DESIGN NAME: World Cyber Games 2019 Xi'an
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Global eSports Festival
INSPIRATION: WCG 2019 Xi’an’s design’s biggest motif was the WCG logo, the ‘cube’. Our design team interpreted the aspects of the cube, its points, edges, faces, and outline, throughout design application. For example, to illustrate progress and opposition on our stage, the cube’s intersecting edges were used, and to signify harmony, the cube itself was balanced on one edge at the center of the main plaza as a LED monument.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: For the WCG 2019, the main focus was consistent communication. Due to a 6 year absence, there were many challenges to overcome. To absolve these, we overhauled all wording related to design across various forms of documentation, from brand identity to event design, even operations. Consistent communication was required since WCG had evolved from being simply an esports tournament and had grown into an event that offered user engagement programs, a music festival, and conferences.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: The World Cyber Games are the world’s first game Olympics who left the tournament scene 6 years ago. The goal now was to provide a Grand Finals that global fans with 504 athletes from 33 different countries could enjoy. Operations included managing the tournament for the 4 day event, user programs, and management of the Players Lounge for optimal communication and coordination of the athletes. Over the course of 4 days, there was also an EDM festival, an opening ceremony, and a Cosplay program.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: January 2019 kicked off the tournament. The venue was already established at Xi’an, China’s “Xi’an Quijang International Conference & Exhibition Center”. That meant there were 7 months to plan out in detail the space design, communication design, event operations planning and more before the finals in July. The event took place from July 18th to 21st, 2019 over the course of 4 days.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: In production, we focused on effectiveness. All parts of the event space, including pathways, stages, facilities, and others, were planned out to create optimum flow throughout the event. Throughout the construction and application of structures and platforms, banner printing, and more, we maximized efficiency in costs and operations, sticking to the strategy of ‘Choice and Focus’ to maximize detail depending on location, applying the most detail to spaces that received the most attention.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Venue: Xi’an Qujiang International Exhibition center
Total Area: 30,000 sqm
Main Stage: Width 55,000mm x Depth 11,000mm x Height 10,000mm
Centre Plaza: Width 10,000mm x Depth 10,000mm x Height 9,500mm
TAGS: game, eSports, WCG, World cyber games, festival
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: To ensure enjoyment, we conducted research, visiting the site location, interviewing gamers, running simulations and other methods to gather as much data as we could. Our conclusion was that we would have to provide communication design that consistently conveyed that this was a WCG that was here to stay. Consistency was defined by the WCG logo, the ‘cube’. After interpreting its shape multi-dimensionally, it was applied through various communication items like pamphlets and merchandise.
CHALLENGE: The return of WCG was the most difficult hurdle for us to overcome in this project. In the esports industry, change comes fast, in an ever-cycling world of tournaments and trends. Gamers were only familiar with the old, outdated style of previous events. Our greatest task was introducing a new WCG to viewers without erasing the fond memories of older fans. So we presented a show match, starring veteran players from previous WCG tournaments, while introducing new programs and designs.
ADDED DATE: 2019-10-22 09:38:44
TEAM MEMBERS (7) : Operating Directors: Ashley jung, Vicky Jin, Creative Directors: Justin Choi, Jessica Choi, Sr. Account Planners: Han Gao, Jina Cha, Jay Lee, Planners: Scott Shin, Leah Kang, Kevin Ham, Chris Ahn, Sr. Designers: Kimmi Kim, Min Seo, Olivia Shin, Designers: Ella Choi, Joanna Seok, Jed Jung and
IMAGE CREDITS: Kenneth Nienhuser, 2019.
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