GameDay - Nordics v Benelux

September brought another AWS GameDay, this time with a twist – the Nordic AWS communities teamed up to take on the Benelux region in a cross-regional showdown. Dubbed “Rainbow Day,” the scenario revolved around Unicorn.Rentals, the fictional company we had to keep running. It was a smaller, more intimate affair with five participants from our side, but the competitive spirit was very much alive.

The format ran for about four hours, with teams of up to four people working through scenarios on real AWS infrastructure, fixing issues, deploying solutions, and racking up points. Having the Nordics versus Benelux angle gave it a real sense of regional pride, which made even the smaller group size feel charged. Registration went through a separate splashthat page, keeping the event nicely organized.

With fewer people involved, there was more room for collaboration within the team. Everyone had to step up and own parts of the challenge, which honestly made it a better learning experience than a larger event sometimes can be. You could not hide behind a bigger group – every contribution mattered. The Unicorn.Rentals scenario added a fun narrative layer on top of the technical challenges.

These cross-regional community events are something I hope we keep doing. It builds connections beyond your own local user group and reminds you that the AWS community is much bigger than any single country. Whether there are five people or fifty, the value of hands-on learning together stays the same.