Britain's gaming massive are to get their very own dedicated exhibition with the NEC'S launch of the XS Gameshow in Birmingham during July 2003.

''XSGameshow will be a dynamic feature driven event. Not an exhibition but a total experience, which will reflect the alternative reality of computer games. Our research clearly highlights strong consumer demand for an event where visitors can see and try the latest games and learn more about the platform options. We aim to give the industry a big audience of enthusiastic games players and, perhaps more critically, also deliver those youngsters who are entering the market for the first time.''

The promotional spiel sounds all well and good, but will the XS Gameshow live up to the hype? With individual sections for online gaming, games fashion and more, it should titilate even the most laid back gamer. Surely.

The XS Gameshow will take place in The NEC's halls ten, eleven and twelve from July 25th - 27th 2003. Cube Europe will be there with their Birmingham correspondent, who just happens to be moi. Yours truly ;).