How to Get the Most Out of Open Gaming at UK Games Expo

Most people go to UK Games Expo to buy games. That is fair. The trade hall is excellent and the Bring and Buy alone is worth the trip. But if buying games is all you do, you are leaving one of the best parts of the show largely untouched.

Open gaming at UK Games Expo is where a huge chunk of the weekend actually happens. The board game library alone has thousands of titles you can borrow and play for free. The bring-and-play halls fill up with groups trying new things, old things, and games you have never heard of. And once the show floor closes, the Hilton keeps going.

Here is how to get the most out of it.

The short version Open gaming is free to access with your UKGE ticket. The board game library has thousands of titles to borrow and play on site. The bring-and-play halls are busy and welcoming. Solo visitors and groups both do well here. The Hilton hotel, a short walk from the show, hosts informal gaming that runs late into the evening. Take a wish list of games you want to try, not just games you want to buy. Not going in a group? Join the UK Games Expo Solo’s (and pairs) group

The board game library

The UKGE board game library is enormous. We are talking thousands of titles covering everything from five-minute filler games to full weekend-length heavyweights. It is one of the most impressive lending libraries of its kind at any convention in the UK.

The way it works is straightforward. You find the game you want, hand over a deposit and ID  (bank card, driving licence or other photo ID), and take the game to a table. When you are done, you hand it back and get your Deposit returned

The library is particularly good for games you are curious about but not ready to commit to buying. I have spent time at the library table with games I had seen talked about online for months and never had the chance to try. Sometimes they clicked immediately. A couple of times they did not, which saved me buying something I would have regretted. That alone is worth a few hours of your weekend.

A few practical notes. Popular titles do get signed out, especially on Saturday. If there is something specific you want to try, going on Friday morning or Sunday gives you a better chance of finding it available. The library volunteers are genuinely helpful and usually know the stock well. If you cannot find what you are looking for, ask.

Check the game’s complexity before you sit down with it if you are newer to the hobby. Some of the heavier titles in the library are a significant undertaking without someone who knows the rules already. Bring-and-play is best enjoyed without spending the first ninety minutes puzzling through a rulebook cold.

UK Games Expo Board Game Library Opening Hours:

NEC Library

► Friday 29 May 2026 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

► Saturday 30 May 2026 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

► Sunday 31 May 2026 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Hilton Library

► Friday 29 May 2026 6:00pm – 10:00 pm

► Saturday 30 May 2026 6:00pm – 10:00 pm

Gaming in the halls

The bring-and-play areas at UKGE are separate from the trade hall and run across the show. There are tables set up specifically for open gaming, and the atmosphere is relaxed. People sit down, learn games, teach games, and play with people they have never met before. If you’re in the UK games Expo Solo’s group there usually is a designated table making everything super relaxed and easy to find. There is a whatsapp group too

If you are going as a group, the bring-and-play areas are ideal for a long sit-down session in the middle of the day. You can bring your own games or borrow from the library. The tables are first-come, first-served, and the areas do get busy on Saturday afternoon, so arriving earlier in the day gives you more flexibility about where you sit.

Solo visitors do very well in the halls too. People at UKGE are generally open to inviting someone to join a game, especially for games that play better with more. If you see a group setting something up that you know and want to play, it is entirely normal to ask if there is room. Most of the time there is. I have ended up in games with complete strangers at the show more times than I can count, and it has almost always been a good experience. Some of the best UKGE conversations I have had started with someone explaining the rules of a game I had never heard of.

The hall gaming also gives you a break from the noise and pace of the trade hall. After a couple of hours of browsing publisher stands, sitting down with a game for forty minutes resets you. You come back to the trade hall with more energy and, usually, a clearer head about what you actually want to buy.

Finding games and finding people to play with

There are a few good approaches depending on your situation.

If you know what you want to play

Check the library catalogue if one is available in advance, or head to the library first thing and have a look at what is there. Popular games are easiest to find at opening time on Friday or in the morning on any day. Go with a shortlist of three or four games rather than hunting for one specific title, so you have a fallback if your first choice is already out.

If you are open to discovering something new

This is where UKGE open gaming really earns its place. Walk around the bring-and-play area and watch what people are playing. If something looks interesting, stop and watch for a few minutes. Most players are happy to explain what is happening. The UKGE volunteers in the bring-and-play areas are also a good resource for recommendations based on what you enjoy and how many people you have.

If you are on your own

The bring-and-play areas are genuinely one of the friendlier environments at the show for solo visitors. Games that work well at different player counts are always being set up, and groups often welcome an extra player. Being upfront works well. A simple question along the lines of whether there is room for one more is almost always met positively.

We have a full guide specifically for people attending UK Games Expo solo or as a pair, which covers this in more depth.

If you are in a group

Arrive with a rough plan of what you want to play together. Larger groups can sometimes struggle to find a single table big enough on busy days, so consider splitting into two smaller groups and comparing notes afterwards. It also means you cover more ground between you in terms of games tried, which is a reasonable trade.

Gaming at the Hilton

The Hilton sits directly connected to the NEC, and for anyone staying over at UKGE, it is where the evening gaming happens. Once the show floor closes for the day, a section of the hotel, typically the bar and lobby area, fills up with attendees continuing to play.

The setup is informal. People bring games from their bags, find a table, and play. There is a Game Library to borrow from too, Groups form naturally. If you are staying at the hotel or willing to make the short walk over after the show closes, it is a good environment to find a game late in the evening when you are not ready to stop.

I have found the Hilton bar area on a UKGE Friday night to be one of the more relaxed parts of the whole weekend. The trade hall pace is gone. People are playing because they want to, not because they are navigating a busy show floor. Longer games that would feel too ambitious during the main show hours work well here. There is also a designated Open gaming area to use so you should be able to find table space.

A few things worth knowing if you are planning to make use of it. The hotel bar has limited seating and UKGE weekend is busy. Getting there early in the evening gives you a better chance of a table, or you can use the seperate Open Gaming area. Bring a game or two in your bag if you have something you have been wanting to play. And bear in mind that other hotel guests are also using the space in the bar, so the tables available for gaming can vary depending on the night and how busy the bar is.

You do not need to be a guest at the Hilton to use the bar. It is open to the public. That said, if you are planning to stay over at UKGE, it is one of the closer options to the venue and the convenience in the evenings is real, even if the room rates tend to reflect the demand. Read, they’re very expensive.

How to get the most out of open gaming at UKGE

Practical tips Take a shortlist of games you want to try, not just games you want to buy. Open gaming is your chance to play before committing.Visit the library early in the day on any day, or on Friday morning for the best availability of popular titles.The bring-and-play areas are friendly territory for solo visitors. Ask if there is room. Almost always there is.If a game is already checked out from the library, ask a volunteer. Sometimes copies come back sooner than expected, or they can suggest a similar title.Do not skip open gaming to spend more time in the trade hall. A break from browsing stalls is useful, not a waste of time.For Hilton gaming: arrive early in the evening, bring something in your bag, and be prepared for a more relaxed and informal setup than the main show.Heavier games work better at the Hilton in the evening than in the busy bring-and-play hall during the day. Plan accordingly.

Final thoughts

The trade hall gets most of the attention at UKGE, and it deserves it. But the open gaming side of the show is where a lot of the actual playing happens, and for my money it is where some of the best moments of the weekend come from.

Sitting down with a stranger to play something neither of you have tried before, finding a game in the library that immediately goes on your buy list, or staying up later than you planned in the Hilton because the game is too good to stop. That is the part of UKGE that is harder to plan for and easier to miss if you are not looking for it.

Make a list of games you want to try before you go. Build some time into your day for the bring-and-play areas. And if you are staying over, do not go straight to your room when the show closes.

Back to the full UKGE tips guide: https://letsplaygames.uk/uk-games-expo-tips/