iX

For a couple of years now Multiplay UK have been running Britain's biggest LAN parties, and their next event looks set to break new records. Taking place once again at Newbury Race Course, i10 will take over the weekend of March 29th to April 1st and have room for more than a thousand players. Former sponsors Gameplay have fallen by the wayside, but BT will be making up for the lack of flags and banners with some Games Domain branding, as well as giving out free t-shirts (ooh) and releasing exclusive maps for Counter-Strike, Quake 3 and Return To Castle Wolfenstein designed by Splashdamage. Perhaps more interestingly though, Microsoft will be turning i10 into iX with an Xperience roadshow setup featuring a network of eight Xboxes hooked up to a 50 inch plasma screen for some serious Halo multiplayer action. Other game demos for the new console will also be available, along with an Xbox themed "chillout area", which will presumably be big, green and full of squiggly lines and handle-barred stags. To find out more or sign up for the event, check out the Multiplay website.