The wait is over: rAge Expo 2025 blasts off this week on the Level 8 rooftop at Fourways Mall, and it arrives bristling with merch, marathons of gameplay, celebrity activations, indie premieres and a ridiculous number of prizes. If you love esports, cosplay, LEGO madness, sim rigs, weird gadgets or just good old-fashioned play, this is the three-day playground you don’t want to miss.
rAge is serving everything fans crave — high-stakes competition, hands-on tech, family-friendly spectacle and silly, brilliant giveaways — all under one massive rooftop. Here’s what to expect.
New zones and headline experiences
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NAG Retro LAN: Plug-and-play nostalgia — no rig required. Food, gear, exclusive BYOC seating and retro vibes.
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zaLUG Live Build: Help construct a 9,023-piece LEGO Star Wars Death Star — public build shifts daily.
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Alien: Earth (Disney activation): A dark walkthrough experience with surprise moments and atmospheric effects.
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Lightsaber-Building Workshop: Assemble your own saber with cosplay guides and expanded parts.
Play, compete and win — insane prizes on the line
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Carry1st COD Mobile Arena: Global first play of DMZ Mode — plus an iPhone 17 up for grabs.
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Challenge the Pro & King of the Hill (5FM): Daily face-offs and bragging rights.
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Project Motor Racing sim (Koodoo): Fastest lap on the Kyalami circuit wins VEX Smart Glasses (R5,000).
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Hashtag Escapes: Beat the mini escape rooms for trophies, LEGO art and vouchers.
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Monster Hot Laps Challenge, ACGL fighting cups, EAFC matches and daily racing tournaments — with merch and prizes for leaderboard toppers.
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Snap to win: Selfie at PXR for anime figurines; enter Royal Ink’s tattoo comp (R6,000 value).
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Golden Ticket (NAG): Each NAG magazine could net a modded MSI PC valued at R45,000.
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Daily raffles, instant-win stalls and surprise merch drops across exhibitors.
What to play — from global firsts to local indie hits
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Battlefield 6 Free-to-Play Zone (NAG) — nostalgia and new action collide.
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Carry1st COD Mobile Arena — play DMZ before anyone else.
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VR & sim rigs everywhere — Apex at Razer, Turtle Beach racing & flight sims, Citroën and Monster setups, BT Games’ biggest expo presence yet.
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Home_Coded indie showcase — try Mighty Peckers, OMEN (beta access via a prequel comic), ToTheMoon! and more.
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Demo zones for ROG Ally X, Rokid AR glasses, and cloud gaming on VITURE One AR displays.
BYOC LAN — marathon gaming in comfort
The NAG BYOC LAN runs 5–7 Dec (Super Pass holders start 4 Dec) in a 5,600m² dedicated rooftop zone: aircon, high ceilings, refreshment tuckshop, access to Planet Fitness showers, secure parking and fast food options. Tickets include a free rAge Expo day pass for a friend; prices are frozen for the third year and Howler offers an interest-free LayUp plan. Order the official pro-lite LAN shirt (personalised gamertag option) when you buy your ticket.
Big-name tech, demos and partners
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Cool Ideas and Pure Storage power LAN connectivity and server performance.
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Razer, Turtle Beach, Evetech and VanguardPC x Takealot bring tournaments, gear demos and show-only deals (up to 40% off select rigs).
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PDC debuts VITURE One AR glasses for cloud gaming and floating 120” displays.
Culture, cosplay and community
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Artist Alley returns with 56 stalls — original art, comics, cosplay accessories and custom merch.
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Anime After Hours — J-pop/K-pop, quizzes, karaoke and collectibles.
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Cosplay stage — kid-friendly parades, novice and expert competitions and photo challenges.
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501st South African Outpost Star Wars photobooth raising funds for CHOC.
Esports spotlight
Major finals and prize pools include:
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Call of Duty Finals (Monster) — CoD Black Ops 7 grand final.
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Varsity Esports Finals — EA Sports FC25, Rocket League, Valorant (R90,000 prize pool).
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Mamelodi Sundowns Championship (FC26) — R200,000 prize pool.
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Kasi Flare (EA Sports FC25) — R60,000 supporting grassroots township talent.
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Mastercard Nedbank Summoner Tournament (LoL) — R100,000 prize.
Plus RGB school tournaments, ACGL fighting cups and other grassroots showcases.
Get in, gear up, game on
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Dates: 5–7 December 2025
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Venue: Fourways Mall, Level 8 (Rooftop), Johannesburg
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Tickets: Buy via Howler — rageexpo.howler.co.za/rAgeExpo25
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Website: www.rageexpo.co.za
This year rAge is equal parts spectacle and community: big reveals, indie-first playtests, headline competitions and daily chances to win gear, gadgets and glory. Whether you’re chasing leaderboards, building the biggest LEGO Death Star, or just hunting show deals, Planet rAge is ready — see you on the rooftop.
