This past weekend, 12,500 Dota 2 fans from around the world congregated in Frankfurt to watch some truly incredible games, with over 500,000 more watching at home via the internet. There were a number of factors that made ESL One Frankfurt so incredible: the teams who played their hearts out, the commentators who barely stopped to breathe and the crew who tirelessly worked around the clock. However, it was most definitely the crowd who brought the whole event together.

The energy from the crowd was tangible, screaming themselves hoarse, their thundersticks constantly clapping. Many of the stadium staff commented about how much more lively the crowd was than the football fans who usually fill the Commerzbank-Arena. At the end of the tournament, a magical moment occurred when the audience united to chant for Invictus Gaming’s ChuaN.

Love for Dota 2 and eSports was evident. The cosplay competition was beyond impressive - the sheer amount of hours and dedication that must have been poured into those costumes is unimaginable. People queued all the way to the stadium entrance to get players’ autographs. Some of the most popular workshop artists answered questions for hundreds of fans and explained the intricacies of their designs.

A huge thank you to all those in attendance who helped make this event as remarkable as it was - we hope to see you at another ESL event soon! Above is a Facebook album of the crowd at the event, feel free to tag yourself or people that you know!