After four years of staying and online variants during the corona pandemic, Norway’s biggest data festival will be held physically again. During the most popular years, the festival has had up to 5,000 participants. This year, the figure is more than halved. Around 2,000 have signed up. ARTISTS: There are usually several entertainment offers during the festival. This year includes Subwoolfer. Photo: The Gathering Can be explained by the pandemic The fact that the number of registrants has fallen this year may be an effect of people becoming more used to doing things from home after the pandemic. Andreas Hagen, who works in the editors of the festival, thinks so. – I think many people have probably opened their eyes to the fact that what you can do in the Viking ship works just as well from your own gaming room. It probably has something to do with people having new ways of thinking. WITH SINCE 2012: Hamarsingen Andreas Hagen, who works with The Gathering, was a participant in 2012. Since 2015, he has been involved as a volunteer. Photo: The Gathering He explains that they have made changes to adapt to fewer people taking part. That is why this year it is already sold out with around 2,000 registrants. – This year we have changed the seating a bit, because this year the participants have almost twice as much space to romp around. But the event will be just as good, if not better, he believes. Online during the pandemic Every Easter, The Gathering is held in the Viking ship in Hamar. The data meeting is among the world’s largest, and lasts for five days straight. During the corona pandemic, they held digital versions of the festival. – We have tried to keep The Gathering spirit alive by running online in the years it has been cancelled, says Hagen. ENTERTAINMENT: Various forms of entertainment and competitions take place during the festival. Photo: The Gathering And even though the number of registrants has dropped, they are satisfied with the turnout. – I would say that we are quite satisfied. – Of course, you hope for a full Viking ship, but with what we have achieved and new ideas in relation to places, entertainment and competitions, I would say that it will be a good event regardless. Most important meeting place for gamers Lars Peter Østrem, deputy chairman of the Norwegian eSports Association, also believes that the pandemic may be partly to blame. – But it is difficult to say for sure, he says. Lars Peter Østrem, deputy chairman of the Norwegian E-Sports Association, believes the number of participants will increase again next year. Photo: Privat He points out that there are many events that are struggling to raise the number of participants after several years of cancellations, of which the data meeting in Hamar can also be an example. – Gaming is the easiest activity to do from home, then there is no need to travel away like before. But what The Gathering has managed to do is be such a large social arena. It is the most important meeting place for gamers in Norway, he points out. – I think there will be even more next year when the corona is further behind us. The fact that gamers can gather during the computer meeting in the Viking ship helps to work against unculture in the gaming environment. – The good thing about gathering socially is that you can deal with hate speech and talking down others, and especially against girls. MORE SPACE: This year, the participants will have more space to frolic. Photo: The Gathering – Can take time Tilmann von Soest is professor of psychology at the University of Oslo. He has been involved in investigating how the pandemic has affected young people in a number of areas of life. YOUTH RESEARCHER: Tilman von Soest is a professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo. Photo: University of Oslo Many have worried that young people would not return to leisure activities after the pandemic, he says. However, their data shows that many young people behave as before. – But The Gathering is quite special. It may have something to do with the fact that it is strongly linked to data and activities you can do from home, he says. He believes that with time the data meeting can also become as popular as before. – I think that this can also be something that takes some time, he says. PROMISES A GOOD FESTIVAL: Andreas Hagen in the editors of The Gathering says that this year’s festival will be just as good, if not better, than before. Photo: The Gathering Provides more facilities for girls New this year is that Gamer Gæls has a collaboration with The Gathering, writes communications manager Stian Tørstad in a press release. – Gamer Gæls was founded to make the environments around gaming and computer culture safer and better for girls, who are the group that experiences by far the most harassment, he writes. THINKING NEWLY: The Gathering is thinking new things about this year’s festival, which will be the 31st in a row. This is stated by communications manager Stian Tørstad. Photo: The Gathering The goal is that The Gathering should be experienced safely for everyone. – The girls also get their own row of tables at this year’s festival. This is in stark contrast to our first year in 1992, where there was not a single girl present. The proportion of girls at The Gathering has also increased every single year.
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The Gathering data festival back after the pandemic – visitor numbers more than halved – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
