A1 Austrian eSports Festival and Spielefest Wien Attract 25,500 Visitors

The A1 Austrian eSports Festival and the Spielefest Wien (Vienna Games Festival) took place together for the second time this year and were once again a great success. Visitor numbers rose by around 20 per cent, with 200 exhibitors attending and high-ranking politicians in attendance.

Around 25,500 visitors came to the Austria Center Vienna last weekend for the A1 Austrian eSports Festival and the Spielefest Wien (Vienna Games Festival). Last year, there were 21,700 visitors. The concept of the joint event therefore seems to be working.

"The A1 Austrian eSports Festival has become the most important event for the entire eSports and gaming community in Austria. With over 25,500 gamers, internationally renowned tournaments and as the fastest growing eSports event in Europe, we were once again able to demonstrate our international calibre and further advance Austria's position as a gaming location in Europe," said Manuel Haselberger, organiser of A1 Austrian eSports and press spokesman for E-Sport Verband Austria.

The festival is also popular with politicians. Guests included Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler and State Secretary Alexander Pröll. "E-sports brings people together, promotes team spirit, strategic thinking and digital skills. It is an innovative economic sector with its own professions, degree programmes and a strong young community," said Babler at the opening. According to the organisers, the A1 Austrian eSports Festival and the Spielefest Wien attracted over 200 exhibitors and more than 1,000 gaming and play stations.

Perhaps this is why the organisers refer to it as ‘Austria's largest esports and gaming event’ in their final report. In terms of visitor numbers, however, the event still lags significantly behind Gamecity Wien Game City Vienna, which takes place in and around Vienna City Hall in mid-October. Gamecity Wien attracted 85,000 visitors in 2024.

Spielefest Wien was revived in 2024 after the event agency Skilled Events and New Media, which also organises the A1 Austrian eSports Festival, took over the role of organiser. This has resulted in an event that offers the usual mix of gaming, eSports, board games, live stage programme, cosplay, artists and indie games with growing success.

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