Traditionally known for hosting champion tennis matches and rock ‘n’ roll legends, Melbourne‘s Olympic Park has now been transformed into a gamer’s paradise.
Australia’s largest esports event, Dreamhack, is here for the weekend, with tens of thousands turning out to catch their favourite esports teams, cosplayers and creators.
9News.com.au went along on Saturday to check it all out.
Stepping into the main arena is an event highlight, with thousands of seats on standby for the festival’s many headline acts.
The centre court is a PC gamer haven, with big brands MSI and Intel showing off the latest in gaming technology.
Throughout the venue, there’s plenty of places for gamers and creators to meet new friends, relax and learn from the best.
In the entrance foyer, mega mobile game Pokemon Go has an exclusive ‘Poke Stop’ where gamers can pick up in game items and earn rewards; many trainers took a moment to snap a picture next to the Pokemon Professor.
Outside the venue, a rainbow road connects the main arena to the free-play gaming zone and a dedicated area for LARP (Live Action Role Play) enthusiasts.
Hugging the perimeter of Rod Laver Arena is Artist Alley, where dozens of creatives have their artworks on display for people to buy.
Big names in the podcasting world, like Trash Taste, took the main stage to answer questions from fans, while virtual performers from Hololive headlined Rod Laver Arena on Saturday evening.
This is Dreamhack’s second year in Melbourne and is already proving to be bigger and better than before.
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Dreamhack’s final day in Melbourne is on Sunday, April 28. It’ll then head to Dallas, Texas later in May.
