Traveling from your home to the biggest esports events of the year is always a fun experience especially if you’re arriving from abroad, but one Apex Legends fan took it to the next level this week, going the extra mile to catch their favorite teams and esports in person.
Wenjie Shi, known by his alias Vita, drove all the way from Shanghai, China, to London, England to attend the Apex Legends Global Series 2023 Split Two playoffs. The drive saw him travel over 7,000 miles—around 20 days by road—as part of one of the longest stretches of car travel possible in the world. In a unique Apex-themed car he drove from Asia to Europe to complete his dream.
Vita went into great detail about how the trip had its bumps along the way in a July 15 interview with Hannah Marie of Esports News UK, but stated it was worth it for both the journey and the destination.
Two particular challenges Vita faced in his travels were the tough terrain throughout Central Asia, and issues finding car insurance for each region along the way. He would end up taking a multi-day detour through Germany to find insurance just in case.
“It was so easy to damage our car on the journey,” said Vita to Esports News UK, pointing out one moment when he had to stop due to the vehicle breaking down. “Our car wheels were damaged once, and due to the language barrier, we couldn’t find a garage to fix the car and get replacements.”
Related: ALGS Split 2 Playoffs 2023: Scores, standings, and results
But, putting aside car troubles and insurance difficulties, Vita more than enjoyed his travel across the Eurasian continent, sightseeing along his way to the ALGS playoffs. His car—a Volvo SUV—was adorned in Apex decals showing off VeryApex, a Chinese Apex community that Vita founded and currently heads.
All along the way, fans familiar with the game noticed his car and gave him props for making such an incredible trip. “When we were crossing the border in Finland, the customs officer recognized the ALGS text on the car, and told us that they were also Apex players,” said Vita.
Vita noted just how kind the Apex community had been to him throughout his travels and on his arrival in London, which he highlighted was the best part of the trip. As for ALGS, he’s throwing his support behind his regional favorites in DreamFire and MDY White. MDY ultimately fell in round one of the loser’s bracket, while DreamFire made it a step further before meeting their end.
“I have to say, this is totally unexpected for me,” Vita said. “I just wanted to drive from China to [London] and didn’t expect what I am experiencing now. Everyone here thinks I’m great, and they admire me. I’m very happy and very glad that I had the opportunity to be here with others.”
The 20 remaining teams have been locked in for the final of the ALGS Split Two playoffs, which will conclude on July 16.
