Character Select Rave at Fortress Melbourne – A Night of Music, Cosplay and Community

There is something kinda special about stepping into the city dressed as your favourite characte (And maybe a bit brave), walking through the winter Melbourne chill as crowds in black coats take notice. Some smile and nod, others look on curiously trying to guess who you are meant to be.

That moment becomes even better when you find yourself surrounded by a whole community doing the same at Melbourne’s home of games: Fortress.

The Character Select Rave at Fortress Melbourne captured that feeling perfectly. The night began with dinner at the Tavern where Nathan and I were already trading compliments on costumes with other guests. 

It set the tone for what was to come, a space where everyone felt welcome and celebrated for the effort they put into their cosplay and of course DANCE!

When the rave kicked off, the music hit hard. Tracks from Halo and Mortal Kombat pulled the crowd straight to the dancefloor, mixed with K‑pop, demon hunter anthems and other reimagined game soundtracks that felt made for this crowd. 

DJs Matt Frequencies and Evren Nyx kept the energy high all night, reading the room and dropping tracks that had everyone cheering.

I loved how circle spaces would open up and anyone could jump in to show off their moves while the crowd cheered them on. A huge shout out to DJs Matt Frequencies and Evren Nyx for creating that energy.

Fortress proved again why it is such a great venue for Melbourne’s gaming community. 

While the rave was happening, entire rooms upstairs were filled with LAN players, and board games and card games were being played late into the night in the Tavern. It was one of those events that reminded me how diverse and welcoming gaming culture can be.