A new video game show, Play Expo 2012, is set to take place for the first time in Manchester, England later this year, showcasing brand new game titles alongside retro games. It has been organized by Replay Events, and follows on from successful Replay shows in Blackpool over the last three years.
The show will feature a blend of the latest releases and previews for consoles and PCs as well as retro consoles and costume role-play. The organizers expect to attract over 10,000 visitors over the course of its two-day run at the EventCity, Trafford Park venue on October 13 and 14, plus more than half a million worldwide viewers for their streaming coverage of an eSports competition.
"There is great demand from gamers for a show outside of London and from our experience, we know there is appetite for our unique approach," organizer Gordon Sinclair said when speaking to the Independent. "We surveyed previous attendees to our shows and found that 96 per cent said they wanted this type of event and that they would be very likely to attend. With that kind of support, we are confident that this huge step forward will be a successful one for both us and our exhibitors."
The event will be divided into four core gaming zones, the first of which is called "now.play" and will focus on the latest releases and previews for the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii consoles as well as PCs and handhelds. A second zone, re.play, will cover free-play arcade and pinball machines as well as retro consoles and vintage computers.
The third zone, pro.play, is set to be a competitive eSports event featuring professional gaming tournaments and the fourth zone, cos.play will focus on costume role play including masquerades, talks and anime.
Tickets for the two day event are available for purchase now from the Play Expo website.