On November 17, WePlay Esports announced WePlay Dragon Temple, its first fighting game tournament in Mortal Kombat 11 (MK11). The title is part of the legendary Mortal Kombat series that has been out since 1992.

Professional players, hosts, and commentators will gather in our new WePlay Esports Arena Kyiv on December 10–13. The event prize pool is $60,000. All-in-one fighting game hub DashFight will provide exclusive coverage and interviews as the event’s official media partner.

We met with General Manager Americas Anton Gribovskiy to find out why WePlay Esports chose the fighting game genre and how the team plans to host the tournament amid the pandemic.

Are you excited about the upcoming event? 

Yes, I am! December is the month of new beginnings for the company. We invite teams to the first venue of WePlay Esports’ global arena network to compete in our first fighting game tournament ever. And what’s more, WePlay Dragon Temple will become the first offline tournament since the lockdown began. 

So will people cheer for their favorites in person?

No, it will be the “2020” kind of offline event. We will ensure that the tournament is safe for everyone involved. Only players, some hosts, and team members whom we need on the spot will be at the WePlay Esports Arena Kyiv. Everyone will be tested for COVID-19 before the event, and a negative test result will be a pass for the arena. The good news is that the broadcast viewers will be able to see the winners holding a trophy on stage during an awards ceremony on December 13. Just like the good old days!

Now it’s time for more strategic questions. Why is WePlay Esports tapping into the fighting game scene?

We believe that fighting games are the closest to traditional sports. They're both easy to understand and fascinating to watch — a great combination to reach and please a wide audience. At the same time, we feel that the fighting game community is underserved in terms of effort. Many aspects could be done better. So, WePlay Esports is entering to fill these gaps.

Mortal Kombat is a legendary and well-known title with a passionate community around the world. We're excited to start our journey with the MK11 event.

We aim to create a new mainstream entertainment product by merging the sports and esports worlds and spicing it all up with our signature production. 

Will WePlay Esports organize more fighting game tournaments, or is this a one-time event? 

WePlay Dragon Temple opens a new chapter in our tournament history. That’s all I can say for now. Stay tuned to know more about our future events!