Last weekend at MegaCon Orlando 2026, we were there with press access as Red Bandana Gaming, which gave us the chance to get in early and really take our time with the floor before it filled up. For those who follow us, you already know what we’re about. We focus on video games across generations, from retro collecting to modern releases, with a particular eye for what’s worth picking up, what’s worth playing, and what’s worth your time. We noticed it right away: Gaming was everywhere this year. It wasn’t tucked into one corner or limited to a handful of booths. It kept showing up as we moved through the floor: cartridges, merch, art, conversations. Gaming felt bigger, more present, and harder to miss. We spent the weekend walking the con, digging through cases, talking to vendors, and picking up pieces along the way. Here are ten reasons MegaCon 2026 stood out for video gamers.
1. The sheer number and variety of gaming exhibitors this year
Some focused on retro titles, others on licensed merchandise, and others on gaming-inspired art and collectibles. We stopped at places like Retro Swap Shop, passed booths that didn’t even clearly display their names until checkout, spotted booths packed with Pokémon cartridges, and found vendors carrying officially licensed gear from franchises like Fallout and Gears of War, including booths like The Glitch Store that focused heavily on licensed gaming apparel. Rippaverse Publishing was in the mix as well, adding to the range of gaming-adjacent content. Even Artist Alley pulled heavily from gaming culture. By the end of the weekend, we realized we had seen a dozen or more gaming-focused stops, and that’s not even counting everything surrounding them. We even had the map at one point and still couldn’t keep track of it all. This was easily one of the strongest years for video game presence at MegaCon.
2. Cybertron Video Games showing the rest of the floor how it should be done Cybertron Video Games deserved its own moment. For us, they are the best video game store in Central Florida, and not just because they carry both retro and modern titles. They have built that reputation through great prices, knowledgeable staff, and the kind of customer service that keeps people coming back. At MegaCon, their booth reflected exactly why they are a favorite. The selection was strong, the atmosphere was welcoming, and the prices stayed grounded in reality. They were not doing the usual convention thing where everything gets marked up just because people are excited and already there. We picked up an Atari VCS bundle for $164, which was below the standard asking price you usually see online. That wasn’t a one-off either; it reflected how they price across the board. That stood out. In a room full of temptation, Cybertron felt trustworthy. When a local store shows up at a major convention and still treats customers fairly, it says a lot about who they are.
3. Retro gamers having a real shot at finding what they’re missing
This was the year for retro collectors. If you’re building out a collection, especially something specific like a North American Nintendo 64 set, MegaCon delivered. We came across multiple booths with glass cases full of cartridges, and one in particular stood out right away. Sitting there was Robotron 64, a title we didn’t have, priced at a fair enough price that it felt like an easy decision. It wasn’t even something we went in looking for; it just stood out the moment we saw it. That’s the kind of moment you’re hoping for at a convention. Beyond that, there were stacks of Pokémon games (Yellow, Gold, DS titles), some boxed, some loose, all in one place like a collector’s dream. You could spend real time digging, comparing and checking what you already own against what’s in front of you. It wasn’t just browsing. It felt like hunting, and this year, the odds were in your favor.
4. The Odditees Sisters making Artist Alley a must for gamers
We always stop by the Odditees Sisters, and this year they were one of the highlights of Artist Alley. A lot of what they create draws from Animal Crossing, which already makes the booth an easy favorite in our house, because it is exactly the kind of thing my wife loves. This year, they were also adding more Pokémon-inspired pieces, which made the stop even better. Their work is creative, cheerful, and immediately recognizable to anyone who loves cozy gaming culture. It’s the kind of booth that immediately makes the missus happy the second we walk up. Just as memorable is the person behind the booth. She is warm, funny, and genuinely delightful to talk to. At one point, we joked that next time she should do Elder Scrolls, and she laughed. That kind of interaction stays with you. It is not just a place to buy something. It is one of those booths that makes the whole convention feel more personal.
5. The coffee stop we planned our day around
We made sure to find them again this year. They’ve rebranded to Heroic Coffee & Tea, but we first knew them as Comics On Coffee, and a lot of what you’ll see in our photos still has that name on the bags. This is easily one of our favorite vendors to visit at MegaCon. We picked up another box of their blends, each one inspired by a different hero and fandom. Last year, the Harley Quinn blend with hibiscus stood out. This year, they’ve expanded the lineup, bringing in more gaming influence to titles like Zenless Zone Zero, alongside their DC-inspired roasts, with characters like Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman still in the mix. They’ve also started incorporating more gaming properties into their lineup, which fits perfectly with the direction of the show. The quality holds up. I’d put their coffee right up there with Black Rifle Coffee Company. It’s one of those stops that gives you a break, something to take home, and a reason to come back the next year.
6. Gaming cosplay showing up strong on the floor
There was a noticeable increase in video game cosplay this year. You still had a strong anime presence, but gaming held its own in a way we hadn’t seen before. We saw multiple Links walking the floor, Mario and Luigi duos, and plenty of Pokémon, including a standout Pikachu that was impossible to miss. There was also a full Halo presence, with people suited up in armor that looked like it came straight out of the game. Some of the more unexpected ones stuck with us, too. Someone showed up as a Buc-ee’s mascot, and we even saw a Geeks + Gamers mascot cosplay, complete with a 3D-printed head. There may not have been as many massive, full-scale builds as in past years, but the consistency of gaming cosplay throughout the floor stood out more. It wasn’t about the biggest builds this year. It was about how much of gaming culture was represented in all kinds of ways, from simple to elaborate, and how often you ran into it just walking the floor.
7. More gaming than we could even get to
We later realized there was an entire gaming area with tournaments, retro setups, and free play—and we missed it. That says a lot about how much MegaCon has grown. This year felt bigger in every direction. Artist Alley expanded, the main floor was packed, and there were sections, including parts of the second floor, that we didn’t even make it to. We even had the map at one point and still didn’t cover everything before the weekend was over. There were entire sections, including the creator and guest areas upstairs, that we didn’t even realize existed until after the fact. For gamers, that kind of scale is really awesome. It means there was more happening than you could realistically fit into a single day, or even a full weekend.
8. Gaming areas bringing even more to explore
Even without making it to everything ourselves, it was clear that dedicated gaming spaces were built into the convention. There were areas set up for tournaments, retro play, and hands-on gaming that went beyond just browsing booths. We heard about spaces like Shane’s Starcade and other setups where people could sit down and actually play, not just shop. That kind of presence turns the convention into something interactive, where you’re not just walking past games, you’re engaging with them. It added another layer to MegaCon that we’ll be prioritizing next time.
9. The Geeks + Gamers panel and after-party extending the gaming conversation We didn’t make it to the panel itself, but its impact carried into the rest of the weekend. Geeks + Gamers focused on something that clearly resonated with people: the idea that fans are taking control of the culture they care about, creating what they want to see instead of waiting on studios to get it right. That energy showed up in full at the after-party on Saturday night. The event had to be moved last minute to the Red Coconut Club because of the turnout, which tells you everything. It was originally scheduled at Pat O’Brien’s before being moved because it outgrew the space. It turned into a gathering of creators and personalities from across the gaming, comics, and fandom spaces. We saw names like Gary Buechler, Ryan Kinel, Anna “That Star Wars Girl,” Wicked Virtue, Chris Gore, WDW Pro, and YellowFlash, all part of that larger Geeks + Gamers and Nerdrotic-adjacent world. It felt less like a side event and more like an extension of the convention itself, just with the volume turned up and the conversations continuing off the floor.
10. The local gaming community showing why Orlando is a destinationWhat really ties all of this together is the community behind it. MegaCon brings people in from everywhere, but the foundation is local. The vendors, especially the game stores, represent what the Central Florida scene looks like year-round. When people from out of town walk up to booths like Cybertron and see the prices, the selection, and how they’re treated, it leaves an impression. It reflects well on the entire area. Then you add the scale of MegaCon itself, pulling in every kind of fandom, and suddenly, Orlando becomes more than just a stop for theme parks. It becomes a place where gaming culture is visible, accessible, and taken seriously. That combination of local strength and national attention is what makes this event land the way it does.
At MegaCon 2026, gaming was in the booths, in Artist Alley, in the conversations, and even in the moments we didn’t get to because there was simply too much to cover. That says gaming is no longer a side presence here. It’s part of the core of what MegaCon has become. From a Red Bandana Gaming perspective, this is exactly the kind of event we look forward to. A place where you can hunt for a missing title, discover something you didn’t know you needed, talk to people who care about the same things you do, and walk away with more than just a bag of purchases. You leave with stories, with connections, and with a better sense of where gaming culture is right now. If this year is any indication, MegaCon will only keep growing in this direction. Next time, we’re coming in with a plan—and probably still not seeing everything.
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