DreamHack Denver 2017 was a convention that marked a lot of firsts. It was the first time that DreamHack, the world’s largest digital gaming festival, made a stop in the Mile High City. It was the first time the humble National Western Complex ditched the cows and sheep to play home to an event centered on gaming. As I wrote in my preview piece, it was my first time ever attending a gaming festival. After spending some time checking out all that it had to offer, all I can say to DreamHack is…please come back!
 
The event spanned three days (open 24 hours a day), three floors, and two arenas. It featured as many possible activities as you could dream up, including professional eSports competitions, panels, archery tag, tabletop gaming, drone flying, and much, much more. My Nerds That Geek colleague Joel Lewis and I checked everything out and we had a blast doing so!
 
Right upon walking in, I was greeted by the Freeplay Arcade zone. There aren’t many better ways to start your day than with a round of Marvel vs. Capcom followed by a game of Dig Dug. I raced around in Fast and the Furious and brought back some great memories with NFL Blitz 99. Folks of all ages hovered around those, Dance Dance Revolution, Street Fighter, and several other featured games. You could hear people clamoring nostalgically about the games they used to play as they walked around the area. With people lining up to share in and enjoy games, the area truly fostered an old-school arcade feel, perfectly embodying the spirit of the event.  
 
I ventured on and checked out the event floor more broadly. The DreamHack website was helpful in covering the layout of the event, but unfortunately there wasn’t an app (that I knew of) or any printed guides to help with exploring the sprawling festival. With past events I’ve attended, apps or guides have been a great tool for paring down a massive schedule, allowing me to pin can’t-miss events and sort out my day. They could be useful tools for DreamHack in the future, given the sheer number of things taking place at any given time. Nevertheless, everything was very organized and maps were posted throughout the venue. 

Speaking of the venue, I feel like the National Western Complex was a perfect spot for DreamHack. As a Denver native, I’ve rarely ventured to the NWC over the last few years. The NWC and the Denver Coliseum aren’t popular destinations outside of the stock show and rodeo or other very occasional regional events throughout the year, so it was great to see the complex land an international event. I feel like the NWC complemented the feel of DreamHack more than the Colorado Convention Center or another arena would, especially in its spacing, setup, and ability to allow for 24-hour use and overnight events.
 
Exploring the festival grounds, I found that the setup lent itself to everything going on. Despite being so massive, each event felt intimate. The roaring crowds of the eSports championships didn’t interfere with the more relaxed tabletop gaming or the solitude of the LAN space. The merch and art zones were not as big as those at Denver Comic Con, for comparison, which makes sense because the focus of the event was obviously gaming. And gaming was definitely elevated at DreamHack.
 
No matter where you went, you could feel a buzz of excitement, especially as the day went on and more people flooded into the NWC. The hallways rumbled as people moved between events. Cheers, oohs, and ahhs erupted from the crowds surrounding the massive screens displaying championship bouts. I’ll cover my thoughts on the eSports competitions in more detail in posts to follow, but to sum it up: it was captivating.
 
I wasn’t sure what to expect from DreamHack Denver 2017, especially since I was unfamiliar with many aspects of it going in. I had never watched eSports, there are many tabletop games and PC games I’ve never played, and I’m a stranger to LAN parties. But DreamHack Denver was a welcoming and vibrant event; one that allowed me to dive in and sample a bit of everything. On behalf of the Mile High City, this gaming festival rookie hopes to see you again in 2018!

This weekend (Friday, October 20th through Sunday, October 22nd), DreamHack is hosting its inaugural DreamHack Denver festival. Taking place at the National Western Complex, the sprawling event is home to a number of experiences, including eSports competitions, tabletop gaming, panels, a 24-hour LAN party, cosplay competitions, and much more. The stacked schedule is sure to provide a little something for everyone.
 
For me, it’ll be my first time attending anything like it. I’ve attended Denver Comic Con, but I’ve never been to an event where the emphasis is on gaming. So, before I go to DreamHack Denver 2017, I think it’s only fair that I put all my preconceived notions on the table for the sake of honesty. I’m a newcomer to eSports and I have to admit that there is a size-able disconnect there for me…
 
Two interests have run the course of my entire life: sports and video games. I’ve been watching and attending games for every sport imaginable for as long as I can remember. I’ve been playing video games for just as long. While I absolutely love the two, I also have to admit that sports are much more of an area of expertise for me, with my gaming knowledge (and skill) lagging behind quite a bit. Interacting with each separately in my own life, I never thought I’d see those worlds collide in the way that they currently are. Sponsorships, massive crowds, a billion-dollar valuation on the horizon, arenas being built specifically for eSports…it all makes complete sense, but it’s still very foreign to me.
 
In recent years, the amount of eSports coverage by major sports networks has obviously gone up. With that, there has been pushback. Internet commenters (because, of course…) respond to every article with ‘video games aren’t a sport’, ‘these people aren’t athletes’, any number of nerd jokes, and a bevy of other insults. While I don’t share a disdain for eSports, I would be lying if I said that eSports’ presence on ESPN and Sports Illustrated didn’t catch me off guard or that I haven’t had some similar thoughts about whether video games qualify as a sport.
 
All that being said, I’m working on it. I’m holding off on knocking something before I experience it. I mean, I’ve spent countless hours watching other people play sports. Who’s to say it’s any different when the games being played are virtual? There is undoubtedly a market for it. Even pro sports teams are beginning to see that, investing in the establishment of their own eSports teams. I’m also trying to understand the athleticism that it requires. I know it doesn’t come easy. If it did, maybe I’d be better at video games. It takes superb hand-eye coordination, quick reflexes, and - like anything else - hours and hours of practice honing your skills.
 
I’m clueless when it comes to the appeal of watching eSports competitions, as I’ve never had the opportunity to do so. But I’m heading into DreamHack with an open mind. I am excited to sit in the crowd for the event’s Grand Finals and feel the energy that you get at any live sporting event. I hope to chat with people and see where they are coming from, what drives their passion for the sport. ESports are an ever growing hobby; let’s see if DreamHack Denver can make it one of mine!
 
Follow along with my adventure on Twitter (@NerdsThatZeke) and check back on NerdsThatGeek.com for follow up articles after the event.