Two men, AJ and Brian, were driving into Northern Ireland in a white van, proudly wearing Republic of Ireland plates. Once they crossed the border, they didn’t need time at all before they were stopped by the police. Questioned by police, the couple had to explain that they had traveled to Belfast with no malice. They’re heading there to pick up 30 monitors for a gaming event: Celtic Throwdown.
That’s just one of the little stories associated with Ireland’s biggest competitive gaming event. For more than a decade, the duo who created it – and the weekly tournament series with AsOne – have established a hub where the world can experience Ireland’s passionate community, which in turn can be followed by the world. last week, celtic knockout no longerBoth AJ and Brian put down their sticks and started a new adventure.
This is obviously rough news, but understandable. Look at the reaction to the announcement and see the respect and gratitude from those who enjoyed the Celtics knockout. For many, this is the best competition this side of Europe. However, no one in their right mind can blame AJ and Brian for retiring from these events: money, time, a lot of legwork required – it will prevent you from finding a better job that better balances work and Life, can’t take a trip to the Bahamas.
The closure of Celtic Throwdown marks the end of a daunting endeavor that few have bothered to tackle, and the end of a multi-year story. It’s the end of the line for the Irish defenders, who will fend off all challengers, be they French DragonBall FighterZ players or international talents hoping for the trophy.
This is the retirement of the game where Diago Umerhara was defeated heartbroken lost Power surge due to free Red Bull refrigerator and blow up mainstream media computers. It all started with two guys playing Street Fighter 4 in a living room and ended up in a fancy hotel ballroom.
iGamesNews is not an esports site – thank goodness, otherwise we would all be bankrupt. But it’s not just an esports issue. Celtic Throwdown and events like it represent an integral part of the video game experience: a grassroots social component that slowly disappears every year as the online space becomes more diverse. Video game publishers dig deeper into these events, and the pillars of operating and organizing them are finally cashing in. When they leave, it’s not like there’s a group of young talent that can carry on as usual. It all needs to be rebuilt.
Forget fighting games for a moment. If you’ve ever played Mario Kart, Mortal Kombat, or Dance Dance Revolution in the same room as a friend, you know the appeal of a truly social game. That joke, that energy. It was the feeling of playing games with other like-minded people that made me fall in love with the hobby, and it’s part of the reason I made the terrible financial decision to quit banking and try working for a video game website. You just can’t beat it, and grassroots events like Celtic Throwdown represent the pinnacle of social gaming.
So when the social gaming establishment hangs up its gloves for the last time, it’s a sad event for everyone. When it disappears, you lose something tangible and very valuable. A few years ago, I had the privilege of flying to Ireland and speaking with key members in Dublin. i even wrote a book: The purpose is to show a lot of history, personalities and work in one scene, which may not be known to many people.
One of my regrets is that the 30-year-old me was unable to write that book with his years of expertise (and, hopefully, his waistline). It’s a dryly written book, but full of insights from people in the field. It’s great for the 20-something who bought it.
I’ll be rewriting it today to make it more readable for the common man, because I believe Celtic Throwdown and the community around it are invaluable.They say you should write something you read, but that’s not enough; I believe you should write something like this anyone
This isn’t the death of the Irish fighting game community. Grassroots activities remain active in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Kerry. Street Fighter and Tekken, The King of Fighters and Guilty Gear will remain favorites there. But Dublin and the country both have a hole. It will take years to fill, or the Irish may consider a neighboring specialty like VsFighting their acting specialty. What is certain is that both AJ and Brian, through their shared passion for the event, have helped foster a community that will outlive their work in the field.
A group of old friends would never sit at a solitary table at the Crowne Plaza, away from the hustle and bustle of the casual scene for hours after the final trophy was awarded.
Support the locals near you – they’re the best place to be in video games.
