you need to play ready for you at the table. The sessions are novice and expert player-friendly. A very basic understanding of D&D is all that’s needed for players to participate.

For those not familiar with D&D, a fast-paced 30-minute session or quick encounter will introduce you to role-playing games and provide a basic understanding.

Magic: The Gathering – For players curious about or new to Magic: the Gathering, they are welcome to learn the basics and start their Magic journey.

Yu-Gi-Oh! – There will be a learn-to-play section where curious convention goers can trial the game and start their duelling journey. Participants will be able to purchase Yu-Gi-Oh! products from the stand and as well as the opportunity to turn themselves into a Yu-Gi-Oh! card with the card photo frame.

Catan – Can you bank enough points to win big? Unplug Yourself will be hosting an ongoing Catan event for the duration of the convention. Attendees can play as many games of Catan as they can and bank the points. Points can be redeemed for awesome board gaming rewards.

Also be on the lookout for our Catan squad, dressed in red and yellow. Our squad will have you joining into a convention-wide game of Catan where you will need to trade with other convention goers to gather all the resources you need to claim the robber badge.

Competitive Events – Secure your ticket to the Unplug Yourself competitive events on Quicket. R100 secures your seat. In addition to securing your seat on Quicket, players will still need a Comic Con ticket for the day of the event.

Unplug Yourself will be hosting four competitive events during the convention. The Trading Card events will have a seating capacity of 60 persons. The Catan Road to Worlds event will have a 100-person capacity. Book for the competitive events here.

Dates to Diarise

• 22 September – Magic: the Gathering
• 23 September – Catan Nationals – The winner of this event will qualify to represent SA at the 2024 Catan Worlds event.
• Yu-Gi-Oh! – World Championship Qualifier South Africa Open
• 24 September – Pokémon
• 25 September– Yu-Gi-Oh!

Yu-Gi-Oh! – World Championship Qualifier South Africa Open

Comic Con Africa in partnership with Unplug Yourself has secured the First ever in South Africa World Qualifier for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading card game. This is a huge deal and they are so honoured to have the community rooting for them. They have been fighting for this for three years now. They will also be continuing to fight for more top-level tournaments to come through to Africa. So please show up support the tournaments, and show our community spirit for these amazing games. Book your spot to compete here.

Comic Con Exclusive Sneak Peak

Unplug Yourself will offer convention goers a ‘first time in South Africa’ opportunity to experience the brand new Trading Card Game, Star Wars Unlimited. This TCG is set for worldwide release only in 2024. Will you be one of the lucky few able to experience this exciting offering before anyone else?