I went to San Diego Comic-Con and experienced Google and Samsung's booths — here's how it went

If there’s one thing I look forward to every year, it’s attending San Diego Comic-Con. Last year’s event was a bit of a drag due to the effects of the Writer's Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes, but this year, Comic-Con was back in full force, and both Google and Samsung had separate experiences to show off new mobile games and the latest smartphones.

I decided to take a break from wandering the exhibit floor and attending panels for content like Alien: Rogue Incursion and “Hazbin Hotel” to check out what Google and Samsung had to offer and to see if I could win any cool swag.

Google took me to new heights

Google’s experience was all about the Play Store, which has been undergoing some interesting changes . There was a fairly long line and a huge Ferris wheel outside the convention center. The experience was to promote the Marvel Contest of Champions game, which is available now on the Play Store. While waiting in line, attendees could play the game at stations set up with Android phone s, choosing a character to fight and hopefully win against multiple characters on a quest map.

After that, you wait in line a bit longer to take photos with cardboard cutouts of some Marvel characters before hopping onto the Ferris wheel. With the hot San Diego sun beaming over me, I was, fortunately, able to enter the much faster VIP line with a Hero Pass, available to Play Points users with Silver status or higher.

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I admit this was my first time on a Ferris wheel, so I was quite nervous. However, it wasn’t particularly big, and it still gave me some good views of the convention. It didn’t take me long to get comfortable (although I’m sure I would still get nervous on a bigger Ferris wheel). While riding the wheel, the emcee would call out the names of characters that matched the individual gondolas, indicating which riders would win special prizes after the ride was over.

Stepping off the Ferris wheel, I was handed a cool pin and directed to the exit on the right. To the left, however, was the area where you could pick up prizes if your gondola was chosen. Among the prizes are sunglasses, a water bottle, a bag, and a hat. I didn’t get a prize, but hey, maybe next time.

Galaxies and giveaways

Samsung’s Comic-Con experience wasn’t as exciting, but it sure was flashy and also focused on a mobile game with the opportunity to win prizes. Game of Thrones: Legends is a puzzle RPG that lets you fight characters by matching jewels and using special character attacks. If you’re into puzzle games and like Game of Thrones, this might be for you.

The space was appropriately decorated like a scene out of “Game of Thrones,” including a chair where you could sit and have your photo taken. Samsung had tables where you could sit and play the game using various devices, including foldable phones like what I assume was the Galaxy Z Fold 6 .

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After playing the game a bit and waiting in line, I filled out a form asking about Android phones, Galaxy devices, and the latest Galaxy AI features. Samsung seemed to be gauging interest in its new phones and features, with one final question inquiring about price (the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 had their prices increased by $100 ).

After signing up on a Galaxy tablet , I tried my hand at a claw machine where I could win Funko Pop figurines. I also did not get a prize, but an emcee was also picking people in line to answer questions about Samsung devices (“What are the latest Samsung devices called?”), offering more chances to win prizes.

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Google definitely had the flashier setup, given that it had a whole Ferris wheel set up in front of the San Diego Convention Center that even lit up at night. Yet, the experience wasn’t too focused on promoting Google products like Pixel devices or features—it was about the game and Play Points.

This was an interesting contrast to Samsung’s experience, which was a bit out of the way from the main Comic-Con area. And while Samsung’s experience was technically about Game of Thrones, the questionnaire and setup were heavily focused on boosting awareness of Samsung’s devices and features, which makes sense given the company just launched a slew of new devices.

Nonetheless, it was interesting to see both companies with a presence at Comic-Con, and I’m excited to see what they do at next year’s event.