Thousands attend video game fair

Gamers are able to try out new and unreleased games at the fair

Thousands of video game fans in West Yorkshire have been trying out the latest titles at one of Europe's largest game fairs.

The Eurogamer Expo, which is taking place in Leeds, showcases new games and consoles and offers advice on how to make it in the gaming industry.

The fair is spending two days in West Yorkshire before moving to London.

Organisers said holding the event in Yorkshire acknowledged the success of several games companies in the area.

Four of the top 100 games development studios in the world are based in Yorkshire.

One of the best-known firms is Wakefield-based Team 17 which gained fame for its Worms game, in which the player controls a platoon of battling earth worms.

'Big industry'

Charles Cecil, of York-based Revolutions Software, which makes the Broken Sword series of games, said North Yorkshire was the perfect location for his business.

"The games that we write have a very strong historical background so York is an ideal place to be because we're surrounded by a beautiful wall and a fantastic city", he said.

"Video games are really significant now, both economically and culturally, because to a lot of people games are more important than television, film and often music.

"It's a really big industry both for the region and the country."

The fair has been organised by the Eurogamer Network, a Brighton-based company behind the Eurogamer website, and regional media agency Screen Yorkshire.

Sally Joynson, of Screen Yorkshire, said: "Yorkshire will be the first place in the UK, and in some cases the world, where these new games can be played and we're expecting a very exciting two days."