Fri, May 15, 2009 | 16:28 BST

Radio 1 getting Big Gaming Weekend

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Radio 1′s announced a Big Gaming Weekend, including Eurogamer’s own Johnny Minkley.

It’s taking place over the UK Bank Holiday, from May 22-25, and will feature “gaming themed content from reviews, to soundtracks, DJ leaderboards and a poll to find the best game ever.”

Full details after the break.

NEWS RELEASE

Radio 1′s and 1Xtra’s Big Gaming Weekend

Over the Bank Holiday Weekend (22-25 May), BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra will be taken over by the wonderful world of computer games. The weekend will be jam packed with gaming themed content from reviews, to soundtracks, DJ leaderboards and a poll to find the best game ever.

Whether you’re into collecting gold coins, eating blue ghosts, performing unearthly fighting combos, fitting shapes together against the clock or multiplaying with distant friends there will be something for all gamers.

The highlight of the weekend will be BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra hosting an online poll to find the greatest ever computer game. A panel of industry experts will compile a list of their top 100 games and then listeners will be invited to choose their top three from the list.

Scott Mills will launch the poll on Friday 22 May between 6.30am and 10am and the results will be revealed on Bank Holiday Monday during Mistajam’s show which is simulcast on BBC Radio 1& 1Xtra between 7pm and 10pm.

Over the weekend the legendary Live Lounge will be turned into a gaming arcade where Radio 1 and 1Xtra DJ’s will battle it out in the gaming leaderboards and listeners can follow online.

Throughout the day on Bank Holiday Monday, starting in Scott’s show there will be the chance to listen to the best tunes from gaming soundtracks – chosen by both listeners and the DJ’s. Jo Whiley will be joined by computer games expert- Johnny Minkley. At 1pm, Fearne Cotton and The Surgery presenter Aled Hayden-Jones host a special ‘gaming’ Surgery. Greg James will continue with the gaming soundtracks between 4pm and 7pm and then hand over to Mistajam’s simulcast for the big countdown of BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra’s poll of the greatest ever computer games.

Finally Rampage from 1XTRA will launch their gaming blog which will become a regular feature on www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra