Gaming
esports
MYNNO, celebrating Halo and the BIPOC Creators who love it
MYNNO’s Halo Infinite Invitational welcomed diverse gamers of various experience levels to compete for a $1,000 prize pool (among other prizes) with a networking and socialising element
Nothing brings people together like an afternoon of Halo and, for various sections of the gaming community looking to amplify each others’ platforms; a new Halo release is just the right occasion to learn from (and give back to) your contemporaries.
Meet MYNNO, a Toronto-based organization aimed at supporting and showcasing BIPOC (black, Indigenous, and people of colour) creators. To wrap up 2021 with something both inclusive and entertaining, they hosted a Halo Infinite tournament, inviting Canada’s diverse gaming community to network and compete at the Red Bull Gaming Studio in Toronto on December 12th.
Not only did Halo bring together the gaming community for this specific event, but it was also how MYNNO’s founding members, Kurston "kvondoom" Timothy and Omar "Meez" Williams, met. Well aware of the fact that minorities can struggle to be seen and be validated within the gaming community, the two created a group with this and, of course, a focus on Halo, in mind. With, of course, a focus on Halo.
“Halo is kind of like a culture-shifting game. It’s very much like a traditional arena shooter, but everyone knows the game, and it doesn't matter if you are competitive or casual, you could jump into Halo and have fun,” said Timothy. “The multiplayer is free and easily accessible for a lot of people. If you have a console or computer, or a tablet or a phone, you can play the game anywhere.”
In partnership with Xbox Canada and Paidia Gaming, the Halo Infinite Invitational was streamed live on Twitch. MYNNO co-founder Meez and commentator BeatDownBlvd held down the broadcast commentary, with behind the scenes support from MYNNO member JustWulfGaming. Viewers at home got to witness attendees compete for various prizes, as well as a $1000 prize pool provided by Paidia. While the tournament was all the chat monsters got to see, the real focus of the event was for a community in need of networking events to be able to have a social gathering at a time when those are in short supply.
Red Bull Gaming Studio Holiday Edition
© Victoria Bacnis
Initially going by Team Black Game Pros, MYNNO decided that name was too restrictive and they needed a rebrand.
“There’s so many other minority groups that need representation, and we can do that for them,” said Williams.
He explained the name MYNNO, “is like a double entendre. It’s kind of short for minority, and then the second meaning is the fish, like a literal minnow in a big pond. As minorities, we’re small, but people know we exist.”
MYNNO’s event followed a different format than most Halo gaming tournaments. They wanted to run a team tournament, but did not want anyone to be left out if they did not have a partner to register with.
“There’s two phases. First phase is a free-for-all. They group up and each play in a group of four. After a few matches, the two players who have the most kills at the end of those few games move onto the next round, and then those two players are now a team. Then we will have about four groups. So now even if you came by yourself, you can still enjoy the team portion of the event if you don’t have a partner,” Timothy explained.
Two of the players who ended up being teammates in this format consisted of Celeste Anderson and Steven Vegvari. Calling their team the Gravekeepers, the talented duo did not lose a single game in the duration of the entire tournament.The result was not very surprising, as Anderson had played Halo competitively for a long time, saying, “I’m 32 now. I competed from 15 to my late 20’s, and then I transitioned from being a competitive player to working in esports.”
She was delighted to be part of the tournament and MYNNO’s overall vision.
“There's been a lot of highlights for particular players to be a certain gender or certain race over the years. Now it’s becoming more known in spaces, where the minorities are starting to kind of unite together, like on Twitch and here. I really enjoy what MYNNO’s vision is.”
Along with diversity within the gaming community, another one of MYNNO’s visions is to create a space for creators to get together, build connections, and be able to hold large events such as this to further promote their cause.
Describing the social aspect of the event, Anderson added “We all had a nice chat this morning. There’s newer Halo players and then there’s myself that has been playing Halo for a long time. It’s really fun to see how we’re both enjoying the game, and I think it creates a type of community bond.”
As for Vegvari, JustWulfGaming likened his incredible skills displayed on stream to Spiderman, joking, “Let me reintroduce everybody to Steven Parker. We have Peter Parker's little brother swinging around this map like it’s nobody’s business, like it’s New York City. Steven is out of control.”
Combining their talents in the game with extraordinary teamwork, they blew the competition out of the water. “That is what they are so good at. As soon as one person is alone, they will get them from both sides so no matter where you run, there is somebody waiting to get that kill,” commentated Williams. “They’re just too good. The teamwork is just unreal between Steven and Celeste,” added BeatDownBlvd.
The Gravekeepers won a perfect 6-0 in the duos portion of the tournament, along with the first place prize of $750 from the pooled $1,000. Their competition in the finals, team Akatsuki, came in second place and won the remaining $250.
While this was their first official event, MYNNO is planning on continuing their mission with upcoming events and news that will be announced on their social media.
“One of the goals is to create that space where no matter what you are, your sexual preferences, your sexual identity, your race. You can come here with open arms. We’re all equal,” said Williams. “I’m hoping that this tournament is a good first step towards letting everybody know that’s what we’re about.”
