Registration is open for 2024 GCI Northern Lights Invitational esports tournament

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The GCI Northern Lights Invitational esports tournament is back for a second year – this time with an even bigger prize pool! Esports players from across the state can now sign up for Alaska’s largest-ever esports tournament. This year, players will compete in Counter-Strike 2 for a chance to win a share of $25,000 in cash prizes. The GCI Northern Lights Invitational is open to Alaska residents only and will take place April 6, 7 and 13. Registration will be open through March 29.

“Last year’s Northern Lights Invitational was such a huge success, drawing more than 300 gamers from over 30 locations in Alaska, we had to bring it back for a second year,” said GCI Chief Marketing Officer Kate Slyker. “GCI is hosting the tournament server in Anchorage, so competitors get the best-possible experience and the lowest-possible ping on GCI’s 2.5 gig internet speeds. With a $25,000 prize pool and a new version of the game, there’s even more on the line for this year’s gamers and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got!”

The GCI Northern Lights Invitational is a Counter-Strike 2 tournament, which features teams of five working together to eliminate other teams or protect or destroy an objective in the first-person tactical shooter. This style of gameplay is consistently the most played on Steam, the largest PC game store, and one of the most watched esports on Twitch.

Signups for this tournament are unique for a prize pool this large. Typical tournaments require teams to sign up with a full group of five. For this event, players can sign up with any group size up to five which means players may sign up by themselves, in small groups or with a full team. Players who sign up by themselves or in small groups will be matched and connected with additional players at their skill level to form a full team. Additionally, players of all skill levels and experience are encouraged to sign up, as long as they are a current Alaska resident.

“We really wanted to make sure this was an inclusive event,” said Slyker. “Allowing people to sign up in this way means that everyone who wants to participate regardless of if they have four teammates to join them or not and regardless of their skill level and Counter-Strike 2 experience. This is intended to be grassroots, we’re happy to include everyone from veteran players to those who are new to esports.”

The tournament opens on April 6. The finals will be played on Saturday, April 13. GCI will host the finals on its Twitch channel and the broadcast will have seasoned Counter-Strike 2 commentators in the booth calling the matches. To sign up to participate, visit https://www.gci.com/nli by March 29.

GCI is a trailblazer when it comes to supporting esports in Alaska and is the official technology sponsor of the Alaska School Activities Association. The company also partnered with University of Alaska Fairbanks to create a first of its kind Alaska Esports Center. This tournament is another way for the company to show its commitment to the growing esports community.

About GCI

Headquartered in Alaska, GCI provides data, mobile, video, voice and managed services to consumer, business, government, and carrier customers throughout Alaska, serving more than 200 communities. The company has invested more than $4 billion in its Alaska network and facilities over the past 40 years and recently launched true standards-based 5G NR service in Anchorage, now the nation’s northernmost 5G service area. Learn more about GCI at www.gci.com. GCI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Broadband Corporation (Nasdaq: LBRDA, LBRDK, LBRDP). Learn more about Liberty Broadband at http://www.libertybroadband.com.