Horizon: MersEsports 2025, held at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on July 12th and 13th, marked a milestone as the first event of its kind in the United Kingdom dedicated entirely to esports and gaming.
According to the organisers, Horizon: MersEsports 2025 featured “intense esports competition”. The event spotlighted the UK’s top grassroots talent in a premier first-person shooter tournament, alongside an electrifying Rocket League showdown that drew crowds both onsite and online. Top esports organisations were present to scout players, with prizes and professional opportunities up for grabs.
Attendees — from esports fans and families to casual gamers — also enjoyed participating businesses, PC hardware demos, interactive challenges, and hands-on gaming experiences.
Capitalising on the market gap
The event filled a growing void for large-scale esports and gaming festivals outside London, following the decline of long-running UK gaming events in recent years.
Horizon: MersEsports successfully demonstrated that there’s an appetite for regional esports gatherings, blending gaming culture, interactive activities, and competitive gaming — much like the immersive experiences you find when you explore Ontario’s best casino sites, where digital entertainment meets real-world engagement.
Welcoming hardcore esports fans, grassroots players, and casuals
The event stood out as a grassroots tournament, featuring online qualifiers that culminated in a Liverpool final. With pre-set gaming setups, no equipment was required from participants. Beyond the main theatre competitions, attendees could explore additional interactive and gaming-focused activities.
The organisers have expressed intentions to expand Horizon to other UK regions, helping grow the national esports ecosystem. They are also in discussions with esports teams to identify new talent and potentially offer boot camps and “meet-the-pros” experiences for winners.
What Attendees Experienced
- Rocket League (Sunday) and FPS (Saturday) tournaments featuring top grassroots players
- Tournaments and casual challenges open to all skill levels
- The chance to enjoy the spectacle as a spectator or immerse yourself in festival-style gaming fun
- Access to the latest PC and console hardware from major developers
- Virtual reality experiences, esports training challenges, retro arcade titles, and simulation racing
- Networking with fellow fans, esports organisations, and brands
Regional Esports Throughout the UK
Horizon: MersEsports served as a pioneering step toward establishing regional esports events across the UK. Building on the success of last year’s Eisteddfod esports competition in Wales, Horizon demonstrated the potential for grassroots events outside of traditional hubs.
The North West’s vibrant gaming community — particularly in Liverpool and Merseyside — finally saw its first major esports event. With ambitions to expand nationwide, Horizon aims to become a fixture in the UK esports calendar.
For too long, esports tournaments in the UK were centred around Birmingham and London. Bringing that experience to Liverpool’s gaming community — including players, fans, and families — marked the start of what Horizon hopes will become a nationwide movement.
Beyond the Exhibition Centre
The competition was streamed live on Streams+, allowing fans from around the world to experience the action. By offering an online broadcast, MersEsports ensured that Horizon wasn’t just a local gathering but a global showcase for UK esports talent.
Who Was Horizon: MersEsports For?
Horizon: MersEsports welcomed fans, players, brands, colleges, and creators passionate about games and esports. The MersEsports network also included major teams, IT companies, local organisations, and educational institutions.
Attendance and Audience
Across the weekend, between 5,000 and 10,000 people attended in person or tuned in via Twitch and Streams+. The audience mix — esports enthusiasts, families, students, and grassroots gamers — made it an ideal platform for community engagement, recruitment, and brand activation.
