No sleep til Coventry as Ricoh hosts Insomnia gaming festival

THE UK’s biggest gaming festival is being staged in Coventry for the first time this year.

The Insomnia series attracts tens of thousands of gamers to compete in the UK’s most competitive eSports tournaments, and the opportunity to see the best new games first.

The first Insomnia festival to be held at the Ricoh Arena takes place over Easter Bank Holiday weekend, between Friday April 18 and Monday April 21.

Insomnia will give visitors the chance to sample new games, watch live product demonstrations, buy the latest products and merchandise or watch the eSports tournaments unfold, streamed live to millions on Twitch.TV.

Visitors, equipped with their PCs and consoles will set up camp at the arena for the weekend.

Craig Fletcher, chief executive officer of Multiplay, said: “At Multiplay, we’re always looking to grow our business, and choosing a location that gives the Insomnia festivals strategic growth opportunities is of paramount importance to us, as well as our loyal community that attend our events.

“We’ve worked closely with the passionate staff at the Ricoh Arena and Coventry City Council to deliver a new home for Insomnia.

“We are also delighted to be able to welcome back the Easter weekend dates which we haven’t been able to secure since Insomnia 42.”

Jacky Isaac, interim CEO at the Ricoh Arena, said: “It is the first time we will have held a gaming festival at the Ricoh Arena and this is great news for the venue and for the city. This is a festival for gaming in all its formats and is due to attract over 10,000 visitors from around the country.”

Cllr Lynnette, cabinet member (Business, Commerce, Enterprise and Employment), said: “This is another tremendous coup for the city, and once again it demonstrates what a fantastic facility we have in Coventry. Events like this are an important way to raise the profile of Coventry and support economic growth.”