The fourth iteration of DreamHack Melbourne is fast approaching, but fans Down Under who won’t be able to make it out this year need not worry as a multi-year deal between the ESL FACEIT Group and Visit Victoria has been finalized.
DreamHack will be returning to the Victorian capital from April 26 to 28 this year as part of a new five-year contract that sees the world’s biggest gaming festival stay in Melbourne until 2028, according to a March 12 press release. From live esports tournaments to gaming and lifestyle content, DreamHack has quickly become a notable event on Oceania’s gaming calendar and will remain one for the foreseeable future.
“We’ll be turning Melbourne and Olympic Parks into Australia’s biggest meet-up for all things gaming lifestyle, with a broader range of content than ever before,” ESL FACEIT Group senior product manager Ben Green said, adding that this year’s festival is designed to cater to all and not just the hardcore gaming crowd.
DreamHack Melbourne 2024 sees the return of ESL Challenger, a Counter-Strike tournament featuring local and international squads going head-to-head for $50,000 USD and a shot at joining the illustrious ESL Pro League. Emergency replacements Movistar Riders (now KOI) took out the title in 2023 but this year Aussie teams Rooster and sunday school will be looking to raise the trophy on home soil. It’s the second Counter-Strike 2 tournament to be held in the country after IEM Sydney last October.
Oceania’s top-flight League of Legends competition, the LCO, will be hosting its grand final on April 28, while the rest of the festival stretches across the majority of Olympic Park including Artist’s Alley, an expanded cosplay competition, a bring-your-own-computer LAN zone, and heaps more. This is the fourth such event in a row Down Under following the festival’s arrival in Australia back in 2022.
“Last year’s festival was a resounding success, but we’ve identified a number of elements that we want to improve and add on to the festival to make it bigger,” Green said in an interview with Australian outlet 9news on March 13. “DreamHack isn’t just for gamers; it’s a chance for fans across all aspects of gaming to get together, hang out, and have fun.”
Tickets for DreamHack Melbourne go on sale on Thursday, March 14 at 4pm AEDT from $50 as part of a half-price “Early Bird” Special, with the regular three-day pass selling for $99. Those interested in the BYOC LAN can purchase the LAN festival pass for $180.
All passes come with complete access to the festival including the ESL Challenger CS2 tournament and the LCO live grand final. CS2 fans can purchase the “Row F” experience for an extra $70, which includes early access to the arena, a goodie bag with branded merchandise, and a special badge and lanyard.
Published: Mar 13, 2024 11:29 pm