PLAY EXPO RETURNS TO MANCHESTER THIS MAY

PLAY Expo, the north’s biggest videogames event, is returning to Manchester for the seventh time on May 4th and 5th. Taking place in a new, bigger venue, PLAY Expo will be held at Manchester Central Exhibition Centre and will welcome over 25,000 videogames fans through the doors for two days of gaming brilliance.

The perfect day out for games enthusiasts of all ages, with everything from blockbuster game previews to indie games, retro classics, eSports, cosplay, escape rooms, education, live shows, industry panels and YouTuber meet and greets.

PLAY Expo Manchester boasts nearly one thousand gaming consoles, handhelds, PCs, arcade and pinball machines, all playing the very best in new and classic videogames – and all set to free to play! The event also features a huge Minecraft zone, a Fortnite zone, a dedicated VR area and a selection of the best and brightest indie games from recent years.

On the Expo stages you will find talks from gaming celebrities, cosplay displays and tournaments for gamers of all skill levels. You will also find immersive live experiences, including John Robertson’s critically acclaimed ‘The Dark Room’ and ‘Knightmare Live’, the celebrated stage adaptation of the 80s-90s cult TV show Knightmare*.

Twitch channel ‘Streamers Connected’ will be broadcasting live from the show across both days, bringing viewers at home the best content, interviews and action from the north’s biggest gaming event.

Andy Brown, Managing Director of Replay Events said: “We are super excited to be bringing PLAY Expo back to Manchester at an even bigger arena. The PLAY Expo community is incredible, we know that 80% of our visitors do not visit any other gaming event in the UK. Our attendees love the mix of new and old games, stage talks, special events, cosplay and competitions. If you love games, you can’t afford to miss PLAY Expo Manchester.”

Industry trade body UKIE, will be hosting ’30 Years Of Play’ at this year’s show. Inviting visitors to remember the British games that have shaped the industry over the last 30 years, including a retro gaming championship featuring classic British games from years gone by.

George Osborn, Campaign Manager, 30 Years of Play said: “We’re excited to be partnering up with PLAY Expo for its retro gaming championship. The video games sector has always been defined by a close relationship between players and developers. The retro gaming championship offers a brilliant opportunity to do just that, while also celebrating some of the best of British videogames from the past 30 years.”

Tickets cost: Adults £20, Child £14, Family (2 adults, 2 children) £58 per day or Adults £34, Child £24, Family £96 for the Weekend ticket and can be bought from playexpomanchester.com. *Knightmare Live costs £10 and The Dark Room costs £5 per person.