Glen Ellyn, Ill. - On October 20th and 21st, 2023, the top 128 Big Buck Hunters from the United States, Canada and Australia convened in Chicago, Ill., to take their shot at the largest prize pool in Big Buck World Championship history, a massive $115,000, and the coveted title of Big Buck World Champion. The 16th annual edition of the world’s #1 arcade esports competition took over Joe’s Bar On Weed St. in the heart of bustling Chicago. The energy was palpable from eager competitors anxiously waiting to take aim at their hard-earned spot on stage with an incredible amount of cash up for grabs. Players showed up in force, driving the number of Pro Mode participants to 16,390, making it the largest single year of qualifying in the history of the event. The double-elimination tournament spanned two days - and at the end of it all, only one hunter would hoist the Pappy’s Jug trophy and a $25,000 check.
As always, the Big Buck World Championship main event was anyone’s game. All competitors came ready to fight for the top spot, showing off their intense drive to defeat the competition. However, there was only one competitor who made good on his promise, bulldozing his way through the bracket, dominating anyone who stood in his way. Adam Holm came all the way from Edmonton, Canada, to show what dedication, passion and pure heart can achieve. With Holm’s mindset, losing was not an option. He remained consistent and steadfast as he defeated every competitor from the “winners” side of the bracket.
From the “reload” side, long-time competitor and Big Buck Hunter community pillar Andy White, dubbed as “The Big Buck Pope” out of Prescott, Wis., proved that enthusiasm and pure love for the game are two characteristics that can also skyrocket you to the top. White, backed by the Sconnie Snipers, was not going down without a fight. White displayed a red hot start in Trek 1, a slim 2,000-point lead going into Trek 2, Pappy’s Jug within his reach. Little did White know, Holm was just getting warmed up. The two competitors were neck and neck only for Holm to flip the script in the last site of Trek 2, entering the final trek with a 3,000-point lead. Holm pulled the tangible energy from his friends in the crowd to propel him through the third and final trek, going into the bonus round with a significant lead, the writing was on the wall. Holm would become the 2023 Big Buck World Champion and earn a cool $25,000 grand prize.
Holm wasn’t the only competitor to earn a title over the course of the two-day event! Lauren Hope, another fierce Canadian competitor, won the Ladies Division for the second time, taking home $5,000 in addition to the $1,000 she earned from finishing 10th place overall. Beau Herrig from Darfur, Minn., earned the 2023 Rookie of the Year title and added $2,000 to the $10,000 he earned from his astounding third place overall finish as a brand new competitor. Last, but certainly not least, 15-year-old Brad De Whellay earned the title as the 2nd Annual Young Buck Hunters Tournament Champion plus his very own Arcade1Up Big Buck Hunter Pro Deluxe machine in the event’s tournament for players aged 13-17.
In a surprise reveal, players got the chance to experience a brand new jam-packed content package coming soon! The majestic Caribou adventure, big bad Wolf dangerous trophy and six never-before-seen bonus games threw curveballs to competitors on stage. The crowd went wild as it was revealed The Walking Dead is also a part of the massive update coming to Big Buck Hunter: Reloaded!
Preparations are already underway for the 2024 season, which kicks off November 1, 2023. To qualify, players need only participate in Pro Mode, available at all online Big Buck Hunter cabinets around the world. Scores posted while playing in Pro Mode are automatically factored into players’ Championship score cards. For more information on qualifying or the Championship, look no further than bigbuckhunter.com. Replays of Big Buck World Championship XVI’s live broadcast can be viewed at twitch.tv/bigbuckhunterofficial.
About Play Mechanix, Inc.
Founded in 1995 by former Midway designer George Petro, Play Mechanix - in partnership with Raw Thrills - is the world leader in the design, development and manufacturing of arcade video games, including hit releases such as the Big Buck Hunter series, Minecraft Dungeons Arcade, Halo: Fireteam Raven, The Walking Dead, Terminator Salvation, Aliens Armageddon, MotoGP & MotoGP VR, Nitro Trucks, Angry Birds, Deal or No Deal, Wheel of Fortune, Monopoly, Kung Fu Panda, Ice Age, Ghostbusters, Centipede Chaos, Pulp Fiction Pinball and many, many more.
About Big Buck Hunter
Launched in 2000, the Big Buck Hunter brand has been a cultural icon for more than 20 years, extending well beyond the traditional arcade game found in bars and restaurants to home console games, plug-and-play games, mobile games, pinball machines, slot machines and more. The current iteration of the arcade game - Big Buck Hunter: Reloaded - was released in 2020 and features a new eye-catching cabinet, ten animals to hunt, four story-driven campaign modes, bow hunting and more. The annual Big Buck World Championship, a first-of-its-kind arcade esports event, took place for a 16th consecutive year in 2023 with a $115,000 prize pool and over 16,300 players from around the world attempting to qualify.
