We tell you the crazy story of the Z Event, born in a garage

At the Z Event 2019, in Montpellier -

• This weekend, the event is back, benefiting Amnesty International.

• Launched in 2017, after a first “pilot” edition in the Zerator lounge, the Z Event has established itself as one of the essential charitable events.

• The marathon however started three years ago, in a simple garage.

Once upon a time, there were streaming stars who decided to use their notoriety for the benefit of causes that are dear to them.

In three editions, the Z Event has established itself as one of the essential charitable events in France (and in the world): these “Video game bastards” (minus Mimie Mathy) raised no less than 500,000 euros for the Red Cross in 2017, 1 million euros for Médecins sans frontières in 2018, and 3.5 million euros for the Institut Pasteur in 2019.

This weekend, the streamers are mobilizing for Amnesty International, through a new marathon of fifty hours, from an undisclosed hotel in Montpellier.

But the beginnings were much more folkloric.

collected the memories of three of the streamers who knew the beginnings of the event: Zerator and Dach, the Montpellier people who are at the origin of it, and Domingo, one of the stars of the video game who has accompanied them since the very first edition.

We are back !

The # ZEVENT2020 benefiting Amnesty International will be held from October 16-18.

The period is complicated, but count on us to make you spend a crazy weekend!

pic.twitter.com/OG1BGuN5ZF

- Z Event (@ZEventfr) October 4, 2020

"We threw this for fun"

The story begins in 2016. Combining business with pleasure, a group of friends meets for the first time, responding to the call of a Belgian player, Athene, to come to the aid of the Ethiopian population, in prey to famine.

A taste, already, of the Z Event.

"Athene wanted to create a collective of streamers to raise funds, if ever a humanitarian crisis arises," says Zerator.

This is how the Avengers were born.

I brought about fifteen streamers to my living room, it was completely out of hand.

But it was a good deal, with a great atmosphere.

We raised 170,000 euros.

We loved it, it made us want to continue.

And we created the Z Event.

"We threw it out for fun, it was unpretentious," Dach continues.

There was no will to give birth to something of such magnitude.

"

It going!

4/5 PCs are still missing that we will recover tomorrow!

#Avengers https://t.co/rk8Y830BgR

- ZeratoR (@ZeratoR) March 2, 2016

“A technical miracle!

"

The following year, the first edition of the Z Event was improvised in a garage.

The team then grew to include a few stars of online video games, including Doigby, Mister MV or Sardoche.

“We didn't have enough electricity for everyone, so we asked a neighbor to pull a giant extension cord from his house, which we cascaded multiple sockets into,” Zerator smiles.

The same goes for the Internet.

We connected to his box!

It's a bit of a technical miracle if it could have happened!

"At the time, it's not very funny, but with hindsight, that's kind of what made the magic of the event", remembers Domingo.

“We collected 500,000 euros when we had only invested very modest means,” continues Dach.

We said to ourselves that we could go even further.

“That year, Emmanuel Macron, split a tweet, to salute their performance.

Real recognition for this bunch of friends.

zrtL #ZEvent pic.twitter.com/52RcU015Wz

- ZeratoR (@ZeratoR) September 9, 2017

Well done and thank you to the whole #ZEvent community who raised more than 450k € for @croixrouge!

#Irmahttps: //t.co/B18M9h35LZ

- Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) September 11, 2017

A year later, in 2018, things accelerated at the Z Event.

The collection crosses the million euros for the first time.

"For me, it was the change," Zerator continues.

We were for the first time in a room that we had rented for the occasion, and it was really growing.

We felt that something had happened… ”

AZ Event, in 2018, in Montpellier.

- N. Bonzom / Maxele Presse

"Yes, we love video games, but we also know how to give time for others"

Until the apotheosis of September 22, 2019, when the streamers managed to raise more than 3.5 million euros in one weekend for the Institut Pasteur.

“We were surprised, and I think the organizers too, was delighted with

Doctor Jean-François Chambon, director of sponsorship of the foundation.

This story is truly extraordinary.

It is an extraordinary community, which communicates with joy, good humor, commitment and generosity.

"For a very long time there was the very negative cliché of the video game player locked in his room, withdrawn into himself," Domingo confides.

The Z Event has helped demonstrate that, yes, we love video games, but we also know how to give time for others.

"

At the Z Event, in 2019, in Montpellier - N. Bonzom / Maxele Presse

But such success requires sacrifices.

You have to know how to sort, among the many YouTubers and streamers who hope to swell the ranks of the Z Event.

“There are the historical members, then friends, friends of friends, notes Dach.

We also try to invite streamers who have a minimum of legitimacy.

And above all, more difficult still, it is necessary to choose among the many associations, which constantly apply to participate in the event.

Zerator and Dach receive between 300 and 400 requests per year.

"It is rare that there are associations which are not legitimate to receive funds, underlines Zerator.

But we have to choose.

It's very difficult to say no.

We try to select large associations, which are well established, so that donors know where the money is going.

»This Friday (6 p.m.), armed with hydroalcoholic gel and masks, the streamers will write a new page in video game history.

Montpellier

Montpellier: The Z Event charity video game marathon is back

Montpellier

VIDEO.

Z Event: What will the 3.5 million euros raised by the video game marathon for the Institut Pasteur be used for?

• Languedoc-Roussillon

• Amnesty international

• Montpellier

• Streaming

• Video games