New Games Consumer Show Wembley-Bound

Video game retailer, Play.com, is taking on the ground that the rest of the UK industry appears too scared or snobbish to approach: meeting the public; mixing with the consumers...

In short, it is aiming to plug the UK consumer games show void. The company is planning a new 'entertainment lifestyle' expo for Wembley Stadium in March, for which it hopes to attract some 40,000 punters. Although the concept of 'entertainment lifestyle' scares the hell out of us - what does it even mean? - if it's a UK show, about video games, that consumers can visit... we're all for it.

“The publicity generated by a large-scale consumer show is extremely important for the UK industry”, Play’s head of games Gian Luzio tells UK industry journal, MCV today. “The chasm left by the lack of a central UK games spectacle has been clear for all to see.”

Too right it has. SPOnG has been attempting to raise industry interest in a UK-based consumer show for some time now. The screams and squeals, however, of 'industry' figures at their most recent sight of actual European video game consumers (at Leipzig) apparently deafened them to the obvious demand.

Luzio boldly went on to add, “E3 and TGS are nowhere near as much fun for consumers as this will be”. Of course, E3 was no fun for consumers at all this year, since they weren't allowed in...

Although presentations are expected from some "broader" media companies, the focus will apparently be kept on games. No details of who will be attending have been announced as yet.

Ticket prices include day tickets set for £9 and weekend passes at £16.

Since GameStars Live went the way of the dinosaur in 2004, there has been no major UK show to fly the flag of UK gaming. If this show comes together, it will be a happy weekend for the UK games industry. Hopefully the combination of low ticket prices and a large capacity will attract enough punters to offset the high costs of boothes at such shows for publishers.

The show will run on March 15th and 16th next year.

Will you go? Is London the best place for such a show? To the Forum please...

^{Source: MCV}