UKS LARGEST GAMING FESTIVAL RETURNS TO THE RICOH

INSOMNIA54 GAMING FESTIVAL

The UK’s largest gaming festival returns to the Ricoh Arena next month after experiencing a ‘level up’ in footfall in its first year in Coventry.

Insomnia54 follows Multiplay’s three events at the Ricoh Arena in 2014 which recorded a 60 per cent increase in footfall while the organisers are using 45 per cent more floor space compared to the previous year.

The festival runs three times a year, in spring, summer and winter, having been established in 1999 and will be staged in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall, E.ON Lounge, Legends Lounge and Freeman Halls 3-5 at the Ricoh Arena over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend from Friday, April 3 to Monday, April 6.

Insomnia54 will be Multiplay’s largest ever Easter half- term event and will include special guest appearances from internet-famous faces from the world of YouTube such as The Sidemen featuring KSI, Syndicate of TheSyndicateProject, Joe Weller, The Diamond Minecart and many more.

There will also be live shows, tournaments, an exhibition to try out new games, the Console Esports tournament in the dedicated 650-seat Esports Arena, panel talks, the Indie Zone for independent studios and developers and the Cosplay Zone for visitors to dress up as their favourite characters and take part in games.

Craig Fletcher, managing director of Multiplay, said the Ricoh Arena provided the perfect platform for the festival’s growth.

“One of the things we value most about the Ricoh Arena is its versatility as a venue,” he said.

“We’ve hosted Insomnia events for 15 years now, and the festival grows bigger and better with each passing instalment.

“With the event catering to so many diverse audiences, we need a centrally-located venue that can accommodate the rapidly-changing pace of the gaming industry.

“The Ricoh Arena is excellent at this, and its staff are dedicated to doing whatever they can to support our unique requirements. All of this combines to create a premier experience for all our event attendees.”

Justine Hewitt, stadium manager at the Ricoh Arena, is delighted the venue has played a part in Multiplay underlining its position as organisers of the UK’s number one gaming festival.

“Insomnia Gaming Festival’s success at the Ricoh Arena is another example of how the venue can adapt to suit almost any event,” she said.

“The nature of the industry that Insomnia is in means that their needs are always evolving, and with such a flexible space we are able to accommodate their requests.

“We look forward to another fantastic event, as they always create a great atmosphere, and we hope to build on the growth experienced so far.”

For more information about Insomnia54 and to buy tickets, which cost from £20 for day passes and £50 for weekend passes, visit www.insomniagamingfestival.com Weekend camping tickets have already sold out.