Rooster Teeth gaming convention draws over 60,000 to Austin
For the sixth time, the state's largest gaming and internet event has taken over downtown Austin.
"What we've done is we've accumulated 60,000 of our closest friends and for three days we've decided to all play video games together and hang out," Geoff Ramsey, Rooster Teeth co-founder, said.
What began for Rooster Teeth co-founders Geoff Ramsey and Gus Sorola as a gathering in a parking lot.
"The first RTX we did, we had 500 attendees. We were actually going for 200 attendees but they all registered so quickly that it broke our site.That was in 2011, that was just a few years ago. Now here we are in 2016 and we've gone from 500 to 60,000," Ramsey said.
Has exploded into an international event that has attracted avid online gamers, fans, and characters from around the world.
"The people make it cool. Everyone is just so accepting and friendly and there is always something for everybody," Alyssa Diaolo, an online gamer, said.
"There's people that are nuclear engineers, people that work in hospitals, or people who just work but all in one, deep down we all love the same thing: Rooster Teeth. It's the best thing to be in a giant building with everyone who loves the same thing," Raphael Magalong, an online gamer, said.
But perhaps the most important thing RTX has done, is provide so many a place to call home.
"It's amazing because you fit in everywhere. Everyone is the same. Everyone is here for the same reasons really and no one judges you. It's just great," Dallas Van Houwelingen, an online gamer, said.
"This is so important because a lot of people who associate themselves with online content and gaming, there is still sort of a stigma about it. Nerds are still a thing. So when all of the nerds can come together and find people who get it, it's a big deal for them. People are just so happy to have people that understand," Samantha Colbert, an online gaming fan, said.
The one thing Austin will soon understand is next year's event, scheduled for July 7th through the 9th, is only going to get bigger.
"I heard there is going to be 180,000 people next year," Ramsey said jokingly.
"That is not true but there will be a lot of people," Sorola said.