TF2 returns to the Insomnia Gaming Festival at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, for Insomnia71. EssentialsTF proudly presents the 6v6 open tournament; teams of all skill levels are welcome to compete. Be sure to catch the action live on the EssentialsTF Twitch Channel or in-person - LAN Tickets are currently on sale!

This year’s event at insomnia boasts its own “TF2 Zone” - a 36 computer setup serving TF2 players exclusively. Competitors may use a machine on a turn-by-turn basis. Priority will be granted to those who are scheduled to have a tournament match in order to reinforce tournament schedule and fairness in playtime.

It is heavily encouraged that you bring your own peripherals if you plan on competing. Insomnia cannot promise the quality of the hardware that they may provide for each PC available.

This new TF2 dedicated area may be accessed by anybody holding a Weekend Admission Ticket - If you are more interested in the social aspect of LAN, this saves you having to buy a BYOC Ticket in the circumstance that you are not competing. For the regular competitor, rentals may no longer be a necessity due to the aforementioned PCs being provided with no charge. Consequently, this Insomnia’s TF2 event potentiates greater savings compared to that of its predecessors for all attendants.

Of course with every benefit, there is a slight hitch. Insomnia71 will be taking place in September. This is surely a huge deterrent for many players who previously enjoyed the convenience of planning their trip to LAN within the summer holiday period. As a result, we may expect to see less of our favourite players competing this year. This shouldn't, however, discourage those who are able to attend, as LAN has and always will be the ultimate community experience for TF2 players.

Prize Pool:

Insomnia offers a prize pool of £3000 which will be split between the top four teams. The teams that finish in each position will be rewarded accordingly:

• 1st place: £1500
• 2nd place: £900
• 3rd place: £400
• 4th place: £200

Event Start: Friday 8th September

Event End: Sunday 10th September

You can find out more about the event and EssentialsTF here. Further information, such as Signups and Tournament Format are yet to be announced.