THE huge Play Expo computer and video games event will take place this weekend.

The event, a Mecca for computer game fans, is on at EventCity, near the Trafford Centre, on Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12.

More than 10,000 visitors are expected as the venue is transformed into a massive hub of current and retro gaming activity, with displays from the games industry and enthusiasts.

This year's event will include:

  • An indie zone with more 25 studios, including Team 17, Cinemaware, Curve Digital and Dalala Studios, exhibiting their latest games.
  • The UK's largest arcade with more 250 arcade machines and pinball tables all free to play. Classics such as Afterburner, Gauntlet, Operation Wolf, Pacman, Street Fighter 2, Donkey Kong, Ghosts 'n' Goblins, Joust, OutRun, Mortal Kombat, Space Invaders will all be there.
  • The UK's first hands-on test of the latest Pro Evolution Soccer game from Konami.
  • More than 100 PS4 consoles running the latest next generation games, including a Minecraft zone.
  • A meet and greet and signing session with YouTube celebrity Tom Cassell from TheSyndicateProject.
  • A host of celebrities: Craig Charles and Chris Barrie from Red Dwarf, David Prowse, Kenny Baker and Jeremy Bulloch from Star Wars, the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones plus Bumblebee and Barricade from Transformers and Doc Browns Deloreon from Back to the Future.
  • Talks, panels and Q&As from developers including Team17, Cinemaware, Charles Cecil, Mel Croucher and Just Add Water studios.
  • A debate to settle the great playground battle of the 1980s – Commodore or Spectrum? (Er... neither, obviously the Amstrad was superior to both).
  • A PC network gaming zone with classics such as Doom, Counterstrike and Quake.
  • A celebration of some of the best film franchises with props and games from Star Wars, Aliens, Robocop, Terminator, Harry Potter and Indiana Jones.
  • Europe’s biggest retro games display with more than 300 classic computers, consoles and handhelds all running the best-loved games from the past 40 years. Sega, Nintendo, Atari, Playstation, Commodore, Spectrum, Xbox, Amstrad, Neo Geo, PC Engine will all feature.
  • A mini careers fair for advice on getting into the games industry.
  • Cosplay sketching, J-Pop dancers, live action role playing demos, circus performers, a cosplay gameshow and the annual competitive masquerade.
  • Prize tournaments in games such as Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros, Ultra Street Fighter 4, Halo 4, Pro Evo Soccer 2015 and various retro tournaments, including Super Mario Kart on the SNES run by UK champion Sami Cetin.
  • The finals of one of the League of Legends 4 Nations Qualifiers, a major prize money-winning games tournament.
  • Board games and card games to try.
  • A trader zone with gaming merchandise, including clothes, comics, board games, toys, figures, retro games and consoles.
  • A video game carnival.

Go here for tickets.