We were recently invited to Nottingham's brand-new Confetti X venue as they hosted a collection of qualifiers for this year's Commonwealth Esports Championships. Here's what we thought...
Full confession - I’m not the biggest esports fan. I’ll maybe tune into a random Rocket League tournament while I’m waiting for my mates to come online (or exist), but ultimately I’m the esports equivalent of those part-time football experts that rock up on Twitter timelines when the World Cup takes over the BBC.
Yet the news that our own city is set to become a hub of esports made me sit up and take notice, and - like a rapidly-increasing number of people across the country - I’m starting to find myself drawn into this area of entertainment more frequently. So, when I was offered the chance to check out Nottingham’s new multi-million pound esports venue, Confetti X, as they hosted the qualifiers of the Commonwealth Esports Championships, I jumped at the opportunity.
And, despite the digs not being fully finished when I arrived - in fairness, the corner of Marco Island was still a building site mere days before this media day was set to take place, so it’s impressive they were open for business at all - it was instantly obvious that this investment will be a smart one. Walking into the venue, I was immediately struck (not physically, I must say for legal reasons) by three giant, high-quality, cinema-esque screens, and a few rows of comfortable tiered seating fit for a multiplex.
With highlights from across the esports world playing on either side of the main screen, and a live Rocket League exhibition match between Australia and Wales taking centre stage - Australia cruised to victory, if you’re interested - it was every gaming nerd’s paradise. For all the stick esports often gets from fans of traditional sports, there was a real infectious energy in the room as viewers became increasingly hooked on the action, and it’s safe to assume the quality of this atmosphere will only grow as Confetti X attracts bigger and bigger events.
While it’s all well and good waxing lyrical from the comfort of the tiered seating, though, how did those behind the PC screens find the event and the venue? I took the time to awkwardly approach two competitors at the Championships, Jamaica’s WhiteHawk and Australia’s QueenMorgie_, to find out…
QueenMorgie_, Team Australia
Congratulations on your victory in the exhibition match! How have you found the venue since you arrived in Nottingham?
It’s spectacular. Getting the chance to travel over here and play a live match on stage is just incredible. We’re relatively new to LAN matches, but it was amazing to try our hand at it here. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
What was it like playing in front of a crowd?
It’s a really good atmosphere, people were getting really excited, getting into the game. That helps us play better and get more into it ourselves. I think you’d be crazy not to be a little nervous, but when you score a goal and look up to see everybody smiling and cheering you on, that’s really encouraging.
How did you get into esports?
I started playing Rocket League casually a couple of years ago and found that I really enjoyed it, then midway through last year I started streaming and I found that it quickly became my favourite thing, so I started taking it more seriously. We only recently joined a women's league in Australia - the Oceanic Women's League - and it brought a lot of us together. Honestly, you don't meet too many women in esports, so for us to come together in one place really gave us the opportunity to do things like this.
And what’s next for you going forward?
This was a dream, but it’s just step one. We're really keen to encourage more women into esports. The men’s scene is a lot bigger and always has been, but these events can hopefully create more opportunities for women, and we want to make sure the door continues to open for more representation in the industry.
WhiteHawk, Team Jamaica
How have you found the event so far?
It's been amazing. Obviously the temperature difference compared to Jamaica has been a challenge - our hands have been shaking because it's really cold, we’ve had to heat them up with warm water bottles! But the esports infrastructure is amazing. Getting to see all these pro players that I’ve been looking up to for years, playing with and against them, has been incredible.
Have you had the chance to explore Nottingham itself?
We’ve been mainly focusing on the gaming since we arrived a few days ago, but we’re definitely going to check out more of the city when we get the chance. From what I’ve experienced so far, it's really nice. The people have been so kind and welcoming, which is great.
What’s next for yourself and Team Jamaica after the Championships?
We have a lot of work to do. Events like this show us where we can be in the future, with the skill and quality of players that we’ve come up against. But we've been doing pretty well and we believe we're on the right track - because, at the end of the day, we’ve already made it to such a prestigious event. So we're really excited about what the future has in store.
You can find out more about Confetti X on their website
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