It’s all fun and games until someone puts a €10,000 prize pool on the line.
Hundreds of video game enthusiasts and spectators gathered at the InterContinental Arena in St Julian’s yesterday for the start of Malta’s largest ever competitive gaming event, the Nova Series, with four days of competitions across nine different games, and large cash prizes up for grabs.
For organisers Quickfire, who have organised events like this on a smaller scale for three years before their recent acquisition by Eden Leisure, the competition is an opportunity to showcase competitive video gaming – known as e-sports – in Malta, and push the scene to the next level.
E-sports have taken the world by storm in recent years, with millions of fans watching professional players compete in televised matches of popular titles like League of Legends and Counter-Strike, that sell out entire football stadiums.
Globally, the industry is projected to be worth more than €1.3 billion by 2020, and already the world’s top professional players make millions in prize money, sponsorships and streaming revenue.
Big corporate brands have quickly got in on the act, as have traditional sports teams, with top football clubs Paris Saint-Germain, West Ham United and Roma all recently opening e-sports divisions.
“The problem in Malta so far is that there hasn’t been any consistency,” Quickfire COO Nicolai Gauci told the Times of Malta ahead of the start of the Nova Series competitions.
“There are people who believe they can get somewhere but they have no opportunities.
“This isn’t just a business for us; it’s something new and we want to make sure we build solid roots. We know the talent is there, and sponsors are keen.”
Mr Gauci highlighted the twin goals of providing a platform for Maltese gamers to compete abroad while also hosting international events here on the island.
Later this year, Quickfire is planning to kick off a league competition with a dedicated venue for gamers to hone their skills on a weekly basis, while also streaming all matches live to build up an audience and help talented competitors get spotted. Mr Gauci is also confident that as esports enter the mainstream, any preconceptions over competitive gaming being a waste of time are fading away.
“People are realising what it’s all about. The message is reaching homes: esports are in the news and pushed by big companies,” he said.
“It’s no longer being seen as just something to laze away the time.”