Manchester already boasts a whole host of interactive games bars and activity destinations to boast, but we feel pretty confident in saying that there are very few places on the planet where you can find a place to play a real-life version of Pac-Man.
First announced back in October and now open in St John’s, the Pac-Man Live Experience is the newest addition to Manchester’s growing entertainment scene and it’s promising to be a popular one too.
This brand-new life-sized immersive experience plunges players into the nostalgic world of the iconic video game we all know and love, only instead of using joysticks on an old-school arcade machine, they’ll physically sprint, dodge, and chomp their way through a maze.
As you race your mates to grab special items and to eat ghosts, you’ll rack up the points to be declared champ.
So how does it work?
Good question: participants can gear up in a PAC vest and step into the role of the instantly recognisable yellow chomper, collecting power pellets, dodging the classic ghost characters – BLINKY, PINKY, INKY, and CLYDE – and racking up points on their way to victory.
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Guided through an epic 12-level adventure, players will be led by the ‘PAC-MASTER’: a lively gameshow host who serves as commentator and referee; players will also be accompanied by immersive in-game effects like sound bites, lighting, and haptic (vibration) feedback to elevate the experience. Cool, right?
The striking Arcade Arena will feature two massive PAC-MAN courts projected onto the floor, while dynamic visuals transform the walls, fully immersing participants in the retro arcade universe. There’s no need for headsets either, so players can embark on a multi-sensory adventure, seamlessly blending the real world with augmented reality.
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It’s created by Tom Lionetti-Maguire, the CEO and Founder of Little Lion Entertainment – the same team behind The Crystal Maze Live Experience, Tomb Raider, and Chaos Karts (which has now closed in Manchester).
The whole thing has been brought to life in partnership with Bandai Namco Entertainment, lending the proper licensing to make the experience feel both fun and authentic. It’s the real deal.
The Pac-Man Live experience is now open in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Tickets for Pac-Man Live Manchester
Standard tickets – from £26
VIP ticket – from £33.50
Private maze (for up to eight) – £26
Family ticket – £23.50
VIP Family ticket – £30.90
Group ticket (for nine or more) – £23.40
If you’re not sold on playing a human-sized, real-life game of Pac-Man in a huge augmented-reality arena right here in Manchester then we don’t know what to tell you, to be honest – all we know is that we’ll be first in line when it arrives.
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The Pac-Man Live Experience comes to the Arcade Arena in line with the game’s 40th anniversary, and they’re inviting players of all ages and providing engaging gameplay for younger participants while delivering a nostalgic throwback that parents and grandparents will cherish.
A massive World Cup ‘playground’ with pitches and big screens has opened in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A massive World Cup ‘playground’ has now opened in Greater Manchester.
Ahead of England’s first match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup tonight against Croatia, MediaCity has announced its biggest programme of events to date to celebrate – from a baller league-style football pitch, to big name creator takeovers, and much more.
But at the heart of all the action is the new World Cup ‘playground’, where football fans will be able to play five-a-side on a bespoke pitch, while watching matches on giant screens.
As the home of the BBC’s World Cup coverage, MediaCity says it’s ‘going big’ this summer, and that includes bringing some of the UK’s biggest Gen Z creators down for full takeovers and tournaments, and even getting the BBC pundits involved in the action too.
A massive World Cup ‘playground’ has opened in Greater Manchester / Credit: Sophia Carey (Supplied)
There’ll also be a pop-up gaming hub with EA FC tournaments for fans to play along, as well as community football sessions for young people organised by Manchester United Foundation and Foundation 92, providing opportunities for local talent to learn from the best in the business and develop their skills in a safe and inclusive environment.
Fans can also enjoy live music, DJ sets, and football-themed quizzes to get the atmosphere building, as well as tuck into tasty street food from the traders at the newly opened GRUB On The Docks.
And of course, the place will be packed with photo opportunities and fan installations too.
“As the nerve centre of BBC’s World Cup coverage, we’re turning MediaCity into the ultimate football playground,” commented Alice Webb, who is the CEO of MediaCity.
“As well as broadcasting the World Cup, MediaCity will unite fans, families and communities, bringing them closer to the action with in-person experiences throughout the tournament. Combining our world-class media platform with unrivalled public experiences is what makes us different.
“Come down and get stuck in.”
Featured Image – Supplied
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Inspiring new 360° immersive David Bowie experience to open in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Music lovers will get a glimpse inside the mind of a creative genius when a new immersive experience opens later this year.
Factory International has this week announced its programme of events for the upcoming autumn-winter season, and by far one of the stand-outs on the list has to be the return of Lightroom for a new 360° experience called David Bowie: You’re Not Alone – which is set to immerse audiences in the iconic performances and creative mind of one of the world’s most visionary and influential artists.
Bringing together a wealth of visual material from a wide range of sources, the experience combines rare performance footage, photography, drawings, lyrics, personal notes, and audio recordings from the late Bowie himself.
You’re Not Alone will showcase some of Bowie’s landmark performances that redefined popular culture, using a mix of iconic, rarely seen, and even never-before-exhibited material.
Selected from thousands of hours of film in the vaults of the David Bowie Archive in New York, you can expect to see everything from Space Oddity and Diamond Dogs, through to Heroes, Black Star, and more.
Each track has been newly reconfigured by multiple Olivier and Tony award-winning sound designer, Gareth Fry, to utilise Lightroom’s specialised spatial audio system.
The 360° experience is set to be both a multimedia spectacle and an intimate self-portrait in one, giving audiences a unique insight into Bowie’s perspective on the subjects that were most important to him, like theatricality, spirituality, songwriting, and the transformative power of creativity.
Danny Jones -
18th March 2025 
