Ok, think it's about time I posted about R3PLAY on STH, especially as myself and others have spent the past YEAR trying to get it off the ground!
R3PLAY involves the organisers of just about every major Retro Event in the last 18 months (e.g. Retro Reunited, Acorn World [meeee!], Byte Back, RV2010, Retro Computer Games Festival etc) teaming up with numerous other figures and communities from within the Arcade/Pinball and Video Gaming world, to put on one BIG show.
There'll be areas for STH/BBCmicro.com and also Retro Software, plus there'll be many more Acorn machines within the main gaming zones [Atoms/Elks/Beebs/Masters/Arcs etc]. But it's not just about gaming - for example, the National Museum of Computing @ Bletchley Park will also be facilitating a display at the show.
I really hope that R3PLAY will prove to be the biggest meetup of STH forum members to-date. If you can only make it to one show this year, make sure it's R3PLAY!
And remember, this is MUCH more than just a Retro Show - there'll be plenty of stuff on offer for modern gamers too, and if Arcade Cabinets are your thing - then expect to see more of these things than at all previous events combined!
Once you've bought your ticket(s) I'd be very grateful if you could post in this thread to let me know which day(s) you're coming for (obviously, I hope as many people as possible will do both days!).Exciting new Arcade, Retro & Video Gaming Expo heading to Blackpool!
R3PLAY (pronounced “Replay”) is a brand new show celebrating four decades of gaming history. Presented in association with Retro Gamer and gamesTM magazines, this unique event will offer gamers of all ages the chance to experience gaming systems from the 1970s to present day. Hosted by TV personality and videogame fanatic Gail Porter, the R3PLAY Expo will take place at The Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre in Blackpool on 6/7 November 2010 – the final weekend of this year’s famous Illuminations.
More than 300 systems will be available at R3PLAY comprising the finest possible selection of consoles, coin-ops and computers from all over the globe (with all machines set to free-play). Visitors will have the opportunity to take part in prize gaming competitions, listen to Q&A sessions with guest speakers, participate in workshops, view galleries of video game artwork, win fantastic raffle prizes, tender bids in a special auction and much, much more! Ticket holders will also be able to purchase games, systems, accessories and memorabilia via a number of specialist seller stands.
R3PLAY is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the “3 C’s”:
Adult ticket prices are £12 for single-day entry and £20 for a weekend ticket, with reductions for children and families. It is expected that the full allocation of tickets will be sold in advance through the dedicated website: http://www.R3PLAY.info
- CONSOLES
Ranging from the humble Atari 2600, through the SEGA vs Nintendo console wars of the 1990s, to the all-conquering behemoths that are the PS3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. Video game consoles from all corners of the world will be showcased at R3PLAY allowing visitors to play on rare and obscure machines they may never see again!- COIN-OPS
Arcade and Pinball Machines have captured the nation’s imagination since the first mass-produced classics of the 70s and 80s. R3PLAY not only looks at the retro classics, but thanks to the support of leading arcade communities, there will be plenty on offer for the new generation of arcade gamers, too.- COMPUTERS
The UK was a world leader in 80s computing and R3PLAY will celebrate the diverse history of Acorn, Amstrad and Sinclair, as well as their international competitors such as Commodore and Atari. Furthermore, fans of PC-based gaming will be able to enjoy both the very latest releases, in addition to classics such as Commander Keen, Descent and the original network version of Doom (Deathmatch anyone?). The National Museum of Computing will also be on hand, raising awareness of computing history in the UK.
Organisers, the Computing & Gaming Events Union (CGEU) have already staged a number of arcade/video gaming and computing events, raising thousand of pounds for charitable causes in the process. At R3PLAY, the CGEU will be raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park.
R3PLAY presents a fantastic social networking environment for gamers, a perfect location for casual play as well as intense competition.
Further announcements regarding activities, sponsors/partners, lists of systems and special guests will be made over the coming weeks.
I'll be posting details about a recommended hotel to book into soon.
Plea: at previous events I've been involved in, the bulk of tickets were sold in the final four weeks prior to the event. With R3PLAY, the more tickets we sell now, the bigger and better show we can put on. So PLEASE buy your tickets as early as possible, and try not to leave it till the last minute!
