Multiplay | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 30 Mar 2023 18:40:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Multiplay | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 GAME sells Multiplay Digital unit to Unity for £19 million https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/game-sells-multiplay-digital-unit-to-unity-for-19-million/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/game-sells-multiplay-digital-unit-to-unity-for-19-million/#respond Tue, 28 Nov 2017 09:48:24 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=355811 Just over two years after first acquiring the company, GAME has sold off part of Multiplay to Unity in a deal worth £19 million. The struggling high-street store initially bought Multiplay for £20 million back in March 2015 to help bolster its presence in the gaming world, which is moving more towards digital. Multiplay Digital …

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Just over two years after first acquiring the company, GAME has sold off part of Multiplay to Unity in a deal worth £19 million. The struggling high-street store initially bought Multiplay for £20 million back in March 2015 to help bolster its presence in the gaming world, which is moving more towards digital.

Multiplay Digital handles server hosting for plenty of games, including Titanfall 2 and Killing Floor 2. The Multiplay division also handles Insomnia gaming event, the biggest LAN event in the UK.

As part of the deal, GAME will be keeping the esports and events side of the business. Meanwhile, the server hosting side of it will be handed off to Unity following an initial payment of £17.1 million, with the additional £1.9 million coming in 19 months time.

According to GAME CEO, Martyn Gibbs, this will allow GAME to simplify the Multiplay group and “fully capitalise on the strong growth potential” of esports and events.

KitGuru Says: Server hosting is an expensive business and its not exactly something that GAME is known for, so selling that side of Multiplay off makes sense. It will be interesting to see how Unity expands it in the future, after all, Multiplay already hosts some pretty big games as it is.

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Renting skips Insomnia LAN headaches https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/renting-skips-insomnia-lan-headaches/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/renting-skips-insomnia-lan-headaches/#comments Fri, 26 Aug 2016 13:35:04 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=304320 As well organised as the Insomnia LAN events are, there are a number of issues that are intrinsic with a large scale LAN experience: there will be queues and there is always the chance you'll break something important. One solution that's becoming increasingly popular is renting systems and the prices aren't ridiculous. As we are …

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As well organised as the Insomnia LAN events are, there are a number of issues that are intrinsic with a large scale LAN experience: there will be queues and there is always the chance you'll break something important. One solution that's becoming increasingly popular is renting systems and the prices aren't ridiculous.

As we are wont to do with the biggest summer LAN party in the UK, KitGuru is once again touring the floors of an Insomnia series, shaking hands, playing some games and seeing what new hardware is on offer. While there isn't a whole lot new at this time of year, one area of the LAN halls which did draw our attention were the rental stations.

These have been gaining traction over the past few years of LANs, but this time around it's far more popular.

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“I've rented out 25 monitors just this morning to people who cracked their panels on the drive here,” said Ben Miles, of Chillblast. He and his fellow ‘blasters have managed to secure a booth within the LAN hall itself, which gives them prime position to rent out to anyone who finds themselves without an important piece of hardware.

“It's just easier,” Miles said. “You can bring your expensive system on a train or in a car, or you can just stroll in past the queues and pick up one of our systems before playing.”

Of course most people still come to the Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) halls lugging their own hefty desktop and monitor from home. That's a key part of the LAN experience, but it does mean waiting with the thousands of other gamers to check in and register your system. It's far more efficient than it used to be, but it's still not streamlined.

So if you'd rather skip queues and don't mind spending a little time downloading the games you'll want to play, it might not be a bad idea to consider renting next time you come along.

Prices range from £80 to £120 for the weekend for desktops and you can rent them with monitors and all the extra peripherals you want. You can just show up ticket in hand if you like.

KitGuru Says: I think I might rent a monitor next time I come, if only because my current one is about 10 years old and compared to all of the razor thin LED set ups most people are sporting, my rig looks like a dinosaur. 

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The weird and wonderful at Multiplay i56 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/the-weird-and-wonderful-at-multiplay-i56/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/the-weird-and-wonderful-at-multiplay-i56/#respond Fri, 11 Dec 2015 20:23:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=278029 Although far from its largest show of the year, Multiplay's major Christmas LAN event, Insomnia 56 (i56) still has a lot on show. While we'd love to take you all with us on a virtual tour of the entire show, we can't quite afford that new Nokia VR camera just yet. What we can do …

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Although far from its largest show of the year, Multiplay's major Christmas LAN event, Insomnia 56 (i56) still has a lot on show. While we'd love to take you all with us on a virtual tour of the entire show, we can't quite afford that new Nokia VR camera just yet. What we can do though is show you some of the highlights, so here's the parts of i56 that caught our attention.

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The sight you are greeted with when you arrive at the show is the giant GAME pirate ship, which will be no surprise to anyone who has visited any of the other shows GAME has exhibited at this year. However now that it owns Multiplay, chances are we're going to see a lot more of it at these events.

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Our first stop on our tour of the show floor led us to the the Fuel3D Scanify booth, which was able to make a stretched, rather accurate 3D scan of my face with just a simple camera rig. It's not a cheap piece of kit at around the £800 mark, but it's a lot less complicated the the laser scanning systems we've seen before.

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Our pals from Special Effect were in attendance again, showing the world how much fun even those with debilitating conditions can have while gaming.

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They were joined – albeit in a much darker location – by the War Child, Duty of Care campaign, which wants to use gaming tropes to help the general public understand the dangers of real war. We spend a lot of time playing at soldiering, but there are many people – especially children – who have to deal with it as a reality of their everyday lives.

The video the organisation had playing at its booth is pretty indicative of how much we can take that type of action for granted in a fun, game-developed setting.

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On a lighter note, Merge is back with its budget VR offering that supports a number of smartphones. It's not a great implementation of it and I'd rather people had their first time in virtual reality on an HTC Vive or Oculus Rift, but a competitive ecosystem is usually healthy for any market, so hopefully this can provide some of that.

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HTV Vive is the VR must see at Multiplay i56 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/htv-vive-is-the-vr-must-see-at-multiplay-i56/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/htv-vive-is-the-vr-must-see-at-multiplay-i56/#respond Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:40:15 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=277974 Although Oculus is the darling of the virtual reality world, HTC's Vive headset has been making waves since it started shipping out to developers who wanted to build games and experiences for its commercial release. However the general public have had a chance to play around with the headset and its accompanying hand controls too, …

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Although Oculus is the darling of the virtual reality world, HTC's Vive headset has been making waves since it started shipping out to developers who wanted to build games and experiences for its commercial release. However the general public have had a chance to play around with the headset and its accompanying hand controls too, at shows like  Multiplay's Insomnia series, and the ongoing i56 is no different.

With Oculus VR not attending this rather small show – by comparison of some  of Insomnia's others and their contemporaries – HTC is the only mainstream VR hardware maker on show. There are a couple of cheap, smartphone VR headsets and a 3D screen overlay builder, but HTC is the VR booth to visit if you want to get a (developer kit) version of what commercial virtual reality will be like.

And you should, because the HTC Vive demonstrations are fantastic.

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The demos you get to play through in a over-too-quick 15 minutes, include a quick store/hub-space that lets you get a feel for virtual reality and where you get your first look at your floating hand controls. From there, you're whisked under water to explore the deck of a sunken ship, and a close interaction with a whale, before gunning down zombies with an assortment of weaponry.

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Unfortunately the TiltBrush 3D painting application wasn't working quite right when I went in for my  turn, so I wasn't able to run through that creative looking experience, but I did get to try out the Aperture Robot Repair demo, which was stunning.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4zr5Eq_F5g']

Again, it's a saddeningly short experience, but what you do get to see and play with is wonderful. You find yourself within the Aperture Science robotic repair facility and are directed to open and close a few drawers to find your tools and to test out the motion controls, because of course you are grabbing the drawers with your hands, or your virtual controllers at least.

Those drawers open up to reveal various things, the most fun of which is a miniature office environment, complete with stick figures that panic at your prescence and trash their office… before summary incineration. After that you actually do have to take a stab at repairing a robot. It's Atlas! He's not looking great, so you take him apart – ignoring the screams of pain – and take a look at his innards, all of which are wonderfully displayed in minute detail.

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The downside to having a go before a journo: you're going to have your picture taken.

What happens after might be worth saving for when you eventually try it out yourself, but the video above will give you a good break down if you want to see the whole thing. Just know that no video on a two dimensional screen can do it justice.

As for the Vive headset itself, it's a great piece of kit. The cable is stupendously long, allowing for a large wandering area – though in reality you don't move around as much as you might think. It was refreshing to have so much space though, and the lighthouse tracking system located in the ‘corners' of the open area, only had a couple of hiccups during our testing.

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The lighthouse tracking system has an impressive range, though did occasionally drop the hand controls.

We were told this was because of the overhead lighting and electronic interference of a  show event, though it did make us wonder if these teething issues are part of why the Vive was recently delayed from its projected December launch to April 2016.

However most of the  time it worked great and the  motion controls and free movement go a long way to aiding presence. The screen door effect is much improved over the DK2, though I can't speak for more contemporary Oculus headsets and there wasn't even a hint of nausea during any of it.

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Although you have to sign up to try the standing Vive demos, you can queue up to try Elite: Dangerous, but it is seated.

All in all, it's our must see experience of Multiplay's i56 LAN,  just make sure you get there early, as you have to sign up at the start of the day and register yourself, and almost all of the slots are gone within a few minutes of opening.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This only makes me that much more excited for what we can expect when commercial VR lands. It really is going to be amazing. 

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Insomnia i55 – the games, the booths, the rigs https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/insomnia-i55-the-games-the-booths-the-rigs/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/insomnia-i55-the-games-the-booths-the-rigs/#respond Fri, 28 Aug 2015 17:09:21 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=265337 Insomnia i55 might make you walk a long way to get there, but i55 is, like most Multiplay events, packed with interesting things to look at and do. There's a few new games to try, a lot of hardware on show and plenty of desktop PCs that will make you drool if you have even …

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Insomnia i55 might make you walk a long way to get there, but i55 is, like most Multiplay events, packed with interesting things to look at and do. There's a few new games to try, a lot of hardware on show and plenty of desktop PCs that will make you drool if you have even the smallest of enthusiast bones in your body. Here's some of our favourite shots from a day of wandering and shaking hands. 

Since this is a gaming festival at heart – even if there is a lot more product pushing than their used to be – it makes sense to start with the games. Nintendo's booth was pretty active all day, showing off new titles like Mario Maker and Splatoon and the upcoming Starfox game for the Wii U was also playable – it looks great.

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Scratch away kid. You've got time until the next round.

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The only downside to the Nintendo booth was that it was a bit cramped, so there wasn't much room to manouever, play or even – very Britishly – queue in. That was not a problem that the Gears of War remastered booth had for some reason.

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That lady isn't missing a leg, it was a weird trick of the light… I think.

The game plays nicely, is kind of nostalgic (which feels bizarre, as it doesn't seem that long since the original was out) and looks great. There just didn't feel like there was much of a buzz for it. Are you guys pumped for it?

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The Xbox booth had a lot of people playing various Rare Replay titles, with some Banjo Kazooie, Battle Toads, and Viva Pinata action on a number of systems. I was a little disappointed to see no one was tearing it up on Conker's Bad Fury Day, but considering its content and the number of children present, perhaps that's wise.

Even if it's just to avoid them asking us to explain that Matrix parody.

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Homefront was busy enough that we didn't have time to have a go, so that's something. Considering how most of you didn't seem to enjoy the last one, we'll reserve judgement until we've actually given this one a go before suggesting anything.

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Battleborn was likewise a popular title today, suggesting that tomorrow will see these queues running far into the distance.

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The FIFA 16 stand was probably the busiest we saw all day.

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We couldn't talk about games or a Multiplay event without mentioning our friends at Special Effect. These guys use ingenious controler inputs – chin, eyes etc. – to help disabled gamers get back into their favourite titles. Better yet, they continue to follow up on their installations, loaning hardware and helping users buy their own and if that person sufferes from a degeneretive condition, they go back and readjust the controller scheme as their condition worsens.

These guys are real magic makers. Seriously, send them some cash as they don't charge anything for their services and rely entirely on donations.

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Coming to Multiplay i55? Bring your walking shoes https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/coming-to-multiplay-i55-bring-your-walking-shoes/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/coming-to-multiplay-i55-bring-your-walking-shoes/#respond Fri, 28 Aug 2015 15:44:44 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=265336 Multiplay's latest Insomnia event, i55, has a parking problem. It's not clear if it's just because it's become a victim of its own success, has been planned poorly, or a combination of the two, but there are thousands of people who have been unable to park near enough to the event. Most of those people …

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Multiplay's latest Insomnia event, i55, has a parking problem. It's not clear if it's just because it's become a victim of its own success, has been planned poorly, or a combination of the two, but there are thousands of people who have been unable to park near enough to the event. Most of those people are walking a mile or more to even reach the front door.

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It might be the biggest, but it's not the most well provisioned

This might sound a little meloramatic, but spending upwards of 20 minutes walking to the arena and eventually, 20 minutes back again, on top of all the walking you're likely to do at an event like Insomnia, feels a little much. This would perhaps be understandable if indeed, Multiplay's events had simply become too big and were trying to cater to everyone, but it's difficult not to blame Multiplay and by proxy it's new owners, Game, for these problems.

Yes, BYOC and day visitors to these events do seem to have increased in number over the past year. The problem though comes from the fact that Multiplay has repeatedly reduced the amount of available parking.

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Just one of several tents that have been erected in the arena's car parks

Initially, at the i54 LAN earlier this year, it placed a tented area in the main car-park as it could no longer use the field. Understandable, to an extent. However that same tent at i55 has been expanded, eliminating several hundred more parking spots. Furthermore, other tents have been placed in other car parks, eliminating what could be approaching a thousand. If so, that is around half of the arena's available parking wiped out by somewhat unnecessary tents.

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If those bringing their PCs can't fit into the sparse C car park, they have to go all the way to St Finbars

While no one can fault Multiplay for wanting to make its events bigger and better, clearly they've outgrown the Ricoh arena and Multiplay needs to either move on to something bigger and better, or find a way to cut back on what's on show, because as it stands, many, many visitors are left facing lengthy periods finding somewhere nearby to park – as attendants are relatively unhelpful – followed by a lengthy walk, which they must then retread at the end of the day.

Considering the BYOC attendees are spending upwards of £100 to attend these events, it doesn't feel good enough.

KitGuru Says: The only caveat here is that there is a shuttle service running from most carparks. Apparently. That's not exactly possible for BYOC attendees though, who are facing quite a hoof with a giant desktop and monitor in their arms. 

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Up close and personal with Chillblast systems https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/gaming-rig/andrzej/up-close-and-personal-with-chillblast-systems/ Sat, 11 Apr 2015 19:27:37 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=244627 Trusting your preferred system builder and component manufacturers means that many of us will never see the computer we buy, before we buy it. Major LAN events give you a great chance to get hands-on, so that's what KitGuru did with Ben Miles from Chillblast. We've had Ben in the KitGuru studios with a Fusion Nano system …

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Trusting your preferred system builder and component manufacturers means that many of us will never see the computer we buy, before we buy it. Major LAN events give you a great chance to get hands-on, so that's what KitGuru did with Ben Miles from Chillblast.

We've had Ben in the KitGuru studios with a Fusion Nano system before, but Multiplay's recent Insomnia event meant that we were able to see a whole lot more. Bear in mind that this is just a sample of what Chillblast had on show!

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

Visit the ChillBlast website HERE.

KitGuru says: High street stores like PC World offer a limited range of bland desktops with low-end specifications. If you're serious about buying a gaming rig, then checking out a complete range of systems, in advance, make good sense.

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Inside Chroma at i54 with Nick Haywood from Razer https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/andrzej/inside-chroma-at-i54-with-nick-haywood-from-razer/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/andrzej/inside-chroma-at-i54-with-nick-haywood-from-razer/#respond Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:37:14 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=243801 In the huge exhibitor hall at Multiplay's i54 event at the Ricoh Arena, it was hard to miss the Razer battle bus. This black and green branded double decker travels Europe, full to the brim with DinoPC gaming systems and the latest in Razer peripherals. There was a queue for the on-bus experience all day long, as …

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In the huge exhibitor hall at Multiplay's i54 event at the Ricoh Arena, it was hard to miss the Razer battle bus. This black and green branded double decker travels Europe, full to the brim with DinoPC gaming systems and the latest in Razer peripherals. There was a queue for the on-bus experience all day long, as well as a second queue for the Razer Chroma: Full Spectrum Gaming demo zone.

KitGuru caught up with Razer specialist Nick Haywood for a complete demonstration of what his company believes is the most advanced lighting system available for gaming peripherals.

With Chroma-enabled gaming products starting around £65 for the Razer Death Adder mouse and the BlackWidow keyboard weighing in around £149, these products aren't cheap – but they do give you a lot of room for customisation. You can check them all out for yourself at Overclockers, here.

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Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

KitGuru says: In a dark hall with 1,000 other gamers, this is certainly one way to make your rig stand out.

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Gigabyte generates vital cash for baby hospice at i54 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/andrzej/gigabyte-generates-vital-cash-for-baby-hospice-at-i54/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/andrzej/gigabyte-generates-vital-cash-for-baby-hospice-at-i54/#respond Sun, 05 Apr 2015 10:09:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=243747 One thing that everyone notices at major gaming LAN events like the Multiplay Insomnia series, is the overwhelming spirit of ‘goodwill to all'. Breaking with booth babe and blast em up action tradition, Gigabyte decided to do something different at i54 this Easter weekend. KitGuru was on hand to see the cash being captured for a …

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One thing that everyone notices at major gaming LAN events like the Multiplay Insomnia series, is the overwhelming spirit of ‘goodwill to all'. Breaking with booth babe and blast em up action tradition, Gigabyte decided to do something different at i54 this Easter weekend. KitGuru was on hand to see the cash being captured for a good cause.

‘Think global – act local' is a poster that most multinationals will have on the wall of their HQ at some point. The idea is that your company ethos should be decided for the whole planet, but the way you execute needs to be specific for local communities.

For i54, Gigabyte's Nigel Sutch decided to help a local children's hospice called Zoe's Place. Local to the Ricoh Arena that stages i54, Zoe's Place are the only  baby specific hospices in the UK – specialising in patients under 5 years of age with life threatening conditions. Zoe's Place is totally dependent on charity to carry on their vital work.

As well as raising a ton of cash from gamers at i54 to help the charity keep going, Gigabyte will also be installing a special BRIX-based projection system so Zoe's Place patients with neck injuries can watch videos and play games without needing to move.

Gigabyte was supported in this venture by Antec, Kingston HyperX and AOC.

Here's the raffle collection team on stand.
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Gamers of all ages bought loads of tickets at Coventry's Ricoh Arena.
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Gigabyte crew on the main stage, handing out prizes.
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Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: It's great to see a multi-national corporation taking the time to find out about a small, local organisation like Zoe's Place and then working the audience at Multiplay i54 to raise funds that will make an immediate difference to the lives of the babies there.  Well played Gigabyte and well played to all of the generous gamers at i54 that donated to the cause.

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Going to i54 this weekend? So are we https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/going-to-i54-this-weekend-so-are-we/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/going-to-i54-this-weekend-so-are-we/#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2015 11:07:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=243366 Update: It looks like with less than 24 hours to go before the event starts, all of the tickets are sold out. Sorry to those that didn't get in there in time, but for those that are attending, we'll see you there. This weekend kicks off the first Multiplay Insomnia LAN party under new ownership, …

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Update: It looks like with less than 24 hours to go before the event starts, all of the tickets are sold out. Sorry to those that didn't get in there in time, but for those that are attending, we'll see you there.

This weekend kicks off the first Multiplay Insomnia LAN party under new ownership, so while it was planned way before GAME picked up the long standing server and LAN hosts, it will be interesting to see if there's much influence from the new masters. Which is why, along with thousands of other gamers and their families, we'll be attending the i54 festival this weekend, so keep your eye out for KG staff if you're attending.

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But what's there to see? Well as usual, the Ricoh Arena in Coventry will be host to thousands of eager PC gamers, who'll bring their full systems to the BYOC halls, but alongside those enjoying the large scale LAN environment will be all of the sponsors and exhibitors in the main expo. There you'll find the likes of Chillblast, OCUK, PCSpecialist and Box, all showing off their latest hardware deals, as well as individual manufacturers like Cooler Master and ThermalTake.

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The IndieZone is always worth checking out

Beyond that, a lot of game makers will be in attendance like Team 17, Whitebox Interactive – which will be showing off its Warhammer 40k MOBA, Dark Nexus and Stainless Games, makers of the Carmageddon series. Of course the Retro arcade will be attendance too, as well as a board and card game booth and loads of clothing and collectibles to buy.

For a full list of event sponsors and exhibitors, have a look at the official page here. While all of the day passes are sold out, if you want to attend any and all parts of the weekend, there's still a few of those tickets available.

KitGuru Says: See you guys there. I'm quite looking forward to trying out a couple of tabletop games myself. 

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GAME acquires Multiplay for £20 million https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/game-acquires-multiplay-for-20-million/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/game-acquires-multiplay-for-20-million/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2015 13:59:56 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=238154 UK retailer GAME has made quite the comeback since its 2012 bankruptcy. Now the company is venturing in to new territory by acquiring Multiplay, who many of you will know as being behind the I-series Insomnia LAN events here in the UK. GAME is managing to nab Multiplay for £20 million in total, with £12.6 …

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UK retailer GAME has made quite the comeback since its 2012 bankruptcy. Now the company is venturing in to new territory by acquiring Multiplay, who many of you will know as being behind the I-series Insomnia LAN events here in the UK.

GAME is managing to nab Multiplay for £20 million in total, with £12.6 million of it being upfront. The remaining £7.4 million will be paid out over the next three years. By acquiring Multiplay, GAME will be able to expand its reach in to community events and even get involved with the growing eSports scene.

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Multiplay's CEO and founder, Craig Fletcher, will retain his position, continuing current relationships with partners. Talking about the acquisition, Fletcher said “Over the years we've worked closely with the GAME team on many occasions and come to know them well. Our businesses are culturally aligned and I am looking forward to joining and working with Martyn and the team.”

According to Martyn Gibbs, the Chief Executive of GAME Digital, purchasing Multiplay will be an important step for the retailer as it can now throw itself in to the world of live events. “By acquiring Multiplay we are benefiting from nearly two decades of experience, during which time Multiplay has built an exceptional reputation and leading position in its markets.”

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: GAME buying out Multiplay was quite an unexpected move and shows how much the retailer has managed to bounce back since its near collapse in 2012. It will be interesting to see if GAME's backing can bring a boost to the Insomnia LAN events.

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Gamers attracted to smaller chassis says Cooler Master https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/andrzej/gamers-attracted-to-smaller-chassis-says-cooler-master/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 11:57:43 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=223050 While they are famous for huge chassis like the Cosmos II and Storm Trooper etc, KitGuru learned up at Multiplay i53 that there is a definite increase in interest around small form factor chassis among gamers. Chris Gough explains the draw. While Chris didn't actually say that Cooler Master is selling less large chassis, he was …

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While they are famous for huge chassis like the Cosmos II and Storm Trooper etc, KitGuru learned up at Multiplay i53 that there is a definite increase in interest around small form factor chassis among gamers. Chris Gough explains the draw.

While Chris didn't actually say that Cooler Master is selling less large chassis, he was keen to point out that recent improvements in PC hardware are making smaller and smaller LAN machines viable.

KitGuru says: With the latest Intel chips, more powerful APUs and the advent of Maxwell, smaller LAN gaming rigs could become more popular in 2015.

Would you consider a small form factor chassis for a gaming rig?  Let us know over on Facebook.

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Razer loves DinoPC – who loves Gigabyte – and here’s why https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/andrzej/razer-loves-dinopc-who-loves-gigabyte-and-heres-why/ Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:16:52 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=225159 Around 80% of the population have no idea what a true, high-end gaming PC looks like. KitGuru readers do of course, and so do the folks at Razer. To prove that point, we managed to get a tour around the Razer Battle Bus recently and while there, asked why the mobile marvel has been set up the way …

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Around 80% of the population have no idea what a true, high-end gaming PC looks like. KitGuru readers do of course, and so do the folks at Razer. To prove that point, we managed to get a tour around the Razer Battle Bus recently and while there, asked why the mobile marvel has been set up the way it has.

No doubt that Razer loves the sharp graphics on the Dino-Myte PC, but why does DinoPC choose Gigabyte?  One man has a theory.

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

KitGuru says: Very cool bus – loads of atmosphere – and a heap of hardware to test out. You can spend over £100 on a keyboard, mouse or headset – makes sense to try-before-you-buy.

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Thermaltake Core V 51 chassis spotted at Multiplay i53 https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/andrzej/thermaltake-core-v-51-chassis-spotted-at-multiplay-i53/ Wed, 26 Nov 2014 12:59:42 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=223070 Multiplay's legendary Insomnia events are a great place to get hands-on with a ton of kit that you don't normally find in the shops. On hand for Thermaltake was Martin Pajenkamp to explain the cool features of his Core V51 chassis. Have to say that we do like an intelligently placed magnetic strip every now …

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Multiplay's legendary Insomnia events are a great place to get hands-on with a ton of kit that you don't normally find in the shops. On hand for Thermaltake was Martin Pajenkamp to explain the cool features of his Core V51 chassis. Have to say that we do like an intelligently placed magnetic strip every now and then.

We're happy to see Thermaltake move away from the heavy plastic designs of the past. The latest chassis are much more appealing to the eye and appear to have plenty of airflow/cooling options.

KitGuru says: Simple, neat styling with practical features for overclockers and enthusiasts alike. Price seems OK, but we'd need to get it into the KitGuru Labs to be certain. 

Would you like to see more ‘magnetically sealed filters' on your chassis?  Let us know over on Facebook.

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Utopia Computers exquisite paint job at Multiplay i53 https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/andrzej/utopia-computers-exquisite-paint-job-at-multiplay-i53/ Tue, 25 Nov 2014 15:49:12 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=223055 At some point or another, we've all been tempted to paint a chassis. Whether you botched it with a roller or made your best effort using a primed surface and layers of spray paint, it's unlikely that you will have managed better than this system from Utopia Computers on the Cooler Master stand at Multiplay …

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At some point or another, we've all been tempted to paint a chassis. Whether you botched it with a roller or made your best effort using a primed surface and layers of spray paint, it's unlikely that you will have managed better than this system from Utopia Computers on the Cooler Master stand at Multiplay i53.

For most of the population, the chassis that arrives by courier is the final version that will house your next PC. For others, that chassis is an ingredient in something altogether more ambitious. Check this lustrous metallic yellow finish from Utopia Computers.

KitGuru says: We've tried to give you an idea of how this system looked – but the real world experience is just a little better than our 50Mbps HD cameras can manage. The extra effort on the keyboard, mouse and headset was definitely worth it.

Sprayed your chassis recently?  Love or hate the Utopia creation?  Let us know over on Facebook.

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Thermaltake Core V1 at Multiplay i53 https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/andrzej/thermaltake-core-v1-at-multiplay-i53/ Tue, 25 Nov 2014 14:36:32 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=223060 Small Form Factor fever seemed to spread through the halls at Multiplay's Insomnia i53. We all remember the ‘time of the Shuttles' – around 10 years ago – but the problem was that the specifications were very weak. Now that does not have to be the case. Also, prices have definitely dropped. We asked Martin …

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Small Form Factor fever seemed to spread through the halls at Multiplay's Insomnia i53. We all remember the ‘time of the Shuttles' – around 10 years ago – but the problem was that the specifications were very weak. Now that does not have to be the case. Also, prices have definitely dropped.

We asked Martin Pajenkamp from Thermaltake's marketing team to take us around the Core V1 chassis and point out the cool stuff.

KitGuru says: While it was interesting enough to see the chassis and get a run down of the features from Martin, the thing that made us re-assess what we had seen was the low price that he tacked onto the end of his description. Price may not be everything, but one that low is hard to ignore.

Fancy a small form factor system at that kind of price?  Let us know over on Facebook.

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Overclockers UK delivery to your desk at Insomnia i53 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/andrzej/overclockers-delivery-to-your-desk-at-insomnia-i53/ Mon, 24 Nov 2014 13:56:05 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=223063 Once thousands of hardcore gamers have entrenched themselves with their clan/mates at a Multiplay event like i53, they really don't want to move. So what happens if you need a repair, upgrade or gift?  No problem, Overclockers UK have pioneered an effective Delivery to your Desk system – which doubles-up as an ‘on the spot …

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Once thousands of hardcore gamers have entrenched themselves with their clan/mates at a Multiplay event like i53, they really don't want to move. So what happens if you need a repair, upgrade or gift?  No problem, Overclockers UK have pioneered an effective Delivery to your Desk system – which doubles-up as an ‘on the spot repair facility' when necessary. Mark Purdy explains what it's all about.

With a galactic amount of bandwidth flowing around the huge halls at Coventry's Ricoh stadium, getting access to Overclockers web site is easy enough. Gamers at i53 simply choose ‘Delivery to the Desk' and good arrive. It's a kind of magic.

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

KitGuru says: While not as large as the summer LANs, i53 was still great fun and it gives hardcore gamers and enthusiasts a chance to get face to face with the companies that have been serving them all year. The queue to play in one of the phat AK Gaming chairs leads us to believe that Santa will be getting a few seating requests this Xmas.

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Cooler Master Keyboard Olympics at Multiplay i53 https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/andrzej/cooler-master-keyboard-olympics-at-multiplay-i53/ Mon, 24 Nov 2014 12:52:47 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=223047 Getting someone to say “I love you” – even if they don't necessarily mean it – is a pretty decent marketing play. One that Cooler Master had going in full effect up at Multiplay's Insomnia i53 LAN gaming event at the massive Ricoh Arena in Coventry over the weekend. KitGuru cameras were on hand to …

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Getting someone to say “I love you” – even if they don't necessarily mean it – is a pretty decent marketing play. One that Cooler Master had going in full effect up at Multiplay's Insomnia i53 LAN gaming event at the massive Ricoh Arena in Coventry over the weekend. KitGuru cameras were on hand to capture the declarations.

Essentially, choose one of 3 keyboard technologies and, using a custom built app, type “I love Cooler Master” as fast as you can. Winner takes all.

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

KitGuru says: We heard that the first person onto the Olympic scoreboard was an Overclockers.co.uk marketing guru – who set such a fast time that there was a chance it would not/could not be beaten. A quick call to the developers was required in order to remove the spurious winner. Nice try Mark!

Update 26th November: Cooler Master have replied saying that Marks score needed to be removed due to his being a cyborg and his implants giving him an unfair advantage, the majority of players were human and we needed to ensure an even playing field.

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As Insomnia i53 kicks off explore its origins with Craig Fletcher: KitGuru TV https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/andrzej/as-insomnia-i53-kicks-off-explore-its-origins-with-craig-fletcher-kitguru-tv/ Fri, 21 Nov 2014 14:40:15 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=222748 Multiplay's Insomnia event is the biggest LAN in the UK and it runs three times a year. Now in its 53rd iteration, it is bigger and better than ever. As it kicks off, we get 1-on-1 with founder and CEO Craig Fletcher to look at where it is now and its humble beginnings. When a …

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Multiplay's Insomnia event is the biggest LAN in the UK and it runs three times a year. Now in its 53rd iteration, it is bigger and better than ever. As it kicks off, we get 1-on-1 with founder and CEO Craig Fletcher to look at where it is now and its humble beginnings.

When a dispute between Coventry City Football Club and the owners of the Ricoh Arena left the stadium stranded for ages, it created an opportunity for the largest LAN in town to establish a new home. Today, on Friday 21st November 2104, the switches will be flicked and a huge amount of bandwidth/electrons will be drawn into the stadium as i53 kicks off for real. Here's the history from the man who knows.

Discuss on Our Facebook page, over HERE.

KitGuru says: Stunning event and something that every gamer should attend at least once – even if you go as a spectator the first time. 

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Fnatic COO tells us what it takes to make it in eSports https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/interviews/andrzej/fnatic-coo-tells-us-what-it-takes-to-make-it-in-esports/ Wed, 05 Nov 2014 02:18:01 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=220307 Spend any time around kids and you will be asked, “Can I be a gamer when I grow up?”.  When there was no money in electronic sports (eSports), the question was moot – there was no living to be made. Then a handful of plucky players started to earn some cash and, in 2015, the …

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Spend any time around kids and you will be asked, “Can I be a gamer when I grow up?”.  When there was no money in electronic sports (eSports), the question was moot – there was no living to be made. Then a handful of plucky players started to earn some cash and, in 2015, the amount of money that will be picked up in tournaments etc will be absolutely huge. KitGuru caught up with Team Fnatic's Chief Operating Officer to get the full truth about being a professional gamer.

For parents, hearing that your kid is serious about making it as a professional gamer is like hearing that your daughter wants to be a poll dancer or that your son wants to be in a band. As an adult, you can see just how few safety nets there will be – compared to something like law, computer science or even being a games developer. But as the money builds up, it seems that eSports will take its place alongside regular sports as a potential career.

However, most tournaments are won by players under 24 and most under-18s won't be travelling on planes across the globe alone to compete.

Realistically, that means you need to have world-class gaming skills as you hit your 18th birthday and to then win everything you can for the next 5 years.

At that point, you can total up your winnings and decide if you have been a successful, professional eSports player.

KitGuru says: In the UK, if you are serious about your eSports, you would be wise to visit www.Multiplay.co.uk and join in Insomnia 53 in the Ricoh Arena from November 21st to 23rd. It will give you a strong flavour of how tournaments work and a chance to pit your skills against serious players. You'll soon find out if you have what it takes.

Ever fancied being a professional game player? Let us know over on Facebook.

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What’s on at Multiplay i52? https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/whats-on-at-multiplay-i52/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/whats-on-at-multiplay-i52/#respond Fri, 22 Aug 2014 19:08:25 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=208492 Multiplay iSeries events aren't the world's biggest exhibitions – they are still built around the LAN itself afterall – but they're getting bigger every year, which means its ever harder to decide what to showcase as part of our “what's on at Multiplay series.” We've covered iSeries events before, which you can read about here, but …

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Multiplay iSeries events aren't the world's biggest exhibitions – they are still built around the LAN itself afterall – but they're getting bigger every year, which means its ever harder to decide what to showcase as part of our “what's on at Multiplay series.” We've covered iSeries events before, which you can read about here, but if you're on the fence about whether to pop down for a day, or whether you should book a weekend pass for the next one, here's some of the most interesting stuff on show at this year's biggest UK based LAN party.

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Obviously there's some big games on show, which is why this popular – but fragile – fella' was in prominent position near the 2K area.

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He was there to help draw in the punters for Borderlands The Pre-Sequel, which wasn't really necessary, as it was one of the most popular exhibits there. Those that braved the queues (which are destined to be far longer on the traditionally busier Saturday) were treated to a quick game of the upcoming FPS from Gearbox, which is due out mid October on all the usual platforms.

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This is one game I did get a chance to play today and it's as awesome as it was when I first tried it

However that wasn't 2K's only big title on show at i52, it also had Evolve, which drew some giant crowds at times. Gamers were given the chance to play as any combination of the eight hunters unveiled so far, as well as either the Goliath of Kraken monsters. Queues varied from 10 minutes to over half an hour but are likely to be longer tomorrow. Pick your moment is my advice if you're attending. If it looks lengthy, wait a while and check back, you might find it's substantially smaller.

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Nosgoth is back again, drawing in decent crowds. It didn't quite bring in the massses like 2K's booths, but with its 20 stations, it was able to cater to more.

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As usual Minecraft was a massive draw too, especially with the younger gamers in attendance. While these shots aren't exactly teeming, this was one of the busier areas of the show floor today. Expect it to be mobbed come tomorow.

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Multiplay i52 kicks off with gusto https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/multiplay-i52-kicks-off-with-gusto/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/multiplay-i52-kicks-off-with-gusto/#respond Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:12:44 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=208434 Multiplay's bi-yearly gaming festival, the Insomnia iSeries, is in full swing at the moment and as usual, the opening ceremony was a cacophony of shouts, screams and freebies, as OCUK, Iiyama and 2K Games dispensed goodies to the eagerly stretching hands of those in attendance. The summer LAN is always a big one, but this …

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Multiplay's bi-yearly gaming festival, the Insomnia iSeries, is in full swing at the moment and as usual, the opening ceremony was a cacophony of shouts, screams and freebies, as OCUK, Iiyama and 2K Games dispensed goodies to the eagerly stretching hands of those in attendance.

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The summer LAN is always a big one, but this one is particularly large

Taking place at the Ricoh Arena once again, while Coventry City sorts out whatever bureaucracy is keeping it from playing here, this time the opening ceremony took place on the pitch itself, with a giant tent covering the mainstage and some of the extras, like the Minecraft streamers, the Yogscast corner, the retro zone and the board gaming area.

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After the show's hosts introduced us to the new tented main stage, which is the largest Multiplay has ever put together, the first of the freebie slingers made their way to the front.

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The early arrivals got the best seats. Front and centre gives you the best chance to catch all the swag that's about to be slung to the masses

First up was Iiyama, with staff breaking down some of the products they have for sale at their stand. The highlight of its showing was seeing the host reach over and raise the microphone of the spokesperson so we could hear him. 2K made a bit more of a splash however, as it brought not only a bunch of Evolve Tshirts, but loads and loads of games. There were Xbox 360 titles and PC games be launched all over the place, making you wonder how long it would be before someone loses some teeth.

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Overclockers' Mark Purdy seen here, keeping the hordes of grabby gamers at bay

Overclockers also got quite an ovation, as it came with the biggest swag box of the lot. TShirts, games, mouse mats, lanyards, and even “moleskin bags,” I heard being announced at one point. Of course though, the most requested item was the box that all the goodies came in. It was sent out into the crowd in suitably epic fashion, but unfortunately it didn't last long, torn apart by the Walking Dead like grasping hands of the gamers in attendance.

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With the giveaways done, the crowds began to disperse a little. Though there were other announcements to make, we headed off to hit the main show floor to see what's on. Look out for more coverage in the next 48 hours.

KitGuru Says: KG staff will be around all weekend, so if you bump into an idiot wearing a green power rangers TShirt, feel free to say hi. We'll also be around tomorrow with some girls and some giveaways, so if you're attending this weekend, be sure to find us if you can. 

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MSI and YoYotech to team up at Multiplay i52 https://www.kitguru.net/components/jon-martindale/msi-and-yoyotech-to-team-up-at-multiplay-i52/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/jon-martindale/msi-and-yoyotech-to-team-up-at-multiplay-i52/#respond Wed, 13 Aug 2014 14:34:29 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=207185 If you're heading to the Multiplay Insomnia i52 LAN party next week, then make sure you say hi if you spot us wandering around. On top of that though, you're probably going to want to stop by the YoYotech booth too, as it's teaming up with MSI to offer some show floor discounts and there's …

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If you're heading to the Multiplay Insomnia i52 LAN party next week, then make sure you say hi if you spot us wandering around. On top of that though, you're probably going to want to stop by the YoYotech booth too, as it's teaming up with MSI to offer some show floor discounts and there's plenty of prizes to win too.

MSI will be offering giveways for the best large-scale jenga players on each day and there's a League of Legends tournament to win tickets to the i53 LAN, with professional gamers Team INFUSED on hand to offer advice for you to improve your gameplay. You can even take a crack at them if you like, though don't expect to last too long.

msiyoyo

MSI and YoYotech will also be showing off a pair of GT Omega PRO racing cockpits playing the beautiful Arsetto Corsa. If you set the fastest lap record on the day, you'll walk away with a brand new MSI graphics card. It will cost you a pound to set a lap, but all proceeds go to the Help for Heroes charity.

All the while you're gaming away, products on the stand will be discounted up to 50 per cent from their standard retail pricing, so even if you don't walk away with many freebies (though expect lanyard and tshirts to be given out by someone), you can get yourself a bargain.

KitGuru Says: I'll be wandering around Friday, but if any one fancies trying me at a game of Age of Empires II on Saturday, put the word out. I'm down. 

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Insomnia has grown enormously at i51 – Impressive stuff https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/faith/insomnia-has-grown-enormously-at-i51-impressive-stuff/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/faith/insomnia-has-grown-enormously-at-i51-impressive-stuff/#respond Mon, 21 Apr 2014 16:24:12 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=188362 Parents all want, pretty much, the same thing for their kids. It's all university, professional career, kids and retirement near the sea. So what happens when a ‘bad seed' comes along and decides that being a surgeon is a bad idea and that playing games for the rest of your live is a good idea? …

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Parents all want, pretty much, the same thing for their kids. It's all university, professional career, kids and retirement near the sea. So what happens when a ‘bad seed' comes along and decides that being a surgeon is a bad idea and that playing games for the rest of your live is a good idea?  Luckily, Craig Fletcher's parents backed him 100% and now ‘Wizzo' is the Managing Director of the UK's biggest gaming organisation, Multiplay. KitGuru wishes it had packed a wider lens when visiting Multiplay i51. This is getting REALLY big.

Running a small LAN for your mates might seem more like ‘fun' than the best way to build a multi-national, multi-million dollar empire, but you'd be wrong.

Even more annoyingly, not only is Craig a bit of a business guru – he's also a genuinely nice chap. Sure, he's had as much fun as the next geek at these events over the past 17 years, but his family always push hard to support local charities and, this weekend, the drive was for the Godiva Appeal to help blind and partially sighted people enjoy life more (Craig's the smug sod on the left, the cute one on the right is a puppy).

Multiplay-i51-KitGuru-Coverage-Craig-Fletcher-Guide-Dogs-Godiva

When Ricoh offered to sponsor a £113 million, 32,000 seater stadium for Coventry, they would have imagined that football matches would have been player there. A dispute over payments has seen Coventry City football team take their jumpers down to Northampton and there is a chance that they will never come back.

Coventry City's loss is Multiplay's gain, it would seem.

“This arena is absolutely fantastic for us”, said Multiplay's operations guru, Stewart Fletcher – Craig's brother and right hand. “We always knew that with the right venue, we could increase the number of visitors over a weekend well past the 10,000 mark, and i51 looks like it might see the turnstiles clicking almost 20,000 times over the course of the Easter bank Holiday weekend”.

“While i51 has been amazing, we know that i52 over the August Bank Holiday will be even better”, said Stewart. “Now that space isn't limited, we have big plans”.

Multiplay-i51-KitGuru-Coverage-Stewart-Fletcher-Ricoh-Arena

The Arena, entrance way and overall set up for i51 are very impressive – and on a grand scale. Truly a gaming paradise.

On a human level, running such a massive event takes lots of fuel, determination and communication. Here are some neat behind-the-scenes shots from the Multiplay Management Hub.

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That's the personal side of things. Under the rug/radar. The visible front line looks different.
In the first shot, Steve ‘Shed Boy' Wilson balances his enormous brain while considering which button to press next in order to make Multiplay work.

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To the right of the main Battle Stage, we have pro-casters, all of the necessary feeds and an archetypal referee (smooth paunch intact).
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The main stage looks amazing, we can tell you.
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But what you have to remember with the way that Insomnia has grown, is that we're not just talking about one main stage. In the main exhibition hall, there's another stage. When we snapped it, the masses were being professionally messaged by super hunk Sam Deans (right) – full time combat expert and part time multimedia guru.

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Traditional favourites like the major raffle and Om Nom Nom stores are still in place – but bigger!
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The food on offer at Multiplay i51 was truly awesome. Fresh, loads of variety and – for a change with a major venue – reasonably priced.

Example?  A tray of chilli nachos with unlimited guacamole and salsa for just £3.50 – and you can eat it all while sitting on real hay bales – Yee Har!
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Stacks of prizes, enormous entrance ways for the thousands of people who keep coming and going and – in the aerial shot – Yvonne ‘Mamma' Fletcher ensuring the smooth flow of comfort food.

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Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

KitGuru says: Without doubt, Multiplay i51 is the biggest gaming event that the UK has ever seen – and there's plenty more to come.

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The most gorgeous systems at Multiplay i51 – Part Two https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/faith/the-most-gorgeous-systems-at-multiplay-i51-part-two/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/faith/the-most-gorgeous-systems-at-multiplay-i51-part-two/#respond Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:38:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=188338 Welcome back hardware lovers. Did we successfully get your juices flowing in Part One?   Good.  We didn't stop searching for beauty all day long and we were up late last night picking the very best for you. Here's the second instalment of the Most Gorgeous Systems from Multiplay i51 at the Ricoh Arena in …

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Welcome back hardware lovers. Did we successfully get your juices flowing in Part One?   Good.  We didn't stop searching for beauty all day long and we were up late last night picking the very best for you. Here's the second instalment of the Most Gorgeous Systems from Multiplay i51 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry over the Easter Bank Holiday.

Gaming with your mates normally means a few guys pop over and slump on your sofa.

If you're more serious about gaming, then maybe your crew bring their rigs over to your house and spend a day or three raiding.

Multiplay is on a completely different scale. Hall after hall after hall – full of hardcore gamers – playing non-stop for 4 days.

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So, walking around all of these halls, we came across some impressive rigs. Including this one from Eclipse.
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We love the contrast of colours in that rig, but we also love the more traditional blends.

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But what if a system's blood wants to run white instead of red or blue.
There's no mist inside, but way these tube glow, it almost feels like there is.

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We can take liberties with the next system, because YOYOTech's design guru Kevin managed to ping us a perfect studio shot (right hand side) earlier today.
It gives you an idea as to why YOYOTech's sales guru Ryan is giving the thumbs up to this new design at i51. Very 70's retro chic chaps.
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Whenever we saw a deep red glow emanating from a gamer's rig in the main hall, there was a fair chance that we'd see a small ‘Start' button.

To those in the know, only one mainboard has this feature in the top corner. Can you guess which?
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While we should restrict the number of times a system builder can appear in this line-up, there was a very cool rig on the Antec stand which must be given a mention. It's based on the whopping great Nineteen Hundred chassis and it has been fitted with a load of liquid cooling goodness. We couldn't shoot the crowd on the Antec stand AND get the system right at the same time, so here's a crowd and a fully loaded system combined. You can composite them yourself in your mental eye.

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Lastly, here's a beautiful shot of PC Specialist‘s master creation. The ‘items' in the bottom left hand corner are, in fact, wrist bands.
John Medley and the guys up in Huddersfield put together a mean rig when they put their collective minds to it.
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Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.
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KitGuru says: You've been thinking about a new rig for a while, which is cool. But even if you're only upgrading your existing box, there's no excuse to save on the pimping. Give your hard-working rig some love – because it's worth it.

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The most gorgeous systems at Multiplay i51 – Part One https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/faith/the-most-gorgeous-systems-at-multiplay-i51-part-one/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/faith/the-most-gorgeous-systems-at-multiplay-i51-part-one/#respond Mon, 21 Apr 2014 12:55:30 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=188305 While the event itself is a celebration of pure gaming enjoyment, and most of the 19,000 turnstile clicks over the Bank Holiday weekend will belong to gamers with regular style PCs, there's no denying that some folks make a lot more effort and boy does their work attract some serious attention. KitGuru pays homage to …

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While the event itself is a celebration of pure gaming enjoyment, and most of the 19,000 turnstile clicks over the Bank Holiday weekend will belong to gamers with regular style PCs, there's no denying that some folks make a lot more effort and boy does their work attract some serious attention. KitGuru pays homage to the horniest systems in the house.

The audience at Multiplay is big. Really big. Lots of gamers – all serious about winning.

For the most part, they will be focused on frames-per-second.

But, as we all know, once you start to increase the performance of your gaming rig – you are inside with a screwdriver – at which point you may as well make it look awesome.

Some of these systems are pro-class, built by the exhibitors at the event – while others belong to the gamers themselves.

Our earlier coverage featured some cool stuff, this is a tech-porn follow up that we hope you enjoy.

Walking through the main hall at the Ricoh Arena is like walking through a very large Christmas tree. We almost walked straight past this system, nestled between a pair of bright HD screens, but we're so glad we did. Check the close up on this Parvum creation (Get used to that name – you will be seeing more of it!)

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Multiplay-i51-KitGuru-Coverage-Parvum-White-Chassis-Internal

In Ye Olde Dayes, men might show their love for a woman by creating a sculpture or painting.
These days, love struck folks with a Dremel choose a different solution to romance.

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The outside grabs your attention immediately (as well as the fact that the owner is a babe!), but check the up-close detail.

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One of Prince's most famous songs was ‘Blue Light'. Maybe he has this system in mind when he penned that hit.
Love the Glug-Glug water cooling reservoir at the back.
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Finally, for Part One, we have the Parvum system that took pride of place on the Asus stand.

We grabbed an up-close and personal shot while the chaps were configuring for even higher performance.

This kind of chassis IS available to the public from Overclockers.

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KitGuru says: While there are clear differences between modding and performance – there's no denying that a beautiful looking system can make everything you do feel better. Whether you prefer the hardcore tube works of a YOYOTech/8-Pack or the sculpted beauty of Parvum – Multiplay Insomnia i51 is a cracking place to get new ideas and fire the imagination for your next build. Come back for Part II shortly.

We LOVE seeing your systems over on our Facebook page. Show your hard work off to an audience of more than 180,000 hardware lovers today!

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Overclockers unleash 8-Pack and X-Men attack at i51 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/faith/overclockers-unleash-8-pack-and-x-men-attack-at-i51/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/faith/overclockers-unleash-8-pack-and-x-men-attack-at-i51/#respond Mon, 21 Apr 2014 08:31:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=188264 For any of you who follow comic strips, you know that even if our side is threatened with defeat, there is always a hero or two on standby – ready to avenge the fallen. At Multiplay's i51 event up at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, Overclockers brought plenty of back-up. KitGuru drops down from Fury's …

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For any of you who follow comic strips, you know that even if our side is threatened with defeat, there is always a hero or two on standby – ready to avenge the fallen. At Multiplay's i51 event up at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, Overclockers brought plenty of back-up. KitGuru drops down from Fury's sky base to investigate.

Plenty going on at the Ricoh this Bank Holiday weekend for the 51st instalment of Multiplay's Insomnia gaming series.

We got snap-happy around the Overclockers stand and managed to capture a rather large overclocker called 8-Pack, telling us the way it is:-
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Also on hand with prize draw offers was Kingston's marketing X-Lady Eleonora – stay tuned for more about this X-Men promo tomorrow on KitGuru.

The stand itself drew a wide range of gamers – from OAP to those needing a booster seat. It seems that everyone wants to get their hands on some turbo charged gaming action when possible.

Ensuring that the whole thing runs smoothly is a freshly shaved Mark Purdy. His excuse for losing a massive amount of man-growth that day was that he only got one hour's sleep, totally forgot that he was supposed to be growing the biggest beard ever, and began shaving before he realised. Yep. We've all done that.

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Overclockers were also providing ‘support to your desk' for any of the thousands of PC gamers who attended – which is a pretty cool feature and to be applauded.

Discuss on Facebook, over HERE.

KitGuru says: Plenty on at the Ricoh today as well (Bank Holiday Monday) – and a good chance to pick up some bargains after 4 days of this massive celebration of all the gaming genres. Go and ask 8-Pack to flex on the OcUK stand and be afraid, truly afraid of the bicep.

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Wargames and Indies at Multiplay i51 https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/wargames-and-indies-at-multiplay-i51/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/wargames-and-indies-at-multiplay-i51/#respond Fri, 18 Apr 2014 16:42:02 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=188178 There's always a lot of hardware and AAA gaming on show at megaLANs like Multiplay's iSeries, but if you're in the mood for something a little different, visiting the indie zone is certainly worth your visit and there's even a wargaming booth giving you a chance to coo over awesome paint jobs and impressive scenery. …

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There's always a lot of hardware and AAA gaming on show at megaLANs like Multiplay's iSeries, but if you're in the mood for something a little different, visiting the indie zone is certainly worth your visit and there's even a wargaming booth giving you a chance to coo over awesome paint jobs and impressive scenery.

There's a lot of titles up for play in the indie-zone, too many for me to play today, but here's a few I did get a chance to sit down and try.

NB. The first two I tried got some coverage in my “What's on at i51″ piece, so check that out for their Greenlight links.

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One of the simplest of the lot was called Spectra (its site appears to be down, but you can access a cached version here). If it reminds you of audiosurf, it should, because it works in a similar way, mapping out levels you “drive” through based on your song choice. However unlike Audiosurf where you load in your own tracks, this one is all based around the Chiptune tracks of Chipzel. You can hear the music from the game here.

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You'll be happy to know that I was the first one today to achieve 100 per cent completion on the 4th level. Granted my score was abysmal, but I finished it.

Spectra isn't the most deep of games, but it's a fun little aside and as with Audiosurf, a great way to experience music.

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Power Up is a (Greenlight processing) side-scrolling shooter with a classic feel. The graphics aren't pixelated, but they are retro and it's perhaps more impressive because it's all done by one man. Creator Mike Hanson has handled the art, music and programming for the game, so he deserves some props for that alone.

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The game has been out on Xbox Live for some time and it's already available on Desura, Humble Store and the other usual places, but to get it on Steam he needs a few more votes, so help the fella' out if you like what you see.

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If you're a Minecraft fan, but feel like it could do with mixing Kerbal Space Program and Unreal Tournament into the mix, consider RoboCraft, a free to play, building, arena combat game.

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The game is split into two distinct phases, the builder module and the combat one. In the former, you use your in-game currency, real-money purchases (aesthetic only) and level-up unlocks, to create a vehicle of some kind. It can be a car, boat, plane, hovercraft, whatever you want – just bear in mind, the physics model is realistic, so if you place your engines too far forward on your jet, it'll do flips until it blows up.

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There's a number of different weapons you can attach, including lasers and railguns, with more being added soon. You'll probably want to diversify too, as Robocraft has competitive eSports play in mind. They expect teams to form, with their own custom vehicles and weapon set ups, to really show what the game can do. 

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They're a pretty friendly bunch too, though the new Japanese community manager second from the right is the most talkative. He deserves some credit too, the man has only been part of the team three weeks and already he talks the best game out of all of them.

However, as good as Robocraft is, my favourite quick play of the day goes to Aerena, a current Steam and Google Play store, turn based strategy title set in an “Aether Punk” world. In Aerena, it's 1955, the World Wars were fought over Aether, not ideals and it's these processing towers that you now fight over and on.

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It features red-heads with bazookas, chainsaw gauntlets and mech-fist shoulder mounts like Skullgirls, along with a bunch of other characters and each of the ships you're trying to destroy have their own unique skills, weapons and captains. There's four in the game currently, with more set to be released as time goes on.

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Even though I only did a couple of levels, the simplicity of it and the obvious potential for strategic depth definitely piqued my interest. If you're around tomorrow, consider stopping by, there's a tournament running for a Nexus tablet.

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One game I didn't get a chance to play yet, but which had an eye-catching graphical style (reminding me of Evil Genius) was The Marvellous MissTake. It's an exceedingly non-violent theft game, which has you pinching priceless art and artefacts without alerting the hulking guards.

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Here’s what’s on at Multiplay i51 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/heres-whats-on-at-multiplay-i51/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/heres-whats-on-at-multiplay-i51/#respond Fri, 18 Apr 2014 12:47:31 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=188105 If you're heading down to i51 later today, super-powered rig in tow, or are just planning on popping by for one day this weekend, it's worth knowing what's there to enjoy. There's games, booths, hardware, Tshirts and swag alongside all the tournaments, but here's what I saw in my first quick whistle stop tour of …

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If you're heading down to i51 later today, super-powered rig in tow, or are just planning on popping by for one day this weekend, it's worth knowing what's there to enjoy. There's games, booths, hardware, Tshirts and swag alongside all the tournaments, but here's what I saw in my first quick whistle stop tour of the exhibition floor.

Asus' booth is one of the first you see upon walking into the arena and getting through the throngs of burger buyers and foam pickaxe swingers. It's got several separate zones, including an audio zone for listening to some of the new headsets the company has on show – including the Cerberus we reviewed recently. This sits alongside the gaming zone, which has a few laptops and desktops featuring Asus hardware:

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And the completely ridiculous Team Dignitas machine, featuring tr-SLI GTX 780s and eight RAID 0 configured Kingston HyperX SSDs. I'd love to know how quick this thing boots up.

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MSI is also representing, with a lot of gaming laptops that you can have a play on. League of Legends is the game of the day, but there's some other stuff on there if you fancy trying something else.

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Not to be outdone, MSI also has an impressive looking, custom-etched gaming rig of its own set up. If I had to pick, I'd take the Dignitas system as I love the white colour scheme, but this is far from an ugly set up.

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Going to Multiplay i51? Look out for KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/going-to-multiplay-i51-look-out-for-kitguru/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/event/jon-martindale/going-to-multiplay-i51-look-out-for-kitguru/#respond Thu, 17 Apr 2014 16:17:37 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=187541 Are you heading to Multiplay's i51 this weekend? If you are then be on the lookout for KitGuru staff, as a few of us are attending in official, and less so, capacities, to get some gaming done, as well as see what new tech, games and fun are on offer over the weekend's festivities. This …

The post Going to Multiplay i51? Look out for KitGuru first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Are you heading to Multiplay's i51 this weekend? If you are then be on the lookout for KitGuru staff, as a few of us are attending in official, and less so, capacities, to get some gaming done, as well as see what new tech, games and fun are on offer over the weekend's festivities.

This time (and from now on) the event is taking place not in the classic Telford arena, but in Conventry's Ricoh Arena, a much bigger venue with plenty of space, restaurants (which means we won't need to eat pizza for every meal this time), bars, a casino and plenty of other attractions, besides the gaming festival itself.

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In terms of what's on show, there's all the usual gaming to be done, as well as tournaments for PC and console players, panel talks, meet and greets with some of the Youtube community's best Minecraft casters, the indie zone, a board game area and the ever popular retro zone.

Check out the Multiplay site for more details.

Discuss this on our Facebook, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Hope to see you guys there. 

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