Today I thought I'd give you guys insight into LAN events through personal experience. Every year there are tons of events across the eSports scene and there are some things to know. Having been to a couple different events, I decided to give our lovely readers some thoughts.
First, be smart and plan ahead. This is important because I know how costly it can be otherwise. My first trip to an event was actually covered by a friend, out of the goodness of their heart. They covered almost everything. I had to get my butt to Toronto and cover my own food but the ticket cost and hotel were covered. I think I had a whopping $200 to spend for the weekend, and I wouldn't trade that experience for the world.
Toronto opened the doors into real eSports, a place where players could meet their online friends. This event gave me the chance to relax and cheer for pro players that I had been watching for a long time. I also had the chance to meet some of them.
I'll never forget that first day. I saw Kwame "Temp0" Mensah with his long armed hat (this is an actual thing. Editor's note: something like this!) I immediately arose from my seat and ran towards him, giving him a flying hug. He turned and saw me yelling "Temp00000000000000000000000000" and he was like "Oh shit it's Jag!" as he braced for impact. Not only did that moment kick off the whole event for me, because he's a pro player, the legendary Lee "JaeDong" JaeDong walked by and bro hugged Temp0. Within minutes of being there, I was a few feet from a pro player I idolize.
This is what you want out of an event like this. You want to meet the pros. You want to meet other fans. You want to have a fun time not worrying about the boring 'life stuff'. The people you meet online are actually people! Who knew?
Be prepared to cover hotel or bunk with people. Make sure you budget enough for the event. Make sure you book the time off if you are working...
Second, make sure you have a passport in good standing. Don't go waiting til the next event is announced before you start the process. Passports take a while depending on where you live and you don't want to be paying a bunch more to expedite.
Keep in mind, while events tend to be expensive, they are great for networking. If you want to get into esports, events are great for networking or volunteering.
After Toronto, I made it a priority to attend Dreamhack in Montreal. I met a ton of indie developers, and made some connections in other eSports. It was this event where I decided to make esports my career. Wouldn't you know it, a month or two after that event I was given the opportunity to write for my first games website. This is why you want to make it to any kind of high end event.
Third, don't be afraid to talk to people when you go to these events. Take a leap of faith. Nothing exciting will happen if you don't take one step out of your comfort zone. Don't aspire to talk to everyone, aspire to talk to a couple of people. You never know who you're going to meet as a result.
Dreamhack Montreal in the following year I attended under a media pass and it was glorious. While again, I didn't have much cash to spend while there, I met more wonderful people, surprised a shoutcaster with my best friend for his birthday, and braved an autograph from Sasha "Scarlett" Hostyn.
I know that as gamers we tend to be socially recluse, but this is our community. These are the people we spend hours online watching. Why not meet some of your friends in person for a weekend where the rest of the world doesn't matter?
Remember, things like RLCS happens every year. If you intend on going, even without knowing the details or location, start planning now.
Otherwise, you'll miss fun moments like this gif:
Article by Susan N.
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