24-hour BFG gaming event in Rotorua

The Bay Fraternity of Gamers is this weekend hosting a 24-hour gaming event in Rotorua.

The fraternity of friends, who play mainly PC games but also console games, are in the process of gaining charitable status to function as a formal organisation with a big goal - to host a 2000-person event at the Energy Events Centre.

Bay Fraternity of Gamers vice-president Matthew Dawson said the fraternity was a pet project of his and he wanted to see it grow.

"Basically, about 12 years ago, I started going to a local area network group at the bowling club in Whakatane - just when gaming was starting to take over the world."

He said the group started talking about a formal Bay Fraternity of Gamers concept to govern the region and create a wider network for gamers. "So we created a committee to fulfil the goal of getting it up and running."

Mr Dawson said after high school everyone went their separate ways and only in recent years had they got it back functioning.

He said they were at the stage where the fraternity had to gain charitable status as a non-profit organisation to grow.

"The biggest event we have had was probably about 100 people."

He said that as a charitable trust the organisation could apply for grants and deal with funds in a better manner for hiring sites, paying electricity bills and gaining partnerships.

Mr Dawson said they were working with the Auckland equivalent processing a constitution which is required for any non-profit organisation.

"As we get bigger our goal is to host a 2000-person event at the Energy Events Centre."

He said they had worked with some of the Waiariki Level 7 information technology students to see if it was possible, and they concluded it was.

Mr Dawson said Battlefield 3 was the most popular game at the moment.

This weekend's 24-hour gaming event at Waiariki Institute of Technology will start at 8am on Saturday and finish at 8am on Sunday.