Introduction

Welcome to the first of many upcoming LAN reviews. I have traveled around the country and attended LANs and helped coordinate and run LANs from 10-person basement overnighters to four-day massive events. I am hoping to bring to you a look at some of the best LANs from around the world, small and big, good and bad, and give gamers an opportunity to experience more of what they love to attend.

When it comes to LANs, there are only a few in the United States that can push the limits in size, competitiveness, and most of all—fun. Along with QuakeCON, MillionManLAN, and PDX, EverLAN is the LAN from Colorado that has continually hosted increasingly better events since its establishment in 2002. After laying dormant for a year and a half, EverLAN has arisen again to throw its come-back party to start off 2006 with a bang. Featuring a $21,000 Counter-Strike: Source tournament and a never-before-seen-at-a-LAN series World of Warcraft challenges, this LAN in the snow-capped Colorado is determined to throw one hell-of-an event.

The beautiful city of Denver

The start of EverLAN was a bit gloomy with a big overnight snow fall covering the roads in ice the night before the event opened. Although temperatures settled somewhere between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, gamers from all over the United States drove and flew out to the Denver Merchandise Mart; just a few miles north of Invesco Field where the AFC Championship Game of the Broncos versus the Steelers occurred on the final Sunday. On a snowy but sunny Friday, January 20th morning, the doors to EverLAN opened and the crowd of gamers who had lined up made their way in to start the 3-day gaming festival.