Albertan gamers gathered for a weekend of fun at the Edmonton Expo Center. The Alberta Esports Organization hosted an Alberta Esports Expo for gamers across the province to compete, meet others and learn. The expo had an attendance of over 2,500 people, which blew the organizers away.
The event had various competitions ranging from fighting games like Super Smash Brothers to games of other categories like Splatoon, Mariokart and more. It also had panels for opportunities to learn about careers, mental health and inclusivity.
The expo also had post-secondary schools from across the province showcase their esports programs and recruit students. NAIT did not have a booth set up, but they did play in the Valorant tournament. They made it to the semifinals but unfortunately lost.. Booths were set up for upcoming events across the province, like Game Con Canada, hosted by Calgary this year, Animethon and Otafest.
The event had spots for spectators to watch events live while waiting for their competitions and panels. They also streamed the entire event live on Twitch to allow others who couldn’t make it to watch all the action. There was also an artist alley set up for attendants to purchase artwork about their favourite games.
Edmonton City Councillor Andrew Knack appeared during the opening ceremonies as a City Council representative. He said during the opening ceremony that “Edmonton has the ability to be one of the esport capitals of Canada.” He delivered a proclamation to the founders of AESA from the City of Edmonton.
