There is Bring Your Own Booze (BYOB) and then there is Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC). That is something you can do at DreamHack which bills itself as one of the world's largest digital gaming festivals. They also boast of the world's fastest internet connection.
Back in 2006, DreamHack entered the Guinness World Records for hosting the world's largest LAN (Local Area Network) party with 8,531 unique computers and 9,184 participants in Sweden. In fact, the Swedish production company specialising in esports tournaments and gaming conventions across Europe and North America started out as a BYOC LAN party in 1994 and is now an international phenomenon for gamers and digital natives. DreamHack is now coming to Mumbai for a 72-hour gaming marathon from December 21.
One may wonder why DreamHack chose India over China to make its Asia debut, considering how the East Asian country has become the world’s largest gaming market by revenue. According to Newzoo, which provides market intelligence for games and e-sports, China is the second-biggest market after North America for esports revenue with extensive government-sponsored infrastructure, apart from a vibrant mix of media rights, advertising, sponsorships, merchandise and game publisher fees. But India is fast catching on, thanks to cheap smartphones and high-speed internet.
E-sports, or spectator-friendly competitive video gaming, is a $900 million industry worldwide and it can make it to the Olympic games by 2024. India is among the top five countries who drive 50 per cent of all gaming sessions in the world. Last year Newzoo estimated that there are close to 263 million gamers in India. Tirth Mehta was declared India’s first e-sport medallist this year at the Asian Games where it was a trial event. Mehta was third in an online collectible card game called Hearthstone.
DreamHack—which resembles a blinding rock concert or superbowl for geeks and computer freaks—will be a calendar event for India's ever-growing pool of gamers. Apart from their popular 24-hour-a-day LAN party, e-sports gaming tournaments and Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) sessions, tech enthusiasts can lay their hands on latest technology and gadgets at DreamExpo, one of the biggest gaming exhibitions in the country, where innovative companies get to showcase their newest hardware, gaming gear, games and other gadgets.
The inaugural edition of DreamHack in India will feature leading games such as DoTA, CSGO, KO Fight Nights and Mobile Cricket. It says it will conduct the biggest ever KO Fight Night Championship in the country. KO Fight Night, where the last standing player wins, will have games like Street Fighter V Arcade Edition, Tekken 7 and Super Smash Bros featured in it. The event will also host a ‘Retro Zone' featuring arcade machines with classics such as Pinball, Tetris, Mario, Contra and Pac Man brothers from the yesteryears. Traditional card and board games will also put Foosball, Monopoly and Dungeons & Dragons in focus.
The entire prize pool of DreamHack Mumbai—being organised by Gurugram-based e-sports company Nodwin Gaming and Viacom18—is a meaty Rs. 1 crore.
"DreamHack coming to India is clearly a milestone for the industry... an opening to a number of future prospects. DreamHack India is where a different culture of gaming and entertainment blooms altogether," says Akshat Rathee, founder of NODWIN Gaming."The primary element missing from our pro gamers and teams is international exposure. We are inviting few of the best international teams down to DreamHack Mumbai. The best opportunity to learn and grow together is at DreamHack," Rathee adds.
The first edition of DreamHack takes place from December 21 to 23 at NESCO, Mumbai. Tickets start from Rs499 and is available on in.bookmyshow.com
