GMR Announce LAN Possibility

What is a LAN?

For those new to the space, a LAN event could be considered as a gathering where gamers (usually) bring their own computers or consoles to play multiplayer games together in the same physical location. Historically, LAN parties were the backbone of competitive gaming before the noticeable rise of the online multiplayer space.

LAN parties were a regularity in years past, where throughout a year there would be at least 2 LANs taking place from either GMR or Quickfire/Eden Esports. However that trend got immediately shut down as soon as COVID hit.

To give you some context, the most recent LAN event hosted was the Eden Esports Arena that took place in August of 2022. It’s fair to say that the local gaming community has been deprived of such events, which is why this announcement comes as a great surprise to many!

Calling all 🇲🇹 esports enthusiasts

Now that @playconmt is over… Who would be down for a return to LANs?

Below is a picture of the last LAN that took place, back in August of 2022! pic.twitter.com/YrnckCXPwj

— Zelli0n 🇲🇹 (@Zelli0n) December 4, 2023

GMR Announce LAN Possibility – What do we know about it?

In a recent post by Kersten “Nekklo” Chircop & Andre “AnGrA” Mizzi it is mentioned that GMR are looking into the possibility of hosting yet another LAN event, with the main goal being to revive the ‘classic LAN party spirit’. They also state that they’ve already conducted several site visits to secure a dedicated venue for an event of this scale. 

GMR emphasizes that unlike in the past, hosting a LAN party today involves numerous logistical and financial considerations. Factors like insurance, security measures, and safety checks add to the usual costs of renting a venue, setting up electricity, networking, furniture, etc…

How many tournaments will there be?

In a comment below the main post, Nekklo states that while their aim is to reunite the old gaming community, their intentions are to also welcome new faces to the scene. Clarifying that they will not only be hosting a COD2 tournament for the veterans, but including other popular esport titles such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Rocket League and more. One would hope that with the rise in popularity of games such as Tekken, Marvel Rivals, and Sim-Racing they will also be considered for the upcoming LAN.

What is the situation on ticket prices?

With the above being considered, it’s fair to say that ticket prices are not going to be as cheap as they once were. This is an ongoing dilemma within the scene, as there are few that don’t believe LAN parties should be that expensive, and there are others willing to pay over the €80 mark to attend. However if you accumulate all the costs required for a LAN event to happen we can guarantee you that ticket prices are increasing to a fair amount.

Thankfully, a few weeks back AnGrA had created a ‘LAN Interest’ google form which circled around the local gaming scene and had 100+ submissions. The form consisted of criteria such as:

• How much are you willing to pay to attend a LAN party (3 days)
• Which Tournaments would you be interested in participating in?
• If a LAN was to be held, would you prefer to Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) or Rent a PC?
• If an event was to be held in a hotel, would you be interested in renting a room for a whole weekend?

From what we know, GMR was happy with the results submitted via the form, which is why they were open to pursue the possibility of the LAN event.

What’s next?

This is only the beginning, as we don’t really have a clear date as to when all of this will happen. However, Kersten hinted that GMR are considering the first weekend after the Easter Holidays (which would be 25-27th April), or sometime in early July which would either be the weekend of 4th-6th July or 11th-13th July. So if you’re reading this article, be sure to clear your schedules on those dates, as this will be an unmissable event!

We will continue reporting on this topic as soon as we have more info, but for the time being sit tight and feel excited, because you won’t want to miss this!