Major-level stage, hip-hop battle and Lady Dimitrescu – how was the final stage of the Chelyabinsk Republic in Chelyabinsk

The spectators were delighted at the end of the tournament, which they gladly told journalists and even each other – the atmosphere of such a festival was conducive to communication. Even the casters working in Chelyabinsk did not ignore the organization of the event, although they had previously seen with their own eyes the largest tournaments in the history of esports. Why and, most importantly, thanks to whom the final stage of the Russian computer sports championship turned out to be so bright – in the Cybersport.ru report.

Family celebration

Chelyabinsk met the final stage of the Russian eSports championship 2023 as well as possible. Saturday morning, 30 degrees Celsius, the clearest blue sky, the scorching sun and the first large-scale esports event in the history of the city – what else is needed for the happiness of local video game fans? Therefore, it is not surprising that a huge crowd of spectators began to fill the arena even before the start of the first matches.

After receiving the accreditation, the first thing I decided to do was circle the lobby to see with my own eyes what activities awaited local fans. And the organizers managed to surprise me: the entire stadium was literally packed with various “entertainments” for guests, and, oddly enough, a good half of them were not related to e-sports. An open streetball competition, mini golf courses, a hip-hop dance battleground, a dedicated drone pilot area and even a mobile barbershop. And, of course, the esports event could not do without stands with the support of various computer clubs, where anyone could try their hand at all kinds of games on the most powerful computers. In a word, even the most fastidious guest could find entertainment to his taste.

In total, according to the organizers, in two days the tournament was attended by more than 9 thousand people, and the President of the Russian Computer Sports Federation Dmitry Smith confidently stated that “at least half of the city knew about the championship.” For me, the main surprise was the number of families who attended the tournament. At the conditional competitions of the EPICENTER series, the bulk of the audience is made up of friends, mostly adolescents, but at the Russian eSports Championship 2023 in Chelyabinsk, about half of the audience was made up of families – an incredible number of parents with children.

In the lobby on the second floor, next to the dance battleground, I saw a father and son and decided to find out what brought them to such an event. It turned out that they came to Chelyabinsk from Ozersk, and this is no less than almost 100 kilometers. But that’s not the point. The main thing is that the decision to attend an e-sports competition is the initiative of the father, not the son. “This event is taking place in our region for the first time, so we decided to come and see it with our own eyes. See how much there is. A real holiday, ”the man shared his emotions, while the child persistently pulled him towards computers to play his favorite Minecraft.

Stunning level of organization

The program of the Russian Championship was not limited to entertainment venues alone. During all two days, the presenters worked in the arena: they invited visitors to participate in various quizzes and autograph sessions, and learned different dances with the audience. It was impossible to get bored at the event.

At the same time, the organizers took a very responsible approach to scheduling, which is not always typical for esports events. Matches are often delayed or too long, and as a result, offline viewers run the risk of going home deep after midnight. In Chelyabinsk, absolutely all matches started at the announced time, while the players only once had problems with computers (a quick rehost in the semifinals of an NHL 21 tournament), which also commands only respect. One of the organizers spoke about the quality of the championship, Igor Yurtaev, Director of the Public Relations Department of the FCC of Russia.

Opening ceremony in the spirit of the majors

If up to this point you doubted the scale of the Russian computer sports championship in Chelyabinsk, then I sincerely advise you to watch the official opening ceremony of the event. Here, as they say, it is better to see once than to read a hundred times. And here is what casters said about the stage and the opening ceremony, who more than once saw live performances at the coolest tournaments in the history of esports.

The level of play of the championship participants

Despite the high-quality organization, such tournaments are still of an amateur nature. Of the big names in the championship, there were only doters Time to Nowhere from B8 Esports, layme from NoTechies and Ark. But not even the most impressive lineup of participants managed to give fans a huge number of high-quality matches, which kept them in suspense until the very end. Adekvat commentator noted that he did not expect serious preparation from the Dota 2 teams, but was pleasantly surprised to see the opposite:

NHL 21 matches deserve special attention, and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, Chelyabinsk is a hockey city, and fans of this sport filled the hall to take a look at what this cyber hockey of yours is. The gym in Chelyabinsk was so crowded during matches in two disciplines – Dota 2, which is quite expected, and just NHL 21. Secondly, it was at the cyber hockey competitions that local esportsmen were represented, for whom the full hall was incredibly actively rooting. One cannot fail to note the impressive work of the commentators of these matches. The organizers of the championship invited professional casters of the Continental Hockey League Azamat Muratov and Konstantin Ustyantsev, who gave such a “fire” that most fans seem to have forgotten that they are watching computer hockey, and not real.

The final bout of the NHL 21 tournament lasted all five games, three of which, including the decisive one, ended in overtime. At the end of the meeting, to the delight of local fans, the cyber sportsman from the Chelyabinsk region, Maxim Haiissey Trukhanov, won. In a post-match interview with Cybersport.ru, he shared the amazing news: “The money for winning the championship will go to the family. My son will be born soon ”. Well, just a script for a sports drama, no less!

Bonus. We found her even in Chelyabinsk

One of the most popular activities among spectators, in addition to the e-sports competition itself, in Chelyabinsk was the cosplay competition. To be honest, I cannot call myself a big fan of this art form, but having met her, I could not pass by. Meet: Lady Dimitrescu performed by the best cosplayer according to the version of the Ural festival under the creative pseudonym “Dali”.

Summarizing all of the above, we can safely say that the final stage of the Russian e-sports championship in 2023 in Chelyabinsk was a success. The tournament was held at the highest level, which is usually not expected from amateur competitions. It’s interesting to see how this series of events will develop further!