A new Melbourne-based esports collective, REKT, is opening with a $5,000 Rainbow Six tournament. Run by Robert “Manic” Munday and Alex “Skye” McCallum, the duo is looking to bring more esports to Victoria — with a more personable approach.
Esports in Melbourne is continuing to grow in 2021, with newcomer to the scene REKT launching on February 25.
The collective, run by Rainbow Six veterans Robert “Manic” Munday and Alex “Skye” McCallum is kicking off with a one-day Rainbow Six event, sponsored by OMEN.
The OMEN Gauntlet will feature four teams battling it out over a winner-takes-all $5,000 prize pool. The competition is set to take place on March 6, with Skye and Manic looking to bring a more laid-back broadcast (think more Summit, and less ESL) to Australian screens.
“Most events in Australia were more formal in their delivery. It definitely felt like it was all directed to dedicated esports fans. We felt as if there was space for a really fun event; that still kept the entertainment value of the competitiveness of the games, but had a much more personable approach to the content and delivery of talent,” Manic told Snowball.
The Gauntlet will be a stepping stone for REKT to potentially expand into other titles. While they’re set to stick with Siege for now, Munday wants to try and imbue the essence of Melbourne into every broadcast.
“A big driving force behind this is the lack of opportunity for Melbourne-based esports folk. We believe that there are so many people with the passion and ability to create something incredible here. Our focus will be around embedding the Melbourne DNA and culture into everything we create,” he said.
“Melbourne has always been the home of underground vibes. From its street art, to the expensive oat latte’s, this city is a great place to build something different. That’s what we are looking to focus on. We don’t wish to compete with the best of the best, we want to deliver something that is creative and unique compared to anything in the market.”
REKT plans on further collaborating with local developers and sponsors to try and carve out a niche for themselves in the market. Munday described it as a “couple of larrikans looking to have fun,” but their sights are set high.
“The sky is the limit, and of course, we have big ambitions. For now, we are just focused on adding value to this scene and ensuring the quality of this event,” he said.
More details on the OMEN Gauntlet can be found on the REKT collective’s Twitter.
