OffKai Expo Gen 3 Highlights

OffKai Expo Gen 3 has concluded last weekend, with VTubers and fans gathering together at Hyatt Regency in Burlingame, California.

VTuber NewsDrop has covered the three-day event with our eyes on X/Twitter and feet on the ground. Nethyr from nullptr::live helped us in covering the event from the center of the action, and their experience will be shared later on.

OffKai's Gen 3 by the numbers

For the meantime, here's what we learned from this year's event:

• More than 100 artists and exhibitors
• More than 50 scheduled program segments
• 300+ ways to meet VTubers
• 2 major concerts: OffKai Live featuring 6 VTuber performers and OffKair4oke featuring over 20 idol and V4Mirai talents
• 5 more concerts (GX Aura, Ashton Marten, eirene, Nyaru, PRIMA Project)
• Close to 30 sponsors
• A jam-packed audience of 2,500 Visitors (as mentioned in a message during the Closing Ceremony)

Day-by-Day Highlights

A lot of things have happened at OffKai Expo, but here's what we know:

Friday – May 31

• Hololive fans are present, flexing their merch before the start of the first scheduled panel featuring Koseki Bijou and Kaela Kovalskia.
• Having a jam-packed crowd, queues for the Main Stage and Vendors' Hall formed. Staff was able to handle the confusion between the two lines early during the event.
  • It's important to note that the stages are cleared out of audiences before the next segment, which is considered normal in other events.
• Fans also enjoyed Mint Fantôme and VShojo star Matara Kan's Summer Special program where Matara wants the audience to focus their attention to the returning VTuber more.
• OffKair4oke, the collaboration event between idol and V4Mirai, was also enjoyed by the audience despite some technical issues. This program is available as a separate paid video-on-demand on SPWN.
• A special edition of idol alert features a Family Feud-style game, as well as a surprise announcement: a 3rd EN generation is coming soon.

Saturday – June 1

• Our correspondent Nethyr enjoyed Tomoe Umari's panel on "Establishing a Brand as a VTuber," as well as the Cosplay Showcase and the OffKai Live concert.
• During the time of Phase Connect's segment "The Disappearance of Pippa and Tenma" produced by SPWN, there was confusion on whether the segment will be streamed or not to viewers on Twitch.
  • The Expo said that it "had some internal miscommunications regarding the streaming" of the panel resulting in an unintended broadcast and poor stream experience.
  • We have emailed Phase Connect regarding the matter, and will update this story should there be a reply from the agency.

• This year's full-house OffKai Live was well-attended most especially by known fans of hololive English star Takanashi Kiara, who performed her hits in 3D.
  • Bao the Whale, Aruvn, Kira Lily, Kirispica, and Miori Celesta also performed in this year's spectacle.
  • The segment's front act OffChoir led by conductor Evie performed a medley of songs from several agencies.

Sunday – June 2

• Most of our agenda for Day 3 involve visiting booths including the ones at the Atrium, Industry Track and Vendors' Hall. Nethyr has linked us with some of the exhibitors along the way.
• At the Industry Track, we saw concepts such as Vertical Streaming (AniLive and IRIAM US). Other exhibitors like HatsuMUV and Character Studio are getting a taste of the North American VTuber market at the Expo.
• Our colleague Ducky was part of Pheesekai's panel about VTubing and Identity. (The presentation will be uploaded online soon.)
• Tobyn Jacobs, known for his large-scale VTuber standee projects, presented a large-scale standee of the event's mascot, The Right Honourable, the Former Deputy Head of Grand Council, Lady Samantha-Joel 'OffKai McOffKaiFace' Berlington XIV (Patent Pending), at the Closing Ceremony.

We have more stories from OffKai Expo coming soon – for now, we thank OffKai Expo for having NewsDrop as part of the press, and Nethyr for sharing their time as our person on the ground. We both enjoyed the event both online and onsite.