In 1994, DreamHack began in the basement of a school in Malung, Sweden. It was defined by a simple idea: that you could pack up your entire digital life, haul it to a sports hall, and plug into something bigger than yourself. For three decades, that “something bigger” was represented by the glow of thousands of monitors, an ocean of screens that became the hallmark of our festivals.
As we look toward the next thirty years, we have made the difficult decision to say goodbye to the BYOC LAN component of our festivals.
The ocean of screens isn’t going anywhere.
You will still see the glow. You’ll still compete vs friends to win prizes or bragging rights. The difference is that we are shifting our focus toward providing those experiences for you, ensuring that everyone who walks through our doors has a place to play without the barrier of hauling their own hardware. For example, in our PC Freeplay.
Why now?
Over the last twelve years, we have seen a profound shift in how the community experiences our festivals. While the spirit of gaming has never been stronger, the way we gather has changed. Globally, the number of attendees bringing their own rigs has steadily decreased year over year, making up less than 10% of our total ticket holders in 2025. Simultaneously, the logistical complexity of operating a massive BYOC infrastructure has grown tremendously.
What then is a DreamHack?
We’ve spent a lot of time looking at what makes a DreamHack festival. The true core of this festival has always been about bringing people together. DreamHack has always evolved. We grew from the demo scene into a gaming phenomenon, then into a pioneer of esports, and more recently, a home for the creator community. That spirit is permanent. The heart of the festival is not the cable under the desk; it’s the person sitting at it.
A more open footprint
We have no intention of shrinking. In fact, DreamHack will have more interactive content than ever. By sunsetting the BYOC area, we are reclaiming a massive amount of physical space to dedicate to the things you love.
There are still BYOC’s to explore
We are incredibly proud that the phenomenon of the LAN has grown far beyond our walls. There are now incredible LANs happening all over the world, especially in our home of Sweden. We love these events, and we encourage those of you who live for the BYOC experience to continue supporting them.
DreamHack was built on the idea that everything is better when we do it together. That hasn’t changed.
– The DreamHack Team
