With the Crossfire Challenge 5 around the corner the reason as to why people are happy to travel across the world to play a video game is puzzling me, and this article we’ll find the answer!

The most hardcore of followings for LANs that I’ve experienced has to be in Dallas (sorry Enschede lovers!) at Quakecon. People come from across the world to play, watch or just talk to their friends who they see once a year. That relationship may then exist online in some capacity throughout the rest of the year, but come that first week in August whether they’re from Europe or even Australia, they’re on their way to Dallas. But why?

Firstly Quakecon was built around the idea of ID Software giving back to the community, the developers who were gods to the industry at that point were very much involved in making sure the event was fun and they were apart of the event. John Carmack giving away his Ferrari? I’d sure love to do that at CC10. Secondly Quakecon united people of a similar interest, those who loved Quake, if you loved Quake and you were willing to travel to Dallas you were going to find like minded people who you’d enjoy your experience with. 11 years on and its changed a lot since then, eSports has had its say at the event and Quakecon has also become a mini ID Software Tradeshow but that hasn’t stopped that vibrant community from coming in their thousands to play.

At the crossfire events there is a real level of enthusiasm from some of the competitors that makes it a real pleasure to run. Some people come for the tournament and go home happy based on their performance in it, but many come for the socializing and the beer and none more so that Impact’s Toxic and Overloads’ Humm3l who are now heading for their third and fourth events respectively. So I caught up with them to find out , why they LAN.

Quote by Toxic
Personally speaking, with my lag issue going to LAN is a complete blessing but that aside, there are many other reason why I go. First of all, for this LAN, I'm catching 4 different flights with 4 different airlines and going to a total of 4 countries [including malta] just to come up to play so that in itself shows how passionate I am for these LANs. First of all, main reason is meeting the people I've been playing with for years, I don't see the point of not taking anything out of your online experience by not showing up to a LAN. If you enjoy staying on comms with your team or a bunch of other people like I do, given the opportunity to meet up is seen as a blessing, going up to play your favourite game with the possibility of taking some money home is more than enough reason in itself just to go up. Another reason is the fact that I'm a very competitive person, in anything that I do in life I want it to be done perfect, and proove my doubters wrong basically. With this LAN it's similar, I love the competitiveness with other top quality players, and I thrive on it and use that as hunger to prove that I am better in a way. It might come off sounding weird but its the same in anything, if you are 2 people going for a top class job, you want to show that you are more worthy than the other, in context they are the same situations but of course they are completely different. The whole aspect of going up to a LAN and putting a face to a voice is important and enjoyable. The fact that I can take a game that I've been playing for 5 years or so on ALL levels possible, and taking what is a hobby in a 'so called' professional way is brilliant for me and that is one of the main reasons why I still play this game competitively. It's the same for a lot of the other people, hence why when a LAN is announced activity comes out of no where. So why do I go to LAN in short? Social aspect, competitivity, and what I'd say is a very fun relaxed weekend (if you aren't shitting and puking your guts out :roll eyes:)


Some fantastic points from Toxic, it reminds me of the theme tune to Fun House ‘Theres a whole lot of fun and prizes to be won!’ However surely if you’ve never been before I would imagine it is a big leap into the unknown. There are a number of social obstacles you’ve got to overcome, how do you convince your family and friends that whatever you’re going to do isn’t really an extremist Islamic cult? Because going away to play video games that you can do in your room, really doesn’t sound right. Secondly, when you get to the event, how do you meet people? You might not be going with a team you might be just an onlooker wanting to go to the event and watch your game or meet someone you played a pub with once a few years ago.

However, I think of Quakecon or I think of the Crossfire events and its actually all very welcoming. Theres always someone at the bar looking to strike up a conversation, because unlike talking to a hot girl, you actually do have something in common with the person next to you at the bar you like video games. From that point when you’re not afraid to say I’m Killer123 who are you? Then you’re on your way to an enjoyable weekend. Someone who always enjoys his CC weekend, is the effervescent Humm3L, he writes:

Quote by Humm3LWell on the first cdc2 i was there to meet the Scandinavian guys and we had a lot of fun there in enschede in club's that was important for me , on cdc3 we focused more on gaming and placed 7th in the END with GMPO. The guys on the lan are always up to have some fun and that surprise me alot , normally when you talk about the internet you have some 12 years old wow geeks but crossfire is a special event , its not the same as in the internet. When i hear the name crossfire its not only a site it's more as this , the lans are always great you can have fun there you can drink with people from the whole world, it's not only gaming its more as this. You can meet people which you never seen before and everyone is up for drinking that’s a great point why I would go to all CF lans again again and again. The admins are kinda aswell open for everything


Open for everything? Not so sure about that one, I don’t play that way but you can see his point is clear and very similar to toxic’s. One event was for the social side the other event was to try and compete and I would encourage anyone who’s not busy next weekend to think about a trip to Enschede and try the social side. Whether your hero is mAus or Winghaven, Humm3L or Maverick they’ll all be uniting in stories about playing games and drinking beer. So that’s why people go to LAN!