The GO Malta Esports Festival 2018 Recap: A 'Standing' Ovation

With absolute confidence, 2 weeks after the event, GMR Entertainment may happily state that The GO Malta Esports Festival 2018 was an incredible success, holding up to the expectations set in stone by this franchise. So much so, that three days was barely enough to take it all in, which is why we'll be releasing a series of articles covering all the statistics and details relevant to it all. This introductory article will include an overview and a closer look at the popular stands housed at the event. 

To begin with, the MFCC was definitely challenged as a venue, by the increasing local gaming industry. Over 350 gamers, both foreign and local, professional and semi-professional, sat underneath one roof to initiate in competitive gaming through each of the several tournaments. The said gamers originated from over 10 countries; with most international names travelling for the sake of the FIFA and Call of Duty tournaments specifically. In total, a total of 9 tournaments were successfully initiated and concluded within the three-day period, all of which will feature recaps of their own.

Returning to demographics, an estimated amount of more than 1,000 people attended the event, viewing the competition and interacting with the stands, including the likes of families, friends and other interested parties. Note that these were also foreign too. This number of people meant that the venue was always full throughout the weekend. Of course, we should keep in mind the online viewership which heavily contributes to our events. A staggering number of at least 1.5 million views on our live streams across each of the tournaments, with thousands of viewers interacting with online chats and enjoying the content from the comfort of their homes. The slight majority of viewers especially enjoyed Sunday competition, as grand final after grand final crowned the respective champions of each tournament - a total of €25,000 was handed out in prize cash. Most winners had to fight for their crown; a notion we'll discuss in the recap articles. 

For the remainder of this introduction, we'll turn our attention to the Stands which were located at the event and run across the three days. First of all, we'll start with World Pro Racing and their stand which included the Thrustmaster GT Tournament, where over 40 participants took part in the racing action. The stand's aim was to increase local awareness in regards to the newly growing SimRacing scene locally and internationally; achieving this aim as many were inquisitive about the parameters of the esport, quickly satisfied upon sitting in the driver's seat.  The stand buzzed with activity continuously. 

Speaking of activity,  Battlemax VR, gave bystanders the opportunity to immerse themselves in an intense VR experience, engaging in sports such as boxing to everyone's amusement. We did share some footage on our social media due to the hilarity of it all. Many viewers had the opportunity to try out VR for the first time, with titles such as 'Creed' and 'Beat Saber' being very popular.  

Robert Borg also put up a stand, showcasing his superb items on display in a fantastically organized stand. Representing the local game collecting industry, Robert Borg let everyone know why he's got the largest collection on the island, answering questions, touring guests around his collectables and simply hosting a great stand overall.

Qlash brought their own share of personality to the table, as 10 team members of the Qlash organisation set-up an impressive stand together with a mobile Clashy Royale tournament, won by a certain Angelo 'Anglu' Vella who now has the pleasure of flying to a bootcamp within the Qlash House this upcoming year. Included in the team was 'CrazyFatGamer', the FIFA Pro Player, bringing experience and enthusiasm to the area. The international company of Qlash definitely experienced an astounding launch to their Maltese branch, which we expect to grow indefinitely. 

Perhaps, the most surprising stand was that held by St. Martin's College. Showcasing some of the students' work in both VR and video games simultaneously, their youth was the main attraction to visitors who eagerly ventured over to learn more. This is the first time that GMR Entertainment has experimented with such inclusion of an educational programme; we're looking to continue this trend heading into the future because these youngsters are of ultimate importance to raising awareness of the industry to the older demographic. 

With that, we're ready to conclude this first recap article. Let us know your thoughts about the event in general below, and stay tuned for the upcoming recaps of each tournament across these very merry holidays.