What is the “Brawl Cup” and what makes it special?
“Brawl Stars” is one of the leading mobile games among Lithuanian teenagers, although it is no longer “number 1”. My thirteen-year-old doesn’t care about trends. He even claims that the popularity of “Brawl Stars” is rising. I don’t argue. I have long lost the main battle of “my child will not play on the phone/tablet/computer”.
Read more Lost even 30 kilograms: an incredible thing reduced snacking
On May 15-17, the “Brawl Cup” tournament was held in Berlin – an elite live event where 12 of the best teams in the world met. The main prize (despite $35,000 for the first place winner) was the right to participate in a tournament where $1 million will be shared.
Why should you bring your mom to the “Brawl Cup”?
To make it more fun for the spectators (the arena holds over 4000), an entertainment zone was set up outside the entrance to the tournament building. For each completed task, you get a stamp on a postcard, and finally an exclusive pin. Pin – an emotion icon used during the “Brawl Stars” game, similar to an emoji.
I’m standing in line at one of the tasks while my son is taking photos with YouTubers. I watch what’s happening. Lots of gawking teenagers.
According to the event rules, spectators must be over 12 years old. Those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Seeing other moms, dads, and even grandparents, I calm down, knowing I won’t be the only one.
The parents of the spectators smile somewhat shyly. Their children shout the names of passing players or run chaotically, undecided whether to complete the task or ask for an autograph. When the parents get used to it, everyday life begins – the fox teaches the little foxes how to steal chickens.
Adult games
“Where did you get this stamp?” one mom asks another in line. She can’t stand it because her son, sent three times, didn’t figure it out himself. Then she instructs the teenager. He follows and the stamp collecting speeds up.
One of the tasks is an improvised construction container, covered with garbage bags. Through a hole, you have to put your hand inside and guess by touch which game hero the found item belongs to. When the mom who shared information about the stamps puts her hand into the container, I turn my eyes away. I don’t want to see someone else’s embarrassment. The woman smiles.
The tournament begins. What do the parents do?
When I watch the team duels on the huge screen, I see a lot of movement and flashing. The action takes place at several points (three against three). In short, I don’t understand anything. I keep asking my son – “Who is winning?” He patiently (!) answers. Probably rewarded for my attention to his favorite game.
I look around. One father sits with an open laptop and works. Another plays a mobile game, but not “Brawl Stars”. A mom with a fur scarf walks back and forth to the hall, another hides in her phone. Teenagers stare at the screen, watching the game, but soon some take out their phones. They play “Brawl Stars”.
Human theater
If it weren’t for the huge screen and light play, on stage we would have six slightly hunched young people pressing tablets. When the team logo lights up on the black screen, it looks majestic. The screen splits in half and opens. White smoke appears. From it emerge three dark figures – players. The hall screams. Sometimes louder, sometimes a bit quieter. I wonder what the teams’ popularity is based on. “Everyone likes winners. I don’t care how the English third league football team plays. I’m only interested in Liverpool,” my son explains using an analogy closer to me.
You won’t find third league players among the participants. The elite from all over the world. If we were looking for Ronaldo, it would most likely be the Japanese Tensai. He is still the only one to have become “Brawl Stars” champion three times. It is estimated that this 25-year-old has won about $600,000.
How to answer the question “Are you ready?”
The event host interviews the team leaders before each duel game – are you ready for the duel? “Yes, we are ready,” “We have been waiting for these matches for five years,” “We will win.” Do players have prepared answers? Do they rehearse at home in front of the mirror? If they don’t rehearse, they should. The voice and posture reveal more than you’d like. I see this not only, but also the opponents.
Showing a badge – insult or harmless joke?
From a report about the daily life of e-sports players in Germany, I know that they not only train by playing but also go to the gym, and a physiotherapist comes once a week. Psychological help was not mentioned. It is definitely needed. The tension players experience is huge. Another important topic is relationships within the team or with the opponent.
The team “OnlyRealm” has never won against the Japanese “ZETA DIVISION” in official tournaments, which is considered one of the strongest in “Brawl Stars” history. Will it be different this time? No!
Read more “There was a huge crash”: A tree that fell in Vilnius damaged three cars
At the end of the game, when victory is obvious, the Japanese show three clown pin. I demonstrate literacy, explaining that visual communication is important in Japanese culture. We just saw it a second ago. My “Brawl Stars” expert confronts: “That’s a toxic pin. ‘ZETA’ mocked ‘OnlyRealm’. The fox is silent. The little fox knows this world better.
The code of virtual battle knights of the 21st century
During the break, I listen to a thirteen-year-old’s lecture about the rules of the honor code in virtual 21st-century duels. Showing disrespect to another player is a slippery matter. At one of the “Brawl Stars” tournaments, a player showed a toxic pin to the opponent, thinking he had already won. He was too hasty. Another won. The winner shouted emotionally at the mocker. Another player openly said before the game that the opponents are losers. He said it and lost.
Such situations captured on YouTube Shorts get many views and are more impactful to teenagers than Aesop’s fables. Even those who don’t believe in reincarnation know that you risk “getting karma” for toxic pin or behavior.
What language do “Brawl Stars” players speak?
After the duels, the host interviews the winning team. I forget the answers in such chaos after a minute, but I am surprised that South American and three Japanese teams communicate only through a translator. I did not expect that there are still those in this world who do not speak English. My son insists that players do know English, just maybe not enough to answer quickly spoken host questions fluently.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a German teenager sitting next to me, who is using Google Translate to figure out how to say in Japanese “Can I take a photo with you?”
The best strategy to hunt a star
Watching the autograph and selfie hunting with celebrities, I understand the rules that are probably universal for any event lasting several days.
You need to come on the first day a couple of hours before the start. To be at least in the top ten who will approach them. Everything is fresh, celebrities are in a good mood and miss attention, there are few lines at them. So they hug for a photo. They even accept you into their friends list on their “Brawl Stars” account! The famous Japanese “Crazy Rakoon” team not only agrees to be photographed but fulfills the request – they take photos making a “finger heart” (touching the tips of the thumb and index finger). “Mom, I asked for that for you,” my son explains later. A few days ago, I told him that this gesture was popularized by South Korean pop culture representatives.
On the second day of the tournament, everyone is more irritable. They didn’t sleep well. Lots of stress. Gods wearing different team shirts pass by in a hurry, and security guards (where do organizers get employees with such stern faces?) stretch out their hands to stop you from approaching. On the third day, it’s better not to come. Some are disappointed, others arrogant because they won.
Finally, the final
When the final fight begins on stage on the third day’s evening, the hall explodes with emotions. Only I seem unaffected. I count the time to see if we can eat before the train. I understand the duel ended only from the fact that glitter falls near the stage – something new to the eye, so I notice. “HMBLE” wins. Some scream with joy, others just stay silent. Same for me. Strange, but also for the little fox.
When we sit in a nearby restaurant, through large windows we see Diegogamer passing by. This 19-year-old from Mexico has earned over $33,000 in various “Brawl Stars” tournaments. His mom and dad are holding his arm. All three chat and smile friendly. When you step off the stage, you are just a person.
Was it worth going?
It takes a few days after returning home for everything inside to calm down. The thirteen-year-old says he also “needs to rest”.
“Was it worth going? Would you want to go again?” I ask. My son’s answer is straightforward: “If I went, only to play with the team on stage. I saw that there aren’t as many spectators as it looks on broadcasts. I wanted to see if I could handle the tension and pressure while playing. I could. I wouldn’t be the team leader making strategy, but the one who carries out the task and uses every chance to destroy opponents.”
I can learn from this teenager’s confidence, not only me. But stories about whether such a trip will ever happen will have to wait at least three years. Because you can become an e-sports player at sixteen. Maybe the desire will pass until then?
Now I can enjoy that he saw how the game and players look in reality. He agrees (or not) to be photographed, smiles sincerely or not so much. After all, life is more than YouTube Shorts edited from the best shots selected by a professional.
Read more From Greece – a démarche to Ukraine regarding the marine drone: what they want from Kyiv
