Sim Gaming Expo 2025 will debut as a first event for simulation gaming and technology enthusiasts on September 5 to September 7 near Chicago.
The inaugural event takes place at the Schaumburg Renaissance Convention Center in Schaumburg, Illinois. Bringing together fans, creators, and brands in the simulation gaming and technology world, the Sim Gaming Expo is the first event of its kind to showcase all genres of simulation gaming, virtual reality, esports, gaming lifestyle, and cutting-edge tech under one roof. It’s the first time the event is taking place.
Created “for fans by fans,” the Sim Gaming Expo 2025 will feature immersive experiences, interactive panels, and a chance to meet industry leaders, and content creators. Attendees will get hands-on with the latest in sim racing, flight simulators, VR innovations, and so much more. As organizers gear up for the event, they anticipate a strong lineup of exhibitors, all eager to share their products and innovations with the simulation enthusiast community.
“We’re so excited about it. We’re trying to attract PC enthusiasts, tech fans, nerds and gamers,” said Anzaldo in an interview with GamesBeat. “I’ve always been a big motor sports fan, and I enjoyed many of the early sim racing titles, from the DOS era to the modern day.”
Back in 2013, he joined sim racing and started a league of his own in 2014 and ran that for about 10 years.
“It was through that experience that I just saw a huge void in North America where, in my opinion, sim racing was not properly being represented,” Anzaldo said. “And then just looking at the simulation genre as a whole, it feels somewhat fragmented. You know, we have a lot of subgenres. And there really was nothing that was representing all of these genres of simulations as a whole, or under one roof. That is what drove me to expand.”
He added, “There’s a huge community that does flight sims and farming and trucking and sci fi, and there’s, there’s just so much tech and hardware that goes into the immersion from these games that I felt there was so much crossover,” Anzaldo said. “We decided to bring all these communities together and have one big celebration.”
These aren’t all just about fun and games. They lean into learning and business. Flying flight sims, for instance, represents a great way to learn how to fly. An estimated 15 million people played the 2020 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, and many of them were pilots or pilots in training. Military games have also been used in training soldiers in the past, and so the line between simulations and games has always been thin.
In fact, gaming and simulation have been symbiotic in the past. In Montreal, there were early 3D simulation companies that helped fuel graphics talent in the city. That talent morphed into 3D graphics chip makers and video game companies. And that helped turn Montreal into a mecca for the game industry — it’s now one of the biggest cities for games in the world. Similarly, Orlando, Florida was also a big hub for simulations, given the big entertainment and military contractor presence in the city. Now it’s a hub for gaming too.
The expo center has about 65,000 square feet of space and it has cool activations planned like an area for PC gaming with 15 computer stations set up. There’s another area for sim racing with 15 full cockpits. There’s room for scores of exhibitors and dozens are signed up now.
“We’re doing outreach to the community. We’re working with content creators and, of course, the businesses themselves. Now we’re spreading the word,” said Anzaldo. “We’re super excited about it.”
The expo will have a variety of companies represented. There will be some flight simulator companies, as well as simulations for other types of categories. There will be accessory makers and PC gaming rig makers as well, and there is one VR game company coming.
“We have some conversations going with others as well,” Anzaldo said. “Our crowd is going to be a mix of business-to-consumer and business-to-business.”
Highlights of Sim Gaming Expo 2025
Exclusive Exhibitions and Demos: Top brands are expected to showcase the latest hardware, software, and accessories in simulation gaming, VR and technology.
Live Esports Competitions: Sim enthusiasts can watch and participate in live esports
tournaments featuring top talent and community-driven events.
Content Creator Meet-and-Greets: Fans will have the opportunity to meet popular streamers and content creators, who share their passion for simulation gaming.
Educational Workshops and Panel Discussions: Industry experts and creators will lead sessions on how to improve their skills and discuss the latest trends and developments in the world of simulation gaming.
“Sim Gaming Expo 2025 is all about bringing the simulation gaming community together to celebrate our shared passion,” said Jorge Anzaldo, owner of Immersive Entertainment, the production company behind the event. “This is a unique opportunity for fans to explore the technology and innovation driving this industry, connect with creators, and immerse themselves in an unforgettable experience.”
Anzaldo said registration is open and sponsorship opportunities are available.
Immersive Entertainment Inc. is a production company dedicated to creating dynamic, fan-centered events in the gaming industry. Committed to innovation, Immersive Entertainment Inc. produces the Sim Gaming Expo, bringing together the latest in simulation technology, gaming lifestyle, and interactive entertainment.
And, thanks to the learning side of the equation, Anzaldo is trying to connect with schools and expose them to the STEM aspects of learning simulations.
“It’s amazing. The realism that’s being brought into these simulators is just so cool to see, like with iRacing on the sim racing side. They laser scan the tracks and they laser scan the cars so they are truly a one-to-one representation” in digital form, Anzaldo said.
In addition, Anzaldo said, “We think this should be celebrated. The approach that we’re taking is that it is also a community-driven event, one that is for fans, by fans. We want it to be a gathering of people to celebrate their shared passions for all of this hardware and tech and software.”
“We’re definitely seeing where AI is being more integrated into simulations. Now, more than ever, there is a pathway from E to real where, people are into sim racing, and then they’re getting opportunities to drive real-world race cars,” Anzaldo said. “Like in the Gran Turismo movie.”