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<\/a>\u201cOne of the things that we\u2019ve been keeping on our radar is breaking up the skill levels,\u201d he says. \u201cYes, we plan on having extra brackets for those who are knocked out of the main event. Obviously, we want everyone to compete for the biggest prizes, but we want to make sure everyone can get in lots of games and have fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year, LANtasy is introducing a new game into its LAN lineup. Overwatch<\/i>, a game released in August of last year, has seen great success amongst gamers. This year, the game has made its way into the lineup of LAN events.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraditionally, Victoria has had a huge League of Legends<\/i> and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive<\/i> backing,\u201d says Pedlow. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen a lot of players going toward Overwatch<\/i>, and we try to support one or two new games every year. With that, Overwatch<\/i> is the new flavour this year. People were asking us about it; we had an internal discussion and clearly the answer was, yes, we do want to do it. The community has responded back positively in huge waves, and we will continue to make it stronger every year.\u201d<\/p>\n
LANtasy operates as a non-profit organization; Pedlow says that a lot of its success is very dependent on sponsorships and attendance.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a non-profit, it\u2019s hard for us to go and, for example, pay out $5,000 cash or however many thousand in cash just because when you take the cost of the events, rentals, etc., all of a sudden, there isn\u2019t really a lot of money coming from us, and that\u2019s where sponsorship has been extremely important.\u201d<\/p>\n
A common misconception is that LANtasy is just a LAN event. Pedlow says that it\u2019s important that people know that there is more than just video games going on at the convention. This year includes a new type of event in the form of panels, where people involved in the gaming industry talk about how to get involved in the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cA new feature that we have this year is our panels and spectators area,\u201d says Pedlow. \u201cWe\u2019ve got wonderful companies coming out and talking to audiences. Another section we have is cosplay. We have cosplayers come out and show off these amazing set-ups that they have. We look forward to seeing what it will look like for this upcoming event.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pedlow says there are many options at LANtasy for those who might not be the most experienced in the worlds of tabletops, gaming, or crafts.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope that people who are interested can come out and enjoy it,\u201d he says. \u201cWe do have a lot of beginner-friendly games. We have exhibitors who are doing demos and sales. It\u2019s not just for the hardcore gamers; it\u2019s for everyone who\u2019s interested. We want people to come out and enjoy themselves. If that means coming out and getting their toes wet, that\u2019s great. But if they want to come out and hardcore game, that\u2019s also great.\u201d<\/p>\n