GigaZone Gaming Championship Winners Announced

For the last three weekends, Paul Bunyan Communications hosted their annual GigaZone Gaming Championship. The event has grown since it started in 2016 to have over 4,000 guests the last time it was hosted at the Sanford Center. This year, it was turned into a digital broadcast.

The live stream for all three weekends was free to watch. It showed gameplay from popular games including Overwatch and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. And even though the gamers couldn’t meet in person, that didn’t put a stop to the annual costume, or cosplay, contest. This is the first time the event has been done virtually.

The final event was the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament where Hunter Branson came out victorious. He was awarded $500. Ronnie Nguyen of Bemidji got 2nd place and $400. Kenneth Crocker of Grand Rapids finished in 3rd place for $300, and Noland Anderson of Bemidji finished in 4th place for $200.

Roselynn Jones of Cass Lake won the cosplay contest and with it $300. Second place went to David Harper of Ponsford. He was awarded $200. Third was Khoriana Vaerconum of Hibbing, netting $100. There were also two popular vote winners for the Cosplay Contest. They were Hannah Elizabeth Cheney of Cook and Roselynn Jones. They were both awarded $200 each.

The Overwatch 6v6 Tournament was held on Saturday, April 10, and won by Team Yes. The Madden 21 tournament was held on Saturday, April 17, and won by Dain Walters from Grand Rapids.