GEORGIA iNSIDER — “Today, gaming is in every man’s hand.”

There are over 3 billion gamers worldwide, and from May 15-17 about 60,000 of those gaming fanatics will convene at the Georgia World Congress Center for the largest-ever DreamHack festival hosted by ESL FACEIT Group.

It will transform downtown Atlanta into the ultimate gamer haven. 

Esports competitors, casual gamers and streamer fans will be able to take part in the festival. It will feature tournaments, an artist alley, developer displays, streamer meetups, cosplay, free play and several major competitions with high-dollar prizes. 

Gone are the days of gaming as a niche community or “nerdy” culture. ESL FACEIT Group Festival Director Kalle Pilfak said when the festival began in Sweden in 1994, there was a drastically different digital landscape. 

“It was about internet culture, which back then was something that was kind of related to basement dwellers and nerds, you know?” Pilfak said. 

Things are different today. According to Pilfak, games are in “every man’s hand.” In 2025 alone the video game market generated roughly $189 billion in revenue, according to the Global Games Market Report. Meanwhile, esports is projected to reach a $7.46 billion market by 2030.

“It’s booming, but it’s booming in a sustainable way,” Pilfak said. 

CBS ATLANTA — The Dino Safari has transformed the Mall of Georgia's parking lot to take visitors back in time to a glowing prehistoric world where life-sized dinosaurs roam.

WATCH HERE

90.1FM WABE (NPR) — Georgia wants to position itself at the forefront of the growing world of sports technology.

The Georgia Sports Innovation Coalition hosted its inaugural GENEXSIS summit. The conference seeks to promote sports innovation while building more avenues for young people to enter the industry.

Over a hundred people fill the Tech Square Atlanta’s Clubhouse. The summit brought together invited athletes, researchers and leaders from organizations such as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Syracuse University. “Georgia Tech is proud to provide this venue,” said Jud Ready, the executive director for the Space Research Institute at Tech. 

“We’re trying to establish multiple different things. First are research programs, second are academic classes, third are collaborations with corporations and industry, as well as the state government,” said Ready.

From fan experiences to in-game communications, attendees heard from industry leaders about how technology is transforming sports and entertainment. [MORE]

CBS NEWS ATLANTA — The Georgia World Congress Center has officially transformed into a gamer's paradise this weekend as DreamHack Atlanta kicks off its 2025 festival — one of the largest gaming events in the country.

More than 40,000 gamers, fans, and esports enthusiasts are expected to fill the halls for three days of tournaments, interactive exhibits, and nonstop gaming energy. From EA Sports competitions to Clash of Clans showdowns, DreamHack is drawing players from around the globe — each hoping to level up their skills and, for some, their bank accounts. [MORE]

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — If you’re looking for something to do this Halloween weekend, you can celebrate the holiday as well as fall at events including Halloween on the Roof, which features trick-or-treating, games and more atop Ponce City Market. Ready to move on from the ghosts and goblins? Head to Stone Mountain Park for the annual Native American Festival and Pow Wow, or enjoy three days of gaming-centric fun at DreamHack.

Check out the following 15 family-friendly things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend: Join in the fun and celebrate gaming with three days of esports, cosplay, a Halloween costume contest with more than $20,000 in prizes and 1,000-plus special guests, including artists and creators and more to the Georgia World Congress Center on Friday through Sunday.

KRQE, FOX NEWS — From mini-golf to laser tag, guests got to experience a night of games and stunts, and all for a good cause. To raise awareness for ALS, the Love Life Stunt Carnival took place at Revel ABQ.

The organization, Love Life ALS, hosted a benefit night with games, music, and stunt performers. Guests were encouraged to send donations and learn more about the lifelong disease. The event had plenty of fun activities to choose from and gave the community the chance to connect.

“Just to give people the opportunity to meet other ALS people, in the volunteer network as well too. Because when you get diagnosed, it feels like a movie. It doesn’t feel real until it hits you a little bit later. So, hopefully, I just want people to know they’re not alone and we’re in this fight together,” said Glenn Love, a Love Life ALS creator. [MORE]

ANIMATION MAGAZINE — As the old entertainment models crumble, animation professionals are finding new, original and creative ways to put their creative work out there for audiences around the world. Genevieve LeDoux, a writer and musician who was a producer on the Emmy-winning series Tumble Leaf, found a new way to apply her creative talents after the COVID pandemic days of 2020 disrupted the traditional entertainment models.[MORE]

After moving to Atlanta with her husband, VFX producer Chris LeDoux (Crafty Apes), she launched a new company called Silver Comet Productions and created a first-of-its-kind multi-media universe titled Star Forest, which features a colorful, virtual band of animated characters. The titular characters deliver catchy synth-wave pop music (co-written by The Owl House composer Andrew Morgan Smith) and convey a timely message of kindness, friendship and connecting with nature through real music and immersive stories designed to meet kids where they are.

We had the chance to catch up with Genevieve to find out more about her innovative mix of fun songs, anthropomorphic animals and eye-pleasing 3D and 2D animation. [MORE]

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSITUTION — After 15 years of running the Facebook group Gluten Free Atlanta, founder Stephanie Pardue and the Monday Night Brewing team will bring the first Gluten Free Atlanta Fest to the city.

On Sunday, the Grove at Monday Night Brewing in west Midtown will transform into a dedicated gluten-free space. The kitchens and pizza ovens will be cleaned and converted to making gluten-free products, two taps will dispense gluten-free beer and more than 20 vendors will set up shop around the Grove’s expansive outdoor space.

“(The festival) is the first time we’re having any kind of Atlanta recognition of gluten-free,” Pardue said. “So it’s huge to me and to my little group — huge.”

Monday Night Brewing has been a friend to the gluten-free community for about three years now. It started when brewer Tim McDonnell’s wife discovered she had a gluten allergy. McDonnell partnered with a gluten-free malting house to create a beer his wife could continue enjoying, co-owner Joel Iverson said. [MORE]

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — Two restaurants are opening on opposite sides of the Beltline this week. Northern China Eatery opened its second location along the Eastside Beltline on Thursday, while Monday Night Brewing is debuting the Grove, its west Midtown expansion on the Northwest Beltline Trail.

After operating for more than a decade at 670 Trabert Ave. NW, Monday Night Brewing made a major investment in growing its footprint.

The Grove includes a 7,400-square-foot indoor taproom that also serves cocktails, and more than 17,000 square feet of outdoor space that fronts the newest section of the Northwest Beltline, featuring a patio, fire pits and a canopy of native trees.

The new space opens to the public Saturday with festivities throughout the weekend. [MORE]

SAPORTA REPORT — Monday Night Brewing is set to open a massive new indoor taproom and outdoor space just steps from the Beltline on Aug. 23, with a full kitchen, coffee and brews for customers to explore. 

The Grove is a 17,000 square foot expansion of Monday Night Brewing’s West Midtown taproom. It includes two massive pizza ovens with a full dining menu, a cocktail bar, daily coffee service and a hefty beer list. 

It’s a big change from the garage where Jeff Heck and his co-founders, Joel Iverson and Jonathan Baker, started brewing together on Monday nights over a decade ago. 

“As you can tell, this place is quite a bit of an upgrade from my garage, and from our original spot right next door,” Heck said. 

The Grove will be the main hangout space, while the original taproom will be set aside mostly for private events. By day, the 7,400 square foot taproom will serve coffee, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. Then the space will transition into a full-on brewery with 30 rotating beers on tap, a seasonal cocktail menu and a full wood-fired pizza menu. [MORE]

CURRENT – Blake Liller was first introduced to the drums when he was 4 years old, messing around on an old drum set in his basement. Slowly getting more involved with music as he grew up, Liller has signed on to tour with cinematic rock band City of Sound. 

“I pretty much grew up on the game Rock Band,” he said. “I started getting into church bands at Mercy Road (in Carmel) in fifth or sixth grade, and that was great practice because you have to play live on stage. Throughout high school, I did marching band and got to learn a lot through that.” 

… As Liller prepares for his debut slated for Aug. 28 at Dragon Con — a pop-culture, sci-fi, fantasy and gaming convention — in Atlanta, Ga., he never thought he would be playing on such a big stage. 

“I’m super stoked to be up there with these guys,” Liller said. “To play an event as big as Dragon Con as my first event with them, that’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” [MORE]

FOX 5 ATLANTA — On the last day of the Atlanta Comic & Pop Culture Convention, FOX LOCAL took over. Check out full interviews with Lou Ferrigno (the Incredible Hulk), actor Quinton Aaron (The Blind Side), Chris Provost (Provost Park Pass on YouTube), Genevieve LeDoux (Star Forest), Brian Rushby (Red Five), and Chelsie Stoker.