A1 Austrian eSports Festival attracts thousands • INTERNET WORLD Austria

Last weekend was a highlight for gaming and eSports fans in Austria. the A1 Austrian eSports Festival and the Vienna Gaming Festival brought together approximately 21,700 enthusiastic visitors to the Austria Center in Vienna, making the event once again the largest gaming and eSports event in the country.

With a 20,000 square meter gaming arena, two days full of games and 200 exhibitors, the A1 Austrian Esports Festival delivered an impressive programme. The event promised endless excitement and action in advance. Not only did the finalists of the A1 eSports League Austria show off their skills live on stage, but the exclusive limited demo of the VALORANT console also celebrated its European premiere.

In addition to the VALORANT console, the partner platforms of the A1 Esports Challenge were also very popular among visitors. From games like League of Legends, Fortnite, Minecraft, and Mario Kart to mobile games like Brawl Stars, it's all represented. Community tournaments gave players the opportunity to show off their skills. The game spaces were also always full in the vintage area, arcade and indie area.

Annual highlights include the Cosplay Costume Show and Costume Contest. At a cosplay meetup with representatives from Riot Games, more than 40 cosplayers were on site and showing off their artistically designed costumes. In total, more than 250 cosplayers enriched the event with their colorful diversity and creativity.

The best e-athletes from German-speaking countries

While visitors were able to immerse themselves in the world of gaming in the stands, the platform was reserved for professionals. In League of Legends, Footprint Gaming prevailed, and in VALORANT, Austrian club Sissi State Punks took the win after an emotional finish. In Teamfight Tactics, Narkez managed to capture the title of the first double champion in A1 eSports TFT. One of the most notable events was the fifth undefeated victory of Super Smash Bros. pro Tariq, who proved his superiority once again.

“The A1 Austrian eSports Festival has grown steadily since its inception three years ago, and with around 21,700 visitors, it has developed into one of the most important and largest gaming events in Europe, even by international comparison. “Together with the Vienna Gaming Festival, we can call ourselves Truly the most important meeting place for gaming, e-sports and gaming in Austria,” says Manuel Haselberger, press spokesman for the Austrian E-Sports Association (ESVÖ).

Merging the analog and digital worlds

The combination with the Vienna Games Festival was quite successful. Tickets were mutually recognized, so game fans of all ages also got their money's worth when playing the analog games. More than 2,000 games can be borrowed and tried out in the game library. The event cockpit was available to visitors as a digital companion and demonstrated how the worlds of analogue and digital gaming now merge.

Marco Harfmann, Marketing Communications Manager at A1, sums it up: “The more than three-fold increase in visitors compared to the previous year shows the growing importance of gaming in Austria. We are very proud to be able to provide a stage here for the local scene through the A1 Austrian Esports Festival and partnership With the Vienna Games Festival.