The WellPlayed project is a series of gaming events established by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Games Research Lab and funded by Movember. The project aims to bring together pros, new players and everyone in between. The overall goal is to facilitate “social connections between gamers, both online and offline.”
The March event focused on Atlas Reactor and Ring of Elysium and brought together men in a social setting.
The upcoming May event will be all about Apex Legends and will also coincide with the Movember Foundation’s MAYEIGHT!! campaign. MAYEIGHT!! is a campaign designed to get men to take part in an official day of mateship and thus tackle social isolation and improve mental health.
WellPlayed Project
WellPlayed has provided the following information about the May event;
On Wednesday May 8 from 7 – 9pm (AEST), the WellPlayed crew will kick off the third event in a series to run throughout 2019. Play Apex Legends – a battle royale shooter where legendary characters with powerful abilities team up to battle for fame & fortune – either at home or through a booking at Zen Gaming Lounge Melbourne or the new QUT e-Sports Arena (Brisbane).
Connecting the event to MAYEIGHT!! is important due to new research by the Movember Foundation. A study that surveyed 500 men aged between 18-24 found that one in five would have nobody to turn to if they were going through a rough time.
It also found that half of the 500 wanted to spend more time with their current mates and one third haven’t made any new mates in the past two years. According to Brendan Maher, Global Director of Mental Health & Suicide Prevention at the Movember Foundation;
It’s not just older men who are at risk of becoming socially isolated or lonely. Even young men – who on the surface may appear to be more connected – can struggle to maintain relationships with their mates.
In the spirit of MAYEIGHT!!, the WellPlayed Project is encouraging those who attend the event on May 8, 2019, to invite someone who hasn’t attended an event before. The first 10 people who sign-up and invite a mate will get a Valve Family and Friends Game Key.
The three steps to remember for mateship are;
- Step up – Reach out to your mates. There’s probably one who needs you.
- Catch up – Get together. There’s no time like the most Aussie day of the year.
- Speak up – Sense something’s up? Now’s your chance to let them know you’re there.
The Movember Foundation study found;
men most needed the support of their mates while going through a mental or physical health issue (27%). This was followed by major life changes like the breakdown of a relationship (21%), losing a loved one (9%), losing their job (8%) or becoming a dad (6%). Men aged 25-44 were most likely to need support from their mates during a breakup.
The WellPlayed Project’s May Event takes place on Wednesday, May 8, from 7 pm to 9 pm AEST and will be held at QUT eSports Arena in Brisbane or the Zen Gaming Lounge in Melbourne. Attendees can join a session beginning at 6:30 pm which will give them a tutorial in Apex Legends.
Movember Ambassador and streamer Reece McDowall (RDiddyAU) will also be part of the event and will be streaming his squad’s gameplay.
Following the event, attendees are encouraged to share their favourite moment on the WellPlayed Project’s Facebook page. Those who do will have a chance to win some great prizes. Additionally, every time you attend a WellPlayed event in 2019 you’ll be entered into the draw to win an Xbox One X or PS4 Pro.
For more information on the WellPlayed Project head to the website or the Facebook page.
“The Movember Foundation is the leading charity dedicated to changing the face of men’s health around the world. With a singular goal to stop men dying too young, the foundation supports the following causes: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Since 2003, the support of more than 5 million participants has funded over 1,200 innovative projects.”
