ESL’s 2014 IEM World Championships in Katowice, Poland was the biggest esport event so far this year. Featuring games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and StarCraft 2, the tournament hosted some of the best gamers in the world, along with a prize pool of over $500,000.
Now, about three weeks after the event’s final match, ESL has finally released a video highlighting some of the events best moments. And instead of focusing on the game, the video highlights players and fans. By focusing on the human element—the players shouting, the crowd erupting into cheers—you get a sense of what a major esport event is like in person.
With over 73,000 live attendees, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to major championships in traditional sports. Nothing says “this is a big deal” more than tens of thousands of screaming fans.
