If you happen to be interested in seeing some local, Vancouver wrestling, or possibly some high-octane, top-level esports that will make you jump out of your seat, have I got just the event for you. Hosted by The Gaming Stadium, Pinnacle 2021 is bound to be one of the most incredible Canadian events to happen since before the pandemic. Personally, I am a huge fan of esports and couldn’t stand not being able to go to local tournaments, cancel flights for larger majors across the world, and overall, not being able to reconnect with the community I love. Esports events are for people of all ages, and can be enjoyed by anybody with any amount of experience! Pinnacle will feature a variety of the most popular fighting games, merch, and an exhibition match featured by Nation Extreme Wrestling, providing 2 full days of just extreme wrestling action. And that’s not all! If you thought wrestling was exciting to watch, just wait till you hear about a few of the games that will be played, such as Dragonball FighterZ, Guilty Gear Strive, Street Fighter V, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate/Melee, Tekken 7, Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, and many more hot titles. Together, this event is hosted by Galint, Vancouver Street Battle, Even Matchup Gaming, and of course, The Gaming Stadium here in Richmond. And with a prize pool of $30,000, you can bet your bottom dollar that players will be competing with their pride, and providing plenty of unforgettable matches. Oh, and did I forget to mention? It’ll be hosted in one of the best venues possible for a convention like this, and for the first time for The Pinnacle after moving from the River Rock Casino, the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Just checked out the venue for The Pinnacle 2021! 2 more weeks until the event! Registration is still open at https://t.co/aBjO4Z3OQU@GamingStadiumCS @VanStreetBattle pic.twitter.com/hsLyodA7hV
— Air (エア) (@TheAirRyu) September 23, 2021
The event will span from October 8th to the 10th, so spectators and players have plenty of time to meet up, enjoy the matches, and experience all there is to love about esports and everything The Pinnacle can provide. By all standards, this is going to be one of the biggest events Canada has ever hosted for esports, and it’s caught the attention of some truly big-name players. Gods of fighting games such as Justin Wong, or Sonicfox, a pair of the all-time rulers of multiple games, have registered already, and they’re bound to show everyone exactly why they’ve been feared for years. Jaw-dropping players such as N0ne and HookGangGod will also be joining in on the fun, and are bound to bring the hype with their stylish plays. Not to mention Kizzie Kay, Supernoon, Punk, the list goes on. The all-stars are here to play, and you don’t want to miss out on the high-level competition these players strive to master. And even if you’re not already familiar with these players, or don’t quite know how fighting games work, the community is kind and helpful, and if there’s any time to learn more and experience the heart of esports, this is it. Esports has been growing more and more over the years, so what could there be to lose on an incredibly stacked event like this?
Pinnacle started as an event back in 2018, and only grew from there. Starting with 492 attendees, and this year, we’re already at 592 and still growing as we are only 2 weeks away from the event. So now would be a great time to look back, and reminisce about the fantastic times had there, such as the first time I was approached by a fan, or the big-name players I got the chance to witness in person, the unexplainably infectious energy of the crowds, the commentators revving up the energy, and the players following suit twofold. As a player, it’s one of the most exciting events to look forward to. As a spectator, or someone entirely out of the loop on esports, it can still be just as exciting, especially if you have someone in the loop to show you what’s going on or to cheer for. In 2019, I had my best friends from high school join me, and as I powered through the tournament to the best of my ability, they cheered me on every step of the way. You can even look back at the old recordings of the event, and see them jump out of their seats lost in the hype just enjoying the matches, despite most of them barely having touched fighting games! It felt incredible to see, and I enjoyed every minute I got to spend there with not only the family of esports fans there but also the joy of seeing my friends who weren’t necessarily into competitive fighting games, also have fun. Goes to show just how accessible the joy of esports can be to anyone!
And this year, there are so many people to keep an eye on, it’s hard to break down. But if we stick to just one of the most fun games to watch, and my favourite, Dragonball FighterZ, it’s about to be a doozy. Me, also known as Suplex+, OogerBooger, and Shmaw are all aiming to train the community up as much as possible, as the current top 3. Aiming to defend our country, as Canada isn’t very well known for being an incredibly strong powerhouse in many esports other than Valorant. But as for our competition, it’s something right out of a dream for me. The aforementioned Sonicfox is going to be competing in Dragonball FighterZ, and they are one of the strongest players known on earth in this game. This nonbinary hero is our rival and our greatest hurdle for defending the country. It’s terrifying, but also incredibly exciting to think about getting the chance to compete against some of the best. Not to mention, Supernoon, one of the players I’ve seen to be one of the best in the world as well, and plenty of the incredible talent from across the border! This isn’t just a mission to protect our pride as Canadian fighters, but to truly test our might against those who are known to be much stronger than many others across the globe. And if you could be interested in seeing this story unfold, alongside many others in other games, you might just want to sign up yourself to see it in person! Or at least, catch the action on stream! If you have any questions, feel free to talk to me directly, and I hope to see as many people at Pinnacle 2021 as possible. It’s gonna be a party, and you’re invited.