Welcome to Joypad

Joypad was born out of our enduring love of retro gaming. Like everyone who played these games as a kid, we remembered them with a heady mixture of exhilaration and frustration: the highs and lows experienced as we swung between defeat and triumph.

… But we wanted more than just the memories. We wanted to bring back the real feeling of those spine-tingling thrills and that youthful enthusiasm – to transform a misty-eyed sense of nostalgia into rediscovery, excitement and a newfound enjoyment of these classic games. To rekindle the camaraderie, the passion, the familiar jokes and the cheering support, and to create a space where you can lose yourself in pure amusement and uninhibited delight.

We bring our equipment, expertise and enthusiasm to any kind of event: club nights, private parties, festivals, corporate events, team building, pop-ups, cinema screenings, conventions, product launches, weddings, birthdays – literally any place there’s a bunch of people who’d enjoy bashing some buttons and some video games, from old school classics to the latest releases on modern consoles (and isn’t that almost everybody?!). Any size, any place, anything to do with gaming: we’re there! For more information on what we can bring to your next big occasion check out our hire page.

We throw our own events too!

With over a decade of gaming related events and activities behind us, we know how to create a fun gaming inspired night out. Here's some of the things we've been up to over the last 10 years!
Super Warehouse Gaming Party!

This was our first ever series of events, think 90s rave vibe mixed with retro games from the past and unreleased indie games from the future, usually in some kind of warehouse, there's lots of games, it’s, um, super… you get the idea!!!

We even trended on twitter! #SuperWarehouse

if you like:
Late Nights
Indie games
Chiptune / Electronic music
Live visuals
Drinking
Ready Player 2 - Video Game Dating
Ready Player 2 - Video Game Dating

Tired of the dating game? How about a gaming date!? 

Get to meet lots of cool singletons at our retro gaming speed dating event. Kick back and pit your gaming (and flirting!) skills against your dates, so that you can get to know each other and have some fun doing something a bit different!

Take a look at some photos from the first Ready Player 2

if you like:
Meeting new people
Speed dating
Retro gaming
Flirting
Nerdlesque - Show Me Your Moves!

See a bit more than 8-bits!

A heady mixture of Burlesque, Cabaret & Videogames, this night brings you your favourite gaming characters like you've never seen them before!

Sneak a peek at what this event is all about!

if you like:
Burlesque / Cabaret
Comedy
Drinking
Videogames
Prizes
Cinedouken!

A Massively Multiplayer Movie Experience

Interactive screenings of 'classic' videogame movies - pick up a controller and be a part of the movie, play along with drinking games, this is a movie viewing experience like no other!

Check out the trailer from our EGX Rezzed Street Fighter screening!

if you like:
Good-bad movies
Heckling
Drinking games
Tournaments
Press Start To Brunch

We setup your table with your very own private vintage CRT TV, paired with your choice of any gaming console and games from our library of over 2300 original cartridges and discs. All whilst you and your friends grab a bite a bite and beverage from some of the best brunch spots around, we can't think of a better way to start the day!


if you like:
Brunch
Craft Beer
Sunday Funday
Retro Gaming
eSports Events

We've also staged live screenings of major Esports events, such as The Dota2 International, so that people can get together, make a night of it and watch players at the top of their game (no pun intended!) compete. Sometimes we add in a lan-tournament so people can test their skills – maybe even try out a new trick or two they’ve picked up from watching the masters at work!


if you like:
e-sports
MMOG
Pubstomps
Videogame Democracy

We created this adaptation of our standard gaming set-up for Boxpark Shoreditch. Players get to vote which game they’d rather play next by hitting big red or the blue buttons… it kind of has to be seen to be understood, but suffice to say people seem to have as much fun smashing the buttons as they do playing the games!!

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