Gamer Network partners with Play Expo to bring major gaming event to northern England

I said we'd be back! Yes, several years after the Eurogamer Expo went north to Leeds for one year, Eurogamer's parent company Gamer Network has partnered with the Play Expo to ensure that gamers in the north can once again go hands-on with the latest games and hardware before they're released.

The Play Expo takes place at Manchester's EventCity on 12th and 13th October and Gamer Network will be managing exhibitor sales for the event, which in human terms means that the people responsible for making sure the Eurogamer Expo is always stocked with the latest playable games months before release will be bringing their skills to bear in bolstering the Play Expo line-up.

Exact details of what northern gamers will be able to play at the event will be announced in the coming months, but tickets for Play Expo are on sale now with early bird discounts in place. Adult tickets are £13 a day or £22 for the whole weekend, while under-16 tickets are £8 a day or £13 for the weekend. There's also a family ticket option priced £40 per day. Discounts are in place until 31st May.

In addition to the now.play area, which will be stocked with hands-on versions of the latest unreleased games, the Play Expo also includes the re.play area (retro consoles, classic computers and arcade/pinball machines), pro.play (casual and competitive gaming tournaments) and cos.play (costume competitions, card and board games, dealers/traders).

Check out the Play Expo website and follow them on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest event information.

P.S. You don't actually have to be northern to attend - all are welcome - but if you live a bit further south or just can't get enough of playing loads of games before they come out, you might want to check out the events Gamer Network runs elsewhere, too. Rezzed takes place at the NEC on 22nd/23rd June and the mighty Eurogamer Expo is 26th-29th September at Earls Court, London.