2025 GUEST ANNOUNCEMENTS
Voice Actors
Ned Luke
Before exploding onto the international scene as the voice and likeness of Michael DeSanta in the wildly popular video game Grand Theft Auto V, Ned Luke had already accomplished much in his career of nearly thirty years. He waited tables, sold cars, real estate, time shares and hot dogs. All the while, Ned managed to enjoy enough success in show biz to keep him coming back for more. Ned has appeared in nearly 100 commercials through the years hawking such products as Budweiser, Cheerios, Burger King, and many, many more. Ned has also enjoyed success on the small screen with shows including Law and Order:SVU, Third Watch, Boardwalk Empire, Law and Order, Murder One and the just completed pilot Unfiltered to name a few. He even voiced a sheepdognamed Raffles in the animated film Rover Dangerfield.
A die hard fan of the Chicago White Sox, Ned once turned down a national beer commercial because it shot in Wrigley Field, home to the hated Cubbies. Ned and his beautiful wife Amy live with their 13 year old son Bubba in New York. Ned on making of GTA V: "Stealing cars is hell of a lot more fun than selling them..."
Shawn "Solo" Fonteno
Shawn “Solo” Fonteno, is the voice behind the character Franklin in Grand Theft Auto V. Born in Watts, California, Solo was involved in the music industry, recording the West Coast anthem "Whoop Whoop" and touring with notable artists like Ice Cube and Queen Latifah. After a public falling out with Ice Cube and surviving a near-fatal shooting, Solo refocused on his family and faith.
He later ventured into acting, starring in films like 3 Strikes (2000) and The Wash (2001), and also pursued motorcycle racing, eventually becoming Vice President of the Choppers crew. His life took another turn when DJ Pooh, a key figure behind Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, invited him to Rockstar Games. Solo's authentic background made him the perfect fit for the role of Franklin in Grand Theft Auto V. After two and a half years of character development, Solo's voice became part of one of the best-selling video games in history.
Now, with fame from his role in the game, Solo continues to pursue voice acting, film, and other opportunities, but remains grounded, prioritizing his family.
Young Maylay
Young Maylay, is an American rapper and voice actor from Los Angeles. He is best known for his portrayal of Carl "CJ" Johnson, the main character and protagonist of the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Chris Bellard was born and raised in Los Angeles, California amid the gang violence and the peak of gangsta rap in a crime-riddled area in poverty which inspired his rapping career.
Scott Whyte
In 2020, Whyte became the new voice of Crash Bandicoot in Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. In 2021, he also became the new voice of Captain Qwark in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Also known for his role as Chris Anderson on City Guys, he has also appeared in television series such as That '70s Show and Just Shoot Me! and the films D2: The Mighty Ducks and its sequel, D3, as different characters.
James C Burns
UPDATE; Now Appearing All 3 Days!
Renowned as Sgt. Frank Woods from Call of Duty, James not only voiced but shaped the character with his exceptional acting and writing, earning widespread acclaim. His involvement in Call of Duty spans 15 years, making Woods a gaming legend. Beyond gaming, James has toured with the USO to support U.S. service members worldwide.
James’ talents extend to music, creating Call of Duty parody songs beloved by fans on his SARGE’S CORNER YouTube channel. He’s also graced screens in top TV shows like *Euphoria*, *Hawaii Five-0*, *Burn Notice*, and *All Rise*, as well as films like *Transformers* and *Herzog's My Son, My Son*. And let’s not forget his fan-favorite role as Masaru Watase in *Yakuza*!
Fun fact: James isn’t just an entertainment powerhouse—he’s a former pro ice hockey player and coach, boasting a championship in Belgium’s National League. He founded NYC’s Skyrink and even starred in a Wheaties ice hockey commercial!
Chantelle Barry
Appearing Saturday and Sunday Only!
Australian-born Chantelle Barry first rose to fame in 2000 as the winner of the making of the band series POPSTARS Australia. Now based in Los Angeles, Chantelle has built a multifaceted career as a singer-songwriter, actress, and more prominently as a voiceover artist. Chantelle is perhaps best known to gamers as Maya Aguinaldo in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies. Other voiceover credits include Selina Kyle in Batman: Arkham Shadow VR (2024 TGA winner for Best VR Game), Sheila in Spyro: Reignited Trilogy Marenna Staalek in Diablo Immortal, Ghost in Marvel’s Iron Man VR and Baphomet in DC’s Doom Patrol. Chantelle’s on-camera credits include NCIS, The Chosen, Love Death & Robots, Entourage, How I Met Your Mother, and 90210, and she also also starred as supervillain Roku in Valiant Comics first live action series ‘Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe’.
Paul Eiding
Paul has had an illustrious voice actor career. From working on Transformers to Ben 10 in animated features, to video games like Fallout and probably most notable voicing "Colonel Roy Campbell" in the Metal Gear Solid franchise. His list of credits is very extensive, and it would be tough not to recognize the projects he has worked on. Paul has done it all.
Doug Stone
From voicing iconic characters like Matt Trakker in *M.A.S.K.*, Psycho Mantis in *Metal Gear Solid*, and Fugaku Uchiha in *Naruto*, Doug Stone has been a powerhouse in the voice-over world! With over 1,200 TV and film loops, anime roles, and 5 Golden Reel awards for voice casting, his impact is undeniable.
Doug’s journey includes voicing, casting, and directing projects like *Jackie Chan films*, *Hercules & Xena*, and beloved titles like *Ghost in the Shell*, *One-Punch Man*, *Digimon*, *BlazBlue*, and *Fire Emblem*. Even though he retired from directing, casting, and writing...he continues acting and wows fans with his incredible talent. Don’t miss this voice-acting legend!
Tasia Valenza
Tasia Valenza is an EMMY-winning voiceover artist, EMMY-nominated actress, TEDx keynote speaker, and communication coach. A voiceover legend, she has brought to life some of gaming’s most iconic characters, including Poison Ivy (Batman: Arkham), Sniper Wolf (Metal Gear Solid), and Ultimecia (Dissidia Final Fantasy NT).
She is also a major presence in the Star Wars universe, voicing Jedi Shaak Ti (TheClone Wars), Commander Venisa Doza (Star Wars Resistance), Tawni Ames (TheBad Batch), and Kaliyo Djannis (The Old Republic). Beyond gaming, Tasia is the founder of #GiveGreatVoice, a TEDx speaker, and a voiceover coach, helping others master the art of confident, charismatic communication.
Beyond Entertainment Tasia is the founder of #GiveGreatVoice, a platform that promotes confident, charismatic, and considerate communication using the skills of a voiceover artist. She delivered a TEDx Talk on the power of voice and teaches voiceover animation workshops, helping people worldwide master the art of vocal expression. From gaming to empowerment, Tasia Valenza continues to inspire, captivate, and give great voice.
Greg Eagles
In his 30 years as a VO Actor Greg Eagles have been a part of now classic Animation Series and Video Games. It all started at Activision with the old school favorite "Interstate 76" and the sequel "Interstate 82"where he voiced Ajax, one of the two main characters. Then he helped launch one of the most successful franchises in Video Game history, "Metal Gear Solid." Greg was the voice of the menacing Cyborg Ninja "Grey Fox" as well as Peter Stillman. From there it was onto another classic "Mortal Kombat 10" where he voiced Jax and Baraka. He has also been featured in Rockstar Games highly successful "Grand Theft Auto" Series. In addition to many games Greg has also been a staple in many popular animation series. His most famous role is the voice of the Grim Reaper in the Cartoon Network classic "Grim Adventures Of
Billy And Mandy" one of three longest running series on CN. In addition to Voice Acting Greg is also a writer and producer of his own animated projects having produced the short "Teapot" for Frederator Productions and Random Cartoons which aired on Nickelodeon. Greg continues to lend his vocal skills to numerous productions as well as developing his own exciting innovative projects!
Peter Lurie
Peter Lurie is a seasoned voice actor with over three decades of experience, bringing to life iconic characters such as Leatherhead in *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* and Sabertooth from the *Marvel Universe*. With a remarkable portfolio of over 150 video game titles, as well as roles in anime, feature-length animations, and audiobooks, his versatility knows no bounds. He also voiced a lead in *The CHUBB CHUBBS*, which earned an Academy Award for Best Animated Short. Beyond gaming and animation, Peter has showcased his vocal range in commercials for brands like Dairy Queen, McDonald's, Shell Oil, In-N-Out Burger, and Indian Motorcycles, proving his talent across diverse platforms. His dynamic voice continues to captivate audiences worldwide
Vanessa Marshall
Nominated for an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in Studio Ghibli’s 2021 animated film Earwig and the Witch, Vanessa is best known for voicing Hera in Star Wars: Rebels, Wonder Woman in DC’s Harley Quinn, Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Canary in Young Justice, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Rick and Morty. In the world of video games, she voices Sheeva in Mortal Kombat 11, Olga in Metal Gear Solid 2, and Jan Ors in Star Wars: Jedi Knight II. A gamer herself, she regularly livestreams on her Twitch channel.
Vanessa also announces TV promos for ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, HGTV, VH1, and MTV. She narrates shows for ESPN, Lifetime, E!, TLC, and the Tennis Channel. Raised in a show business family by Joan Van Ark of Knots Landing and John Marshall of KNBC News, Vanessa’s first acting job was alongside Julie Harris, playing her mother's role (Valene Ewing) as a child.
Vanessa’s award-winning sculptures earned her admission to Princeton University. After earning a Master's in Acting from NYU, she performed stand-up comedy at The Comedy Store and The Improv, as well as sketch comedy at the Acme Comedy Theater. One of her many performance essays was published in Anna David’s book True Tales of Love and Lust from the storytelling event of the same name.
Vanessa also wrote a monthly column in Star Wars Insider magazine, where she chronicled her intergalactic fangirl experiences. As a former "plus-size" model, she created a one-woman show, Got Phat?, which ran successfully in both LA and NYC. She later won Uncabaret’s The Other Network Comedy TV Pilot competition for her TV adaptation entitled Plus Me.
Courtenay Taylor
Psychotic biotic? Check. Wasteland wanderer? Check. Elusive spy? Check and check! That’s right -- Jack from Mass Effect, the Sole Survivor in Fallout 4 and Resident Evil 6’s Ada Wong all share the same vocal cords...that of actor Courtenay Taylor! She’s voiced countless roles in 175+ games: Caiatl & Amanda Holliday/Destiny 2, Juhani/Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Serina in Halo Wars as well as major roles in Diablo 4, Call of Duty, and the DC and Marvel franchises. You’ve heard her as the Matron of Ravens on Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina”, KO from Cartoon Network’s “OK KO! Let’s Be Heroes!”, Starla on Regular Show and shows like American Dad, Family Guy, and X-Men ’97.
She is a voice director working on AAA game titles and is the co-founder of Nerds Vote – a nonpartisan organization that brings voter registration opportunities to pop culture conventions around the country, so get registered and hit her up for some swag! Twitter: @CourtenayTaylor IG: @CourtenayTaylorLA BlueSky: @CourtenayTaylor.bsky.social All socials: @NerdsVote
Robin Atkin Downes
Robin Atkin Downes is a highly experienced actor with a broad and successful career in film, television, and voice acting. He is known for his role as the voice of The Master in Guillermo Del Toro's The Strain. His television credits include notable roles in Criminal Minds, NCIS, The Orville, and CSI: Miami. He has also appeared in major films such as The Conjuring 2, Batman vs. Superman, Suicide Squad, Transformers 2, and Pirates of the Caribbean. As a prolific voice actor, he has contributed to animated series like Star Wars Clone Wars, Avengers Assemble, and Thundercats, as well as video games such as Uncharted 4 (Alcazar), Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Talbot), Metal Gear (Miller), Apex Legends (Ballistic), Resistance 3 (Joseph Capelli), Saboteur (Sean Devlin), No More Heroes (Travis Touchdown), Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (The Prince), Ratchet & Clank (Emperor Nefarious and Captain Slag), and Gears of War (locust creatures, Kim Minh, Niles, and Chaps).
Originally from the UK and trained in the US, Robin has mastered over 60 dialects, which aids his diverse acting career. He has voiced numerous characters in interactive titles and animated films, including roles in Gears of War, Resistance 3, and Ratchet & Clank. His stage credits include performances in London, Prague, and the U.S., with standout roles such as John Wilkes Booth in the U.S. premiere of Assassins and the title role in Dracula. Robin's diverse background and talent have made him a standout performer in multiple mediums.
Cissy Jones
Cissy Jones is an award-winning actress whose voiceover career spans the gamut from animation to video games and everything in between. Aside from winning a BAFTA for her performance in the 2017 Indie videogame FIREWATCH, Cissy has also cemented her role as a new animation actress to watch for her part as Lilith in Disney's new animated hit show, The Owl House, and added to her videogame work with roles like Sloan in Destiny 2, Fury in Darksiders III, and most recently, Abdiel in Shin Megami Tensei V. When she’s not creating characters that people of all ages adore, she’s lending her voice to more serious projects such as the Academy-Award nominated documentary WINTER ON FIRE, as well as many national commercials, feature film trailers and network promos.
James Mathis III
APPEARING SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ONLY
James Mathis III is an actor and voice actor best known as the voice of T’Challa aka Black Panther in the hit new multiplayer game Marvel Rivals. Since his debut in Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in 2010, he has voiced the King of Wakanda in theme parks, children’s books, live events, and animation, most notably in “Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panthers Quest” (2x NAACP Image Award nominee). Other credits include Hildisvini in “God of War: Ragnarok”, Sigint in “Metal Gear Solid 3”, Star Trek Prodigy, Baki, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lego Marvel Avengers, Baby Shark and more.
He will be at Socal Gam
Joe Zieja
Appearing Saturday Only
Joe is a voice actor and author in the Los Angeles area. You've heard him as the voice of Claude in Nintendo’s FIRE EMBLEM, Wriothesley in GENSHIN IMPACT, Kazutora in TOKYO REVENGERS, Tomoya Serizawa in SUZUME, Bumblebee in Netflix's TRANSFORMERS: WFC Trilogy, Various Voices in Netflix's ARCANE, Benson & Danvers in EA's DEAD SPACE, Fox McCloud in Nintendo's STAR FOX ZERO: THE BATTLE BEGINS, in INCREDIBLES 2, JUST CAUSE 4, and many other projects in the corporate, commercial, promo, and gaming/animation world. He's narrated thousands of projects for Fortune 500 companies while simultaneously playing a very convincing drunk panda bear and other characters for video games and animation. Joe is the author of the EPIC FAILURE trilogy, the first book of which debuted in June 2016 from Simon and Schuster.
Eliah Mountjoy
Eliah Mountjoy is an actor and voice artist known for his work in video games and anime. His voice-over roles include Winter Soldier in Marvel Rivals, Kurt Hansen in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Bastian in Fire Emblem Heroes, and Roy Mustang in the live-action Fullmetal Alchemist dub, as well as David “Judge” Beaumont in Ready Or Not. In anime, he has voiced Sleggar Law in Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island and Shu in Fist of the North Star, and Tora the Awful in Ishura. He has performed motion capture for Zane in Borderlands III and Mack in Rogue Company.
Julie Nathanson
Julie Nathanson has brought to life numerous iconic video game characters, including “Samantha Maxis” in the Call of Duty franchise, “Ank” in Star Wars Outlaws, “Briar” in League of Legends, and the opera-singing demon frog “Baal Zebul” in Bayonetta 3, as well as other major roles in games like Helldivers 2, Starfield, World of Warcraft, Evil Dead: The Game, Far Cry 5, Fortnite, and the Final Fantasy series.
In the animation world, Julie voices “Aphrodite” on Netflix’s Blood of Zeus, “Cruise” on Hot Wheels: Let’s Race, “Annie” on Terminator Zero, “Natalia” on Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture, “Gilda Dent” on Batman: The Long Halloween, and “Crimson Widow” on Avengers Assemble, with notable roles in Firebuds, Yuki 7, Dota: Dragon’s Blood, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, Lonely Castle in the Mirror, Elena of Avalor, and many more.
Daniel Marin
Daniel Marin is a versatile actor, having found success both as a voice actor and also on camera, with Guest appearances on shows like The Chosen, SWAT, NCIS Los Angeles, the Bold and the Beautiful, among others and having starred in films like Costa Rica's selection for the Oscars "Imprisoned" and the multi award winning film "El Primo (The Cousin). Born in San José, Costa Rica, he traveled extensively throughout Central and South America, as well as Central Asia, during his youth, becoming fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Elon University in North Carolina and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
In addition to his on-screen work, he has lent his voice to notable characters such as Namor in "Marvel Rivals" and Gustavo "Gus" Rodríguez in "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" and "Modern Warfare 3."
Lora Cain
Lora Cain @loracainacts is the voice of Trudy, Red Lucy, Pretty Sarah and more than 2 dozen other characters in the FallOut Universe, the best selling video game series now Amazon Prime’s highest rated TV show that includes FallOut New Vegas and FallOut 76. She’s voiced other games, movies and TV shows and is the 15 year announcer for CNN Heroes. Lora’s been heard on National commercial campaigns, MSNBC, on promos for Jimmy Kimmel Live to Fox Sports to PBS and the only female Announcer on Wheel of Fortune. She’s a published Harper Collins author and her comedy web series “Y’all Are Rude!” had millions of hits that lead to her being an Etiquette Expert for the nationally syndicated TV show “The List”. She has appeared on shows from “The View” to “Rachael Ray” and has been a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and air personality.
David Bateson
Voice Arts Award; One Voice Award and VOX Award winning voice actor and actor.
Best known for being the face and voice of Agent 47 in Hitman, IO Interactive’s AAA computer game franchise for the last 25 years. – The world’s third most iconic computer game character ever BAFTAGames international survey 2024
Also known for voicing Jack Black’s iconic role of Bowser in Danish in The Super Mario Bros Film 2022..
Recent TV role: Daniel Mablewood, conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra in DR1’s TV series: ORKESTRET. Voted Best TV Series in 2022 and 2024
Other roles: Bowser in Danish in THE SUPER MARIO BROS: MOVIE 2022; Megatron in Danish in TRANSFORMERS animated TV series
Jessica Straus
While she is currently best known for creating the voice of Juri Han in the Street Fighter series, she has also contributed to many other well-known games. Her roles include Pi in the .Hack//GU franchise, Hiroko Hagakure in Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, Muzet in Tales of Xillia 1 & 2, Dr. Alexandra Hypatia in Dishonored 2, Sasha in Infamous, Lilith in Darksiders 1 & 2, Star Sapphire in Infinite Crisis, Polly and Supervisor White in Fallout 4, Slipstream in Transformers: War for Cybertron, and Queen Lana'thel, Freya, and more in World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. She also voiced Saki and Hanako in Persona 4, Dixie in Rumble Roses, the Amazon in Diablo 2 and Heroes of the Storm, EVA in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun, and Lisa/Succubus in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, among many others.
In anime, she has voiced numerous characters, including Blue in Wolf's Rain, Junko Miyaji in FLCL, Daryl Cavendish in Little Witch Academia, Deunan Knute in the Appleseed movie, Mokaku in Ikki Tousen: Battle Vixens, Empress Tianzi in Code Geass, Gidget in Eureka 7, and Taruto in Magical Meow Meow Taruto, among many more.
Jon Bailey
Jon Bailey - the Epic Voice Guy - is hundreds of characters in anime, games, shows, films and the 4x Emmy Nominee Honest Trailers. He is best known for his work with Marvel & Transformers such as Marvel Rivals’ Jeff the land shark and Soundwave in Bumblebee & Transformers One.
Industry Guests
Grant Kirkhope
Grant Kirkhope is a composer and musician, known for his work in the video game industry. Kirkhope contributed to the soundtracks of several popular video games, particularly during his time at the developer Rare.
Some of his most famous works include the soundtracks for Banjo-Kazooie (1998), GoldenEye 007 (1997), Perfect Dark (2000), and Viva Piñata (2006).
Warren Davis
Warren Davis began his career in the videogame industry at Gottlieb where he developed the hugely successful arcade classic, Q*bert. This was followed by a sci-fi themed laserdisc game, Us Vs. Them, which featured scenes of live actors integrated into levels of gameplay. At Williams, he contributed to Joust 2 and helped develop the system that became NARC. He was part of the team that created Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Revolution X featuring Aerosmith. He also created the digitizing system that Williams/Bally/Midway used for many of their hit games of the 1990s including Mortal Kombat and NBA Jam, as well as the aforementioned T2 and Rev X.
Headcannon
Headcannon is known for their work on the critically acclaimed Sonic Mania, and Sonic 1 & 2 Remastered. Headcannon will have a booth at this year’s show and be hosting their very own panel, “From Headcanon to Headcannon: Game Dev for Fun and Profit”. Be sure to check them out all weekend at the show!
Dave Anthony
(SATURDAY ONLY) - Dave will be making a RARE 2-hour appearance at SoCal Gaming Expo with James C. Burns, starting with a 2pm panel celebrating the 15th anniversary of Woods in Black Ops. Following the panel, Dave will be signing with James C. Burns for one hour.
Writer, director, and producer, Anthony is best known for his pioneering work on the “Call of Duty” video game franchise. Anthony moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to produce “Call of Duty” for Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox. In 2010, he wrote the screenplay for and directed “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” which was, for a time, the world’s best selling video game and was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011 as the best video game story ending of all time. Anthony also later wrote and directed the sequel “Call of Duty: Black Ops II,” which grossed one billion dollars in just fifteen days, breaking the world record as the fastest billion-dollar gross in the history of entertainment. In addition to working with many senior military experts and veterans including Lt. Colonel Oliver North, he has directed a host of A-list celebrities such as Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Sam Worthington, Kiefer Sutherland, Evangeline Lilly, Jimmy Kimmel, and Michael Keaton.
Dan Kitchen
As passionate game player and veteran Activision Game Designer, Dan Kitchen is credited with producing over 240 commercially released games across 15 game platforms. During his career Dan is renowned for designing such Atari 2600 classics as CRACKPOTS™, GHOSTBUSTERS™, TOMCAT: THE F-14 FIGHTER SIMULATOR™, CROSSBOW™ and KUNG-FU MASTER™. Dan has recently released CASEY'S GOLD!™ for the Atari 2600 which has been received with rave reviews.
David Crane
David Crane is one of the most successful designers of entertainment software in the world. His award winning video games, led by Pitfall!™, Ghostbusters™, A Boy and His Blob™, and Amazing Tennis™ are acknowledged as some of the most innovative and popular in the interactive entertainment industry.“ – Classic Gaming Expo “Crane helped define Activision’s earlier efforts with games like Pitfall!, Decathlon, Ghostbusters (a particularly great effort considering most licensed games — especially in the earlier days of the industry — were terrible to the point of almost causing it to cave in on itself) and Little Computer People (arguably the first modern digital pet).” — IGN
Garry Kitchen
Garry Kitchen is a renowned toy/video game designer. Kitchen’s hit games include Donkey Kong (Atari), Keystone Kapers, GameMaker (1985), and Bart (Simpson) vs. the Space Mutants. Garry’s awards include Designer of the Year, Video Game of the Year, and SPA Excellence in Software. His work is highlighted in many documentaries, including World 1-1, Atari: Game Over, Batteries Not Included, The Artists, and Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed. Kitchen serves on the Advisory Board of the National Video Game Museum.
Content Creators
"Johnny Millennium" - Happy Console Gamer
Johnny Millennium of the YouTube show "Happy Console Gamer" is a collector, reviewer, and fan of everything retro gaming. He's been an active personality in the community for over 16 years sharing his passion for gaming and collecting.
"Kim Millennium" - Happy Console Gamer
Kim is from the Happy Console Gamer Youtube show. Kim is an RPG killing machine, from Dragon Quest to Shin Megami Tensei
To Persona to Final Fantasy, Kim loves RPGs! She is still waiting for Dragon Quest builders 3!
Jacki Jing
Jacki Jing is a powerhouse in the gaming world — she’s hosted for Riot Games (Valorant), Ubisoft (Rainbow Six Siege), PlayStation, Capcom, Sega, Bandai Namco, Crunchyroll, and more.
She was one of the main hosts of E3 2021, streamed to over 2 million viewers worldwide, and has appeared on The Circle and Netflix Japan’s Is She The Wolf?
"Rick Hutchinson" - Retro Rick
Retro Rick has been a key part of the retro community. Beginning as a youtube creator where he showcased his hunt for all things video games, vintage toys and clothes to owning his own retro game store Retro Rick's Game Point, Rick is a staple in the retro video gaming community.
"Chris Woodside" - NES Complex
An Educator, Historian, and Documentarian on YouTube, Chris is the writer and editor of the “Declassified” YouTube series as well as numerous dry-witted, nostalgia-packed retrospectives about the golden age of gaming.
TheQueeng22
TheQueeng22 is a content creator and influencer. It took several years for TheQueeng22 to fully embrace who they are—and who are they? Just an old-school person with a massive love for all things retro and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Topher.A
Content Creator / Musician / Gamer / Photographer Tofer.A will be hosting a the panel “Tofer.A Remembers; the secret to creating great game content”
"Sam" - Rad Junk
Sam started out trying to collect her favorite childhood video games while slinging Pokemon themed sports bras at conventions. After years of selling retro games and bras on the road or online, she and her husband Joe opened RadJunk in 2016. The rad-ness didn’t stop there, they opened their arcade bar called RadBar, in 2019. She also owns Really Rad Weekend, a video game convention that’s on the beach every November that’s the evolution of her previous convention, Emerald Coast Con!
RectWizard
RectWizard is a Youtube personality has been a gamer and game collector for most of his life. Formerly a Twitch streamer he made the jump over to Youtube and has been rising quickly as he produces quality retro gaming content, podcasts, and even current gaming content on his Youtube channel, Tiktok channel, and other social media accounts. He’s a passionate retro collector who is genuinely interested in game preservation but also enjoying the titles of the past even as he keeps one eye on the direction gaming is going today.
Phoenix Resale
Caleb of Phoenix Resale is a self proclaimed scumbag reseller. His hobbies include lowballing children at yard sales, inflating the retro video game market, creating trashy clickbait and pretending to be a real gamer. He often bribes his way onto convention panels and aspires to one day sell a copy of Brain Age for over $1,000. All joking aside Caleb is a very prominent youtuber and business owner.
Art of Nintendo Power
Established in 2021, the Interactive Art Collection is a non-profit organization focused on the discovery, preservation, education, and sharing of the original art and historical materials from the video game industry. Art of Nintendo Power seeks out past and present industry professionals and offers to care for and preserve both their physical work and their historical legacy. broad audience.
VideoGameVotary
VideoGameVotary is avid Nintendo collector & Super Mario fanatic! He owns a complete North American Wii & Wii U Collection, and currently working on completing the North American Nintendo DS Collection. His channel is dedicated to traveling the world visiting video game conventions, game & product reviews, and chronicle his Quest to collect everything Nintendo!
Mort's Garage
MortsGarage mixes together an unnecessarily broad knowledge of all things retro video games, an overt love of auteur filmmakers and then infuse it with humor and psychology, and you get Mort's Garage.
Paul Weber
Paul Weber, is known as @thepaulweber because nobody knew what a“@Gameasaur” is. What started as a way to track a personal video game collection on instagram has blossomed into a quest to document anything cool. Too many video games, and a full WiiU collection later, he’s still making videos everyday about Video Games, Tech, Pop Culture, reviews, and more!
CakeHoarder
Cake is a Nintendo Youtuber mainly known for discovering a lost GameCube prototype as well as his crazy store display collection. He is also big into GameCube and has a full North American set!
"Marcus Jones" - Comfort Cartoons
Welcome in Marcus from Comfort Cartoons! Comfort Cartoons is a YouTube channel created by Marcus Jones, also known as “King Reptar,” dedicated to celebrating classic cartoons, especially from the late ’90s and early 2000s. Since launching in 2021, Jones has shared his passion through discussions, collection showcases, and nostalgic content, focusing on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. He has amassed a vast collection of memorabilia, including rare Nickelodeon items.
Pixel Game Squad
The Pixel Game Squad had been hunting all things retro long before it was cool to do. The squad finds the rare and odd items most are unwilling to dig and get dirty for, as cool as these items are, the squad takes pride in their journeys. The fun is all in the hunt according to the crew. The Pixel Game Squad is made up of Riff and Ricky (the roots of the show and still going strong) and has since expanding to other members.
JRPG Life
Dan & Elisa are an avid gaming couple striving to relive their childhood through video games, together! They make a wide variety of gaming content ranging from video game hunting, retro toys, anime, and collection tours. They can usually be found hunting for 3DS games or expensive RPGs, but if you see them around the expo, make sure to say hi and show them what you picked up! Because the couple that plays together, stays together!
SkylarRacing
SkylarRacing is a retro game enthusiast and host of the youtube channel of the same name. SkylarRacing shares insights into online sales and gaming while providing viewers with a glimpse into his entrepreneurial journey.
Gabbo the Giver
Welcome in Gabbo the Giver, one of the most beloved members of the pixel game squad! Gabbo has been a massive part of the community ever since joining the pixel game squad crew!
Pat The NES Punk
Pat Contri is a content producer and gaming historian best known for Pat the NES Punk, Flea Market Madness, Completely Unnecessary Podcast, and The Video Game Years. He has produced the Ultimate Nintendo guidebooks for the NES, SNES, and N64.
Bootleg Heroes
Mikey is one of the members of the Pixel Game Squad and self proclaimed best Super Smash Brothers player of the squad. (or is he?) He also helps manage our SCGE social media! (or does he?) He does a lot of Funko pop, retro toy and game Hunting videos and is mostly known for his Pop and Bootleg Figure collections on his pages! He will also be a vendor at the event, so go and say hi!
Kosmic
Kosmic is a professional speedrunner best known for his 2D Mario runs where he has set multiple world records - including being the first person to beat the original Super Mario Bros in under 4 minutes and 56 seconds. In addition to his speedrunning skills he covers a wide range of retro gaming and speedrunning content on his youtube channel.
The Nostalgic Latino
Get ready for all the throwback vibes con cultura. The Nostalgic Latino is a first gen Latino who lives for retro everything. If you love cassettes, cholo fits, lowriders, and all things old-school....his channel is for you!
BlakRanger
BlakRanger, self-proclaimed as "Your favorite Blerd", is a lover of all things nostalgic! His content focuses on retro gaming hunting and unboxings. He uses his channel to help others see that no matter how shy you are, you are SOMEBODY! He's currently working on collecting a compete Nintendo 64 set. Welcome to the Blerd Life!
Doshi Got Deals
Doshi and Anthony are YouTubers/resellers that specialize on shining light for small businesses that are passionate within the retro gaming community all while bringing you the cinematic look. Not only that, but they provide a real raw perspective on how difficult it is to hunt for retro games out in the wild in NYC. Doshi is currently collecting the entire Nintendo 64 set by strictly using profits from reselling video games. “We are excited to see everyone there and we will have special surprises for a few lucky subscribers!”
Nerdy Nick
Known for his hilarious antics and lively personality hosting The NSquared Podcast, discussing pro wrestling, gaming, movies and more. Collecting is one of his favorite hobbies chasing down titles in the wild only! He likes to tie in fitness with cosplay, emulating heroic characters with their larger than life physiques! Mostly known for his “Super Buff Mario” cosplay.
Featured Skaters
Shawn Hale
Shawn Hale is a professional skateboarder who gained sponsorships from Birdhouse Skateboards, Independent Trucks, and Spitfire Wheels. He became known for his appearances in Birdhouse videos like "Saturdays" and "Beautiful Mutants." Beyond skateboarding, Hale co-founded AVOS Therapy, a company focused on orthopedic footwear.
JAWS
Welcome in one of the most ripper skaters out there – Aaron "JAWS" Homoki! @aaronjawshomoki He’s been absolutely crushing it in the scene for years and shows no signs of slowing down! Not only will he be competing in Tetris, but he’ll also be shredding it up on our @oc_ramps TMNT halfpipe!
David Loy
David is a professional skater known for his street skills and ability to seamlessly combine creativity with precision. He has appeared in several high-profile skateboarding videos and is known for his sponsorships with brands like Diamond, Bronson, Jessup, Birdhouse and more. .
Swampy
"Swampy" is a professional skateboarder based in Long Beach, California. He has been skating for over 14 years, with a background in various activities such as rollerblading, parkour, and BMX, which have contributed to his versatile skating style. Beyond skateboarding, Swampy has embraced roller skating, drawing inspiration from friends in the roller skating community. He turned professional skating for Heroin Skateboards.
Nigel Jones
Skateboarder | U.S. Army Veteran | Founder at STS Skate Co. Veteran-turned-entrepreneur and content creator with a background in military logistics and clean tech (Tesla). Leveraging skateboarding as a tool for community building and youth engagement through STS Skate Co., and recognized for my role on the Braille Skateboarding YouTube channel. Passionate about mentoring, storytelling, and driving positive cultural impact.
TMNT HalfPipe
Originally used for a TMNT film promotion and later purchased by Socal Gaming Expo, our show has LIVE skating right on our show floor featuring some of socal's best skaters who shred our TMNT ramp for all to see.
Musical Guests
Abigail Tsai
Performing Friday June 6th at 4:00 pm on the Main Stage !
Abigail Tsai is a versatile musician based in Los Angeles, working as a violinist, educator, arranger, composer, and chamber/orchestral musician. She is known for creating unique arrangements of video game and anime music on her YouTube channel, which has gained over 5 million views. Tsai holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Passionate about video games since childhood and driven by her undiagnosed ADHD, she is exploring immersive music experiences, including 360-degree music videos and a virtual interactive musical project.
Tsai is committed to making classical music accessible to diverse audiences, using innovative mediums like technology and writing. She aims to inspire emotional connection and reflection through her music, whether by engaging with listeners through her creative projects, her blog, or her private violin teaching.
Donovan Raitt
Performing Friday June 6th at 7:00 pm and Sunday June 8th at 1pm on the Main Stage !
Donovan Raitt is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and music professor from Southern California, and has released three albums of original music and two albums of cover arrangements on Candyrat Records. Donovan grew up playing video games, and performs arrangements of classical video game music for solo acoustic guitar, and has presented recitals and academic research on the history of video game music.
ORCHKEYSTRA
Performing Saturday June 7th on the Main Stage at 5:00 pm!
OrchKeystra is an innovative San Francisco Bay Area musician who combines live instrumentation and DJ elements into a captivating one-man band experience. Originally from Indonesia, his diverse background spans classical, jazz, and R&B, evolving into a unique fusion of electronic beats and acoustic sounds. Since launching his solo project in 2020, OrchKeystra has excelled in blending classic hits with anime and video game soundtracks, offering dynamic performances for any setting. Whether performing solo or within an ensemble, he delivers a captivating fusion of urban influence and nostalgic undertones, drawing listeners into a rich and immersive soundscape.
Finding Emo
Performing Saturday June 7th on the Main Stage at 7:30 pm!
Finding Emo is a high-energy emo/pop-punk band resurrecting the soundtracks of teenage angst with a fresh, nostalgic punch. Hailing from the suburbs and fueled by heartbreak, skateboards, and warped tour dreams, the band blends early 2000s influences with modern-day storytelling. With anthemic choruses, punchy guitar riffs, and lyrics that hit you right in the feels, Finding Emo delivers a raw, emotional experience that bridges the past and present.
Known for their electrifying live shows and tongue-in-cheek name, Finding Emo is more than a throwback — they’re a revival. Whether you’re moshing in the pit or crying in your bedroom, this band makes sure you feel every second of it.
Cosplay Guests
Suncake
Suncake is one half of the award-winning duo SuncakeMooncake Cosplay, who has been creating costumes from scratch for over 16 years. In that time, Suncake has specialized in many forms of fabrication, including sewing, armor making, 3d printing, wig styling, and more. They love researching new techniques to add to their repertoire, teaching at cosplay panels, and spreading the art of cosplay to newcomers and veterans alike. They also enjoy playing video games, especially those from Nintendo and Capcom! Suncake is very excited to be hosting SoCalGaming Expo Cosplay Contest and can't wait to see all the cosplays! @suncakemooncake
Mooncake
Mooncake is one half of the award-winning duo SuncakeMooncake Cosplay! With over 16 years of sewing, crafting, and cosplay contest experience, they love bringing their favorite characters to life and performing in cosplay skits for the stage! They're also passionate about getting newcomers into the hobby through hosting educational panels and helping out at local cosplay contests. And of course they love playing video games, especially those on Nintendo consoles! Mooncake is so honored to be judging for the SoCalGaming Expo Cosplay Contest and excited to see what this year's contestants will bring! @suncakemooncake
Lisa Pinelli
Lisa Pinelli is a Professional Model, Cosplayer, Actress, Performer, and Viral Content Creator from Southern California with two decades of experience to her name. Lisa was titled Playboy Miss Social Miss May 2013. She enjoys video games, comics, horror, and aerial arts.
Lisa loves making props and armor. A few of her favorite armored cosplay pieces include Cammy White, Lollipop Chainsaw, and He-Man.
Rated R for Ray
Ray has been cosplaying and bringing to life characters since 2015 and has been attending conventions since 2018. Over the years she has developed a passion for bringing characters to life for others through the art of cosplay from various different video games, animes, and other fandoms. She spends hours on face makeup and crafting to be able to bring to life the most accurate characters possible. She also enjoys combining cosplay with aerial circus arts to make her characters soar through the air and has even performed a few times at events. With the energy of the bullet she is always ready to spread the love of cosplay and aerial to everyone.
WolfyKingston
Daviahn @wolfyk1ngston Gobert, the son of the late Dedrick Gobert, is formally known as "Dooky" from the hit classic film Boyz in the Hood, filmed by John Singleton. He hit the cosplay scene in 2013 and continued to gain popularity in 2019 with his well-known movement, "The Con Ends With You," a movement to uplift all cosplayers, whether beginners or pros, across the globe.
All Nighter Cosplay
For over ten years, All Nighter Cosplay has been creating cosplays for competition and for fun!
After such a long time in fandom, he loves seeing innovative crafting techniques and new takes on beloved characters. He now strives to teach new cosplayers the art of both performance and craftsmanship as the community continues to grow.
Little Fry Thief
Maka aka Little Fry Thief is a professional costumer right out of Hollywood, who’s worked on costumes for the screen, as well as for theme park live entertainment. Their current costuming interest includes making shoes from scratch, tailoring, pattern making, and finding new ways to push their costumes to the limit. When they're not researching their next cosplay build, they enjoy spending time with their dog, and playing video games at home!
We are looking forward to having Maka as one of our Cosplay Judges at the show this year.