Come the 2nd of April, some 3,500 gamers are set to decend on the Newbury Racecouse for what some are calling the “Glastonbury of gaming”, i39. The four day event, running April 2nd-5th, looks set to attract some of the fiercest competition in the country and organisers Multiplay have even unveiled what is set to become the UK’s biggest gaming bounty of the year, with a total prize pot in excess of over £20,000.
Five separate tournaments, including Europe’s first official Battlefield: Bad Company 2 LAN competition will be held at i39. Other games featured will be Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Source and Heroes of Newerth. Prize pots vary depending on the game and are between £5,000 and £6,250.
“These tournaments are always competitive,” says Craig Fletcher, managing director, Multiplay, “but with over £20,000 available, they’re likely to be incredible to watch, let alone participate in. The i-series of events are the UK’s best competitive multiplayer competitions – the titles themselves are worth their weight in gold, but the prize money on offer makes them even more desirable.”
Tickets are selling out fast for the April event, from £10 for a day spectator ticket up to £90 for a weekend “bring your own computer/console” pass. Along side the tournaments a dedicated consumer exhibition area has been confirmed with the likes of Nintendo, Ubisoft, World Cyber Games, Kustom PC, FSP, Crucial, Logitech, Western Digital, Antec, Ignition Entertainment, Projector Games, S2 Games and Mad Catz showcasing their latest wares, with refreshments provided by Coca Cola and Papa Johns.
Those of us unable to attend will be able to watch all the action streamed live on the i-series website, where you will be able to find out more information on the event itself.
