Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Tekken 7, Street Fighter 5, Super Smash Bros, PUBG and more, all under one roof. As the first edition of the international digital gaming festival, DreamHack, comes to Mumbai, over 15,000 gamers are expected to attend.
This will be the first time the event is being held in Asia, and one would think it is about time: a report by financial services firm UBS estimates that the industry in the continent is currently worth $6.1 billion, and is forecast to grow to about $200 billion in 2030. Akshat Rathee, founder of NODWIN Gaming (organisers of the event) estimates that the Indian market share is approximately $300 million.
On introducing DreamHack to the country, he says, “The idea was to bring a gaming festival culture, which has not been explored in India. We have music festivals, carnivals and tech expos, but no gamer-centric event of this magnitude.” While the popular teams and events like Bring Your Own Computer and hourly PUBG tournaments have their own draw, there is also a sizeable sum to be won: ₹1 crore in prizes.
Apart from the niche gaming aspect, the 72-hour show will also feature top electronic music acts including Shaan, Sartek and Zenith.
Esports
With a line-up consisting of core team Roberto 'blackpoisoN' Dall'Occo, Dominic 'Domsterr' Sampaio, Rieghardt 'flexeeee' Romaztki and Trevor 'kanii' Morley, this team most recently won the Vodacom 4U Cup LAN and Evetech Champions League finals. “We are extremely excited to be able to compete in another region. We will want to prove why we deserved an invite and to make a name for ourselves on the international scene,” says captain Dall’Occo, who is the only person who has attended a different DreamHack edition in 2014. As for making it big, never mind the people who tell you to stop wasting your time playing games. He says, “It's all about putting in the hours and working to get to where you want to be. Practise day in and out, it truly pays off and you will reap the benefits. So always keep your drive and motivation if you wish to be stepping up on a stage one day, playing something that you love.”
Mineski
Originally from the Philippines and now based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this gaming organisation is one of the most popular in SE Asia, with over 1.5 million followers on Facebook just for their Dota 2 team. The crew that will be in India next weekend includes Kpii, Febby and pieliedie, as well as local Malaysian professionals Moon and JT-.
While they are excited to visit India for the first time, a representative of the team says that their focus will be on the game. For the serious gamer, the team recommends some of their favourite equipment: Sennheiser GSP600 Headset for the ergonomic shape and exceptional noise cancelling or their Momentum in-ear headphones for durability and comfort; Razer Deathadder mouse for Dota, the brand’s Blackwidow keyboard to guard against ghosting and the Lancehead mouse for players who prefer to use a palm grip.
Sonia Grillet
This French cosplayer was eight years old when she first became fascinated by the characters. “ I still get that little girl's feeling every time I put on one of my costumes,” says Grillet, whose first attempt was Jinx from League of Legends.
While she is currently working on creating Valkyrie from Fortnite with Permafrost — icy armour and huge pickaxe included — she will only be bringing some parts that can be seen at her booth. “I love portraying strong, independent (and often crazy) female characters. Unfortunately, I can't travel with more of such pieces, so I will be dressing up as Alice from Alice Madness Returns,” she says.
For rookie cosplayers, she says that the best way to get better at it is to be curious and enjoy yourself. “Keep looking for new techniques, materials and ways to improve your skills,” she concludes.
On the sidelines
If you are more of a retro gamer, and prefer old-school arcade games over PCs and consoles, head to the Retro Zone, featuring classics like Pinball, Tetris, Mario Brothers and more. Card and board game enthusiasts are welcome too: try foosball, Monopoly and Dungeons & Dragons.
Also at the venue, gamers can pick up the latest offerings from this US-based brand. Vishal Parekh, Marketing Director, Kingston Technology & HyperX India, says, “Visitors can play our signature mini matches, watch live streaming sessions and check out the product showcase for a hands-on experience. We will have the newly-launched HyperX Alloy FPS RGB mechanical Keyboard (₹18,900), Cloud Alpha headset with dual chambers (₹14,990) and Pulsefire Surge mouse 360° RGB (₹5,999) on display and sale.”
The first edition of DreamHack takes place from December 21 to 23 at NESCO, Mumbai. Tickets from ₹499 on in.bookmyshow.com.
