DreamHack Aus here for the long run with plans to mix esports, streaming, and VTubers

DreamHack Australia is around for the long run after inking a multi-year deal with the State of Victoria, with plans to mix esports, streaming, and (seemingly) VTubers. 

DreamHack Australia has become a staple for the local gaming community ever since the blockbuster event started going down under in 2021, in a city that rarely sees esports/gaming events of its kind regularly. 

And it looks like ESL FACEIT Group and DreamHack are here for the long run, as the group has inked a five-year deal with Visit Victoria to lock the iconic LAN event in Melbourne for the next half-decade. 

“It puts us in a great spot to plan and grow the festival over the next five years,” said Ben Green, Head of Product for the ESL FACEIT Group Australia. “So having that sort of commitment from them is very exciting for us.” 

ESL

The partnership was a no-brainer for ESL, Green said, as the Victorian government had been supporting them for the past five years, and the deal essentially solidified DreamHack’s spot in Melbourne. 

“It’s really good to hold events, and particularly Melbourne, we know that’s where a massive part of the gaming community in Australia is based. So, it’s sort of one plus one equals three, right?” 

ESL reveals plans to mix esports, streaming, and VTubers with 2024’s DreamHack

Naturally, being DreamHack, Counter-Strike is bound to make an appearance, and with ESL Challenger Melbourne once again returning, it will see this particular tournament played in CS2 for the first time. And of course, DreamHack’s legendary BYOC LANs is making yet another appearance. 

However, with recent DreamHack events, esports hasn’t been the sole draw, especially here in Melbourne. As Green explained, “I want to find the right balance for the content in the LAN. Is it competitive esports? 

“Is it catch up with your mates for three days and have a base to play games from whilst also going and experiencing the rest of the show? There’s still a little bit of balance there to find what’s right.”

Twitter: Trash Taste

With last year’s DreamHack, the big headliner for the festival was Trash Taste’s appearance at the festival, with a live episode of their podcast being filmed there, and a maid cafe occasionally staffed by the trio to boot. 

So what’s this year’s headliner? Despite being reticent on details of what to expect, Green teased something adjacent to Trash Taste. “If you like Trash Taste, or you’re a VTuber fan, I think that this is the year. I think it’s gonna be more than you think it is…” Green teased. 

Tickets for DreamHack are on sale from March 14 with three different tiers for fans to purchase.