Nottingham’s annual video game festival GameCity will return for a fifth year on Tuesday, 26 October 2010.

The event is aimed at the general public, compared with other related festivals, and held mainly in the Old Market Square, for free.

Organisers have admitted that they never thought it would last this long.

Co-founder of GameCity, Iain Simons said: “I’m surprised but delighted. It was always a risky project for the city to get behind.”

He added: “Credit [also] goes to the public for getting behind something that was potentially leftfield, and untried, as GameCity.”

Iain Simons, who works at Nottingham Trent University, also directs the festival and in 2008 oversaw a new world record for dancing zombies, in Old Market Square.

“That was a really turning point for us. It kind of tipped over from a marginal games event to a really public facing one.

“It was a great night for us. In every bar in town, for the rest of the night, it was just full of zombies.”

The difference with this year’s GameCity is to make it even more inclusive.

“The thing with video games is there is no single audience.

“The people who play Wii Fit are different to those who play World of Warcraft, they don’t necessarily talk to each other.

“Broadening out the mandate for the whole show is really important to us.”

Harry Potter premiere

One the highlights this year is an attempt to create the world’s best health club, in partnership with the Nottingham Primary Care Trust and EA Sports, as well as offering the public the first play of Sports Active 2.

There will also be a Harry Potter concert with video games composer James Hannigan making an appearance.

Mr Hannigan’s score for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will get its premiere during the event.

“We’ve just confirmed some owls!” said Iain.

There will also be a stand-up comedy evening, talks from video game industry experts and a tea party to celebrate 30 years of Pac Man.

Game City is a city-wide event taking place from 26 – 30 October 2010. For more information please visit the official festival website.

via BBC – Nottingham’s GameCity 2010 event celebrates five years.