“R2V2” will again take place in Rockford, IL at Riverview Inn & Suites/Cliffbreakers (700 W Riverside Blvd) on Saturday, October 10th.
This family-friendly event will feature vendors selling video games from every console generation, arcade cabinets for guests to play at no additional cost, and special VIP guests.
This year, our VIP guests include seven of the motion-capture and likeness actors from multiple early Mortal Kombat games.
The after-party returns on Saturday night, as well, with live bands playing covers of video game music.
R2V2 is a celebration of video games for avid gamers to come together with members of the Rockford community and beyond to share in their love for the hobby.
- Saturday convention hours: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday after-party starts at 7:30 PM
- Convention tickets on the day of the event will be $15.00.
- A $10 donation to support the after-party bands is appreciated
- Advance tickets are available at a discount at r2v22026.eventbrite.com until October 8th.
What to Expect
Vendors selling video games, consoles, and collectibles
30+ arcade cabinets and pinball tables available to play
Developers featuring playable games to experience
Video game-inspired artwork
Meet-and-greet with the cast from some of the original Mortal Kombat games
Much more!
After-Party
The after-party will take place in the same room as R2V2, with the show starting around 7:30 PM. There will also be a cash bar to enjoy some refreshments while taking in all the sights and sounds of live music. Check out the lineup:
Black Signal
Web Site: https://blcksgnl.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BlackSignal
Clad in leather and lights, Black Signal (two-time winner: Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Best Electronic Act) is a two-piece, live cyberpunk/synth metal band. Synth and guitar mesh with digital drums as they navigate the stage of programmed lights and visual flair. Inspired by a love for retro video games and sci-fi movies, the live show is an interactive experience narrated through projected visuals with a HAL 9000 style sentient computer named Alice.
Black Signal challenges the humans for control of the planet Earth!
The Microphone Misfitz
Web Site: https://www.themicrophonemisfitz.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMicrophoneMisfitz
The Microphone Misfitz can entertain you if that is what you came for, from music to dance to a party-good time. Now, if you want quality for your time then let the Fitz engage you in the arts & sciences of the 21st century’s preeminent culture. Based in Chicago, the Microphone Misfitz are more than a band or crew, creating music but using the pillars of HipHop (turntablism/DJing; MCing; breakin’; graffiti/street art; knowledge & overstanding) and their shared dynamics to enlighten and sustain their audiences and themselves.
The Adventure Guild
Web Site: https://adventureguild.band/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AdventureGuildBand
The Adventure Guild is a Chicago-based rock band founded in 2024 by Sybil Grace. The band performs Sybil’s instrumental arrangements of songs from the Stardew Valley Soundtrack, composed by ConcernedApe. All songs are transcribed, arranged, and produced by Sybil Grace.
You know that feeling when Spring hits and the farm comes alive? We bring that same magic to the stage. The Adventure Guild transforms ConcernedApe’s beloved soundtrack into a dynamic and powerful live rock experience, from the peaceful mornings in Pelican Town to the glow of the Moonlight Jellies. If Stardew Valley’s music has ever made you feel something, wait until you hear it loud, live, and with a crowd dancing along beside you.
The Adventure Guild delivers high-energy live performances of one of gaming’s most beloved soundtracks.
Jamie Demeny’s 4-Player Game
Web Site: https://www.jamiedemeny.com/
Web Site: https://4-playergame.bandcamp.com/album/cookin-at-the-console
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBBGxGJropg
Jamie Demeny’s 4-Player Game creates music that is intimate, fun, warm, and bright. Their instrumentation invites the listener to lean in and engage, with one’s focus bouncing to each piece of the band.
You won’t want to miss the video game event of the year in Rockford! R2V2 is bigger than ever, and we are very excited and proud to host this event for the third time.
For more information, you can head to http://thegamingoutsider.com/r2v2/, the R2V2 Facebook page, or the R2V2 Twitter page. Vendors or developers in booth space can find more information at https://thegamingoutsider.com/r2v2-2025-vendor-information/. To set up an interview with the team, please contact Scott Clark at scott@thegamingoutsider.com.
