Insomnia continues expansion with NEC deal

2 September 2015

GAME Digital PLC

Record demand sees the Insomnia Gaming Festival move to the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre in a multi-year deal

GAME Digital plc ("GAME Digital") is delighted to announce that Multiplay, its Esports and Events business and the organiser of Insomnia, the UK's largest gaming festival, has signed a multi-year deal with the National Exhibition Centre ("NEC"), beginning with Insomnia56, which will take place on 11th - 14th December 2015.

Having reached capacity at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry for Insomnia55, which witnessed record visitor numbers of over 36,000 during the four day event, the 3-year agreement with the NEC will provide Multiplay with a significantly enlarged venue from which to support the event's future growth. Offering over 180,000 square metres of indoor space, up to 20 interconnecting halls and the 15,643 capacity LG Arena on site, the NEC provides around ten times the space of the Ricoh Arena.

Commenting on the deal, Craig Fletcher, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Multiplay, said:

"The Insomnia Gaming Festival has enjoyed an incredible journey in recent years. Ticket sales have soared in the last three years and we are expecting to welcome a total of over 100,000 visitors through our doors in 2015. The event has continued to broaden its offering and appeal over that time and has experienced a rapidly growing presence from both global YouTube stars and international publishers.

"The move to the NEC, the UK's largest exhibition venue, is another exciting step forward for Insomnia, providing us with the room we need to further expand its unique brand. The move opens up a number of opportunities to engage both existing and new fans on an even greater scale - allowing us to continue our growth trajectory and remain an increasingly popular destination for every type of gamer across the UK and beyond."

Martyn Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer of GAME Digital, added: "For over 16 years the team at Multiplay has overseen the growth of Insomnia from a small, local gaming event into the UK's largest gaming festival. They have never lost sight of the fact that Insomnia is there to not only entertain gaming fans but to bring together communities of gamers. I am excited by the potential for Insomnia and the move to the NEC marks an important next step in its growth, as we look to expand the brand in the UK and internationally."

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Notes to Editors:

About the Insomnia Gaming Festival

Founded in 1999, for over 16 years the Insomnia Gaming Festival has been a place for gamers of all backgrounds to congregate, socialise, discover new things and celebrate all things gaming.

Today, Insomnia combines a vast Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) Local Area Network (LAN) gaming area, the largest line-up of YouTubers at any gaming event, the biggest line up of eSports tournaments, main stage entertainment, a major retail exhibition and a whole host of gaming related zones and activities for all types of gamer, for all the family.

Insomnia56 will take place at The NEC, Birmingham, 11-14 December, 2015. Tickets are now on-sale and are available via http://insomniagamingfestival.com/tickets 

For more information, please visit the Insomnia Gaming Festival website http://insomniagamingfestival.com or contact [email protected].

About GAME Digital

Listed on the London Stock Exchange in June 2014 and comprising three divisions: Retail, Digital Solutions and eSports and Events, GAME Digital plc is dedicated to delivering an authoritative range of gaming products, services and experiences to the gaming communities of the UK, Spain and beyond. GAME's UK and Spanish retail businesses are the market leaders in each country, operating a total of nearly 600 stores across the two countries, a fully integrated omni-channel offer including the multi-award winning GAME App, and a reach of more than 17 million customers across its Reward programmes. Through GAME's Digital Solutions division, GAME is pioneering the use of new technologies to deliver gaming content and reach gamers and business partners outside its main markets. Multiplay, GAME's eSports and Events business delivers unparalleled gaming events and experiences directly and on behalf of third parties, including its flagship consumer event, Insomnia. For more information please visit www.gamedigitalplc.com or www.multiplay.com