The Australian Counter-Strike scene has never been short on passion or excitement, with fans flocking to the Crown Invitational in late 2015 to prove the interest in an international-style tournament; but the real test for the region came with the announcement of IEM Sydney, the biggest esports event to hit Australian shores.
Due to the isolation of the unknown Oceania scene, viewership and attendance numbers were doubted. But the line of apparel-wearing fans stretching past Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena car park three hours before the first of the semifinals on Saturday put paid to ant remaining scepticism.
The four lineups to take the stage in the arena were decided in a prior two-day group stage, which featured eight teams battling it out in a Swiss format: SK Gaming, FaZe Clan, OpTic Gaming and Astralis are all storied teams that had won large-scale events in the past year.
Australian hopefuls in fan-favourites Renegades and Chiefs, the competition's surprise packets, didn't make their way to the playoffs, but the allure of seeing world-class players duke it out in a distant, isolated, yet passionate region still drew a large crowd.
"I would've loved to see an Australian team in the arena; Chiefs got so close and I think the entire scene were on the edge of their seats after that win against North," Kristian, 20, a long-time esports fan, told ESPN.
Kristian had attended many domestic events before, and he revelled in the chance to experience a local tournament even though he isn't a big fan of the top four teams at IEM Sydney.
"I just love watching Counter-Strike, whether it's local teams or the best in the world," he said.
Oliver, a 19-year-old Astralis fan, was excited to support his team in person. "Xyp9x would have to be my favourite player," he told ESPN. "Seeing him win that insane 1v4 on Nuke against FaZe was a big highlight for me."
Astralis ultimately lost the series, but Oliver was glad to see his side bounce back from a deficit on Cobblestone to take the game to a third map.
Many fans will be hoping for Sydney to become a regular stop on the IEM circuit. Not only does an event of this scale open opportunities for people to see their favourite teams play in person, it also helps in the attraction of partnerships, sponsors and investors.
"It's a new level for growth in the scene," said Matthew, 20. "IEM hosting an event Down Under opens the door for more interest and investment in the Oceanic region."
Matthew is an avid CS player and a big fan of the professional scene who looks forward to the possibility of more events taking place in Australia.
This kind of expansion in the domestic scene, which we have seen to an extent over the past year, increases the level and quality of competition, giving more players and teams the ability to do damage against international opponents. The raw talent that a team like Chiefs have to offer will only improve from the experience gained in an event like IEM Sydney.
Gauging fan reactions and the hyped atmosphere of the crowd during the semifinal matches, IEM Sydney has been a success. The chants of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi", and cheering for spectators partaking in a 'shoey', has introduced a new kind of fan engagement to the esports landscape.
Whether or not IEM Sydney sold the tickets or reached the viewers it was after, ESL has opened the door to a new market in a region that, thanks to its isolation from the rest of the esports world, may become its most 'diehard' and passionate fanbase.