A real-life battle royale event might just be in the works

Steven Rondina Published 11/04/2019

Do you stay up late at night, wishing that games like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite were real?

Probably not, given the incredibly high likelihood of coming to harm. But somebody out there does and is trying to make that dream a reality.

Gaming site Destructoid discovered a listing on luxury retailer Hushhush.com for a project manager for a “100-person battle royale inspired event.” The project aims to take the most popular genre in gaming and bring it to life in a way never seen before.

“We were approached by one of our customers, who was on the lookout for a private island, for help in setting up the championship…Contestants will be provided with Airsoft guns, ammo and touch-sensitive body armour for a three-day event,” the listing reads.

The listing promises a big cash prize for the victor of the three-day event, which is said to feature 12 hours of competition every day. At the end of each day’s events, competitors would be required to camp at the game’s site using provided camping gear and equipment.

To remove any doubt, the listing explicitly acknowledges that this is a for-fun event, and is not a “Most Dangerous Game” situation with real human lives at stake.

The job listing itself calls for an individual capable of designing the field of play for a real-life battle royale. It’s specifically looking for people with experience in set design and large-scale event management. The project lasts for six weeks, with a pay of £45,000 over the period.

Most games in the battle royale genre consist of the same formula, with players dropping into an enclosed area and procuring weapons on site. The area of play shrinks over time, forcing players to engage until just one player or team remains.

How this could be replicated in real life is unclear, though someone certainly seems willing to try making it happen.

Most battle royale conventions like air drops and massive arsenals of randomly distributed weapons would be a logistical nightmare. The encroaching “storm” that forces players together would be equally difficult to implement. And that’s to say nothing of the dose of reality players might receive after their second day camping in the woods on the site of a simulated battle royale.

No time frame is given for when the theoretical event might take place, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for it should it becomes a reality. We may not see anything else quite like it any time soon.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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