Gaming Garage

The CNE Gaming Garage returned to the 2025 CNE with brand new programming for gamers of all ages! From thrilling stage activations to Japanese Rhythm arcade cabinets, and the return of board games and tabletop gaming, the CNE Gaming Garage was the place to be for all things tech, gaming, and interactive experiences!

The Catwalk – Main Stage

This year, our guests were the main character on the redesigned Gaming Garage Main Stage: The Catwalk. With different unique activations daily, participants had their moment to shine as the champion, and walk away with some awesome prizing!

CNE Showdown Tournaments

Gaming comes in all mediums, ranging from casual tabletop gaming to high-stakes Esports competitions. This year, the Gaming Garage hosted a variety of tournaments from different gaming communities. Click below to see this year’s tournaments and to register!

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CNE Grand Prix

Guests got ready to rev their engines at the CNE Grand Prix! Participants jumped into a Formula 1 race car simulator and competed for their spot on the winner’s podium! It was fast, exciting, and unlike anything played before!

GOES Console Arcade and Garage Band

GOES was back for another year of retro, console, and VR gaming fun! Guests had the opportunity to try out some classic games like Duck Hunt to more modern options like BeatSaber, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Guests also got to bring out their inner rockstar with the return of our Garage Band mini-stage!

CNE Innovation Garage

Witness the future of gaming as we showcase unique video games from student developers, indie game creators, and local designer community groups. Stop by to experience and play these innovative games firsthand and share your passion for gaming to support the next generation of local game developers!

J-Station

Inspired by Japanese arcade game station culture, CNE guests got to discover a whole new level of fun with our new J-Station, featuring arcade games straight from Japan. Games like WACCA, Dance Rush Stardom, Project DIVA, “Super Table Flip” and many more were free to play.

Crack the Crate

Participants got to solve, decipher, and scratch their heads with these mind wrenching puzzle boxes! This immersive problem-solving experience challenged guests by bringing the mystery of a physical escape room.

aiLIENS: Reinvation

The aiLIENS were back and better than ever! This immersive experience let participants create their own aiLIEN, and partake in a unique experience that encouraged creativity and inspired guests of all ages.

Byte-Sized Workshop

For our Byte-sized guests interested in tech and innovation, The new Byte-Sized Workshop was the perfect spot to try hands-on drop-in workshops and activities that teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.

Gather & Game

Guests rolled into a variety of tabletop games, where they could challenge friends and connect with fellow players. With a mix of classic and modern board games, table-top roleplaying games, and card games, Game Masters were there to guide participants through their very own campaign to board game victory.