For the first time ever, the Australian Esports League are bringing their Esports Cup to Greater Hamilton for a full weekend of free, competitive gaming for all ages!
The event on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 May is coming the region as part of Southern Grampians Shire Council’s Event Attraction Program and it is the first time the AEL will host an Esports event in Western Victoria. It will be live streamed from The Hub in Hamilton’s CBD and broadcast online to an audience of up to 20,000.
Over the two days, the video game tournament will feature some of the most popular Esports games including Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Rocket League, Just Dance 2021 and Mario Kart 8 plus there will be a drop-in Free Play Zone open to everyone who wants to get involved in some gaming.
AEL Executive Producer and CEO, Darren Kwan, said they are pleased to be bringing this global phenomenon to Greater Hamilton.
“We are proud to be hosting an esports cup in the Greater Hamilton region in partnership with the Southern Grampians Shire Council. Events like these foster participation in esports, showcase talent and energize youth.
“We look forward to seeing the best of the best gamers in Western Victoria coming along to compete, meet like-minded people and celebrate their passion for gaming culture,” Mr Kwan said.
On Saturday, High School students will compete in Super Smash Bro’s Ultimate (SSBU) and Rocket League, with the beginning of the SSBU Opens event and the Just Dance 2021 competition taking place in the afternoon.
Sunday is for the drivers, with the Mario Kart 8 tournament kicking off in the morning and the top-16 players in the SSBU Open’s event finishing off the day. Players will be able to try out all the latest gaming gear and spectators can also get in on the action with shoutcasters commentating the games.
The total prize pool on offer is valued at $1,225 and includes cash prizes as well as gaming accessories.
Southern Grampians Shire Mayor Bruach Colliton said Council were thrilled to be bringing the Esports tournament to Greater Hamilton.
“Young people in our region, my own kids included, have told us these are the kind of events they want more of. The huge numbers attending the Hamilton Library’s first ever online gaming event last week just goes to show how popular Esports and gaming are with young people,” Cr Colliton said.
“Council are committed to doing more to support youth and provide access to events outside of traditional sports for young people in our community, so we hope to see heaps of people getting involved with this event,” Cr Colliton concluded.
The Greater Hamilton Esports Cup forms the fun finale to a whole week of tech-focussed events in the Greater Hamilton region as the Digital Innovation & Smart Agriculture Festival returns to take over the Hamilton Showgrounds. It’s all about ‘Creating Smart Regions’, with a packed program covering Smart Agriculture & Smart Communities.
On Friday 28 May, Council’s FREE DigiHub event connects tech fanatics, STEAM students, tinkerers & gamers of all kinds with drones, virtual reality, 3D printers, animation devices, robots and gadgets. Plus, connect with a variety of education providers for insights into career pathways in digital creative industries, with other surprises from stallholders as part of the expo.
Find the Greater Hamilton Esports Cup event on Facebook to stay in the loop, and register your free spot via the AEL website; https://www.ael.org.au/events/2021-greater-hamilton-esports-cup
GAMES include:
Super Smash Bros Ultimate – An ultimate brawl between some of the most popular characters of all time in played on the Nintendo Switch in 1 v 1 format, players are seeded into a tournament bracket to play against one another until the champion is determined. There will be both a High School and Opens event!
Rocket League – For High School students only, player soccer with rocket powered cars in a 1 v 1 Format on Nintendo Switch, school students are seeded into a tournament bracket to play against one another until the champion is determined.
Mario Kart – Race around a track as one of Nintendo’s popular characters, players will be seeded into race pools with the fastest drivers going through until the champion is crowned!
Just Dance 2021 – Get your groove on with this dance simulator, players will go head to head to see who has the best moves and can set the highest score!