A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK.
British Esports has announced that it will open its flagship Gaming and Esports Arena in Sunderland next year.
A first-of-its-kind e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK[/caption]
Stretching across 15,000-square-feet, the arena will host live events, competitions and have immersive audience experiences for egamers and egaming fans.
Short for ‘electronic sports’, esports involves people competing against each other through video gaming – either in a team or as an individual.
The new venue will include a 200-seat theatre for visitors, where there will be a 17-metre-wide screen to watch the action.
Spectators and gamers will also be able to explore different shops.
In addition to all this, there will be a number of performance rooms and an outdoor space for events in an attempt to make the arena one of the best esports destinations in the world.
Athletes will be able to train at the venue like they are in an actual competition, as well as learn about esports.
This includes professional esports players, who can also use the new arena to practice for upcoming events like the Esports World Cup and the Olympic Esports Games.
Students and future esports players can also develop their skills at the arena.
The venue won’t just be for the players, but will also have spaces for all those involved in the sport including broadcasting studios.
Away from esports events, the arena will be used for private events, live music and community events too.
The state-of-the-art venue will be located next to the Stadium of Light – the home of Premier League football team AFC Sunderland.
It will also be alongside the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC) which opened back in 2023.
At the NEPC – which is also the HQ for the British Esports Federation – visitors can partake in esports bootcamp training and esports education.
Work will begin on the venue in September and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026.
The UK is home to a number of other esports venues including the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London.
Big sporting events like Formula E at the ExCeL in London also host egaming activities, where visitors can play on race car simulators like they themselves are in the race.
British Esports has announced that it’s flagship Gaming and Esports Arena will be located in Sunderland[/caption]
Andy Payne OBE, chair of British Esports, said: “This is our St George’s Park for esports, a national home with world-class performance spaces that will help train the next generation of esports talent and help to grow the region to be a key leader in esports in the UK.
“We have designed our facility so that on any given day we could be a training and performance hub, running a global esports tournament, hosting a publisher game launch or hired out as a music venue.
Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council also said they were “thrilled” with the news, which was part of a huge regeneration of Sunderland.
He added: “Billions of pounds of investment will see our city transformed in the coming years, with thousands of new homes, Grade A offices, a new Nissan electric vehicle hub and a plethora of new leisure developments rising from the ground, and the Gaming and Esports Arena is a fantastic addition to this mix.
“It is a game-changing development which will cement Sunderland’s reputation as the home of esports in the UK, while providing a major boost to the regional economy, creating high skilled jobs for local people and attracting visitors from across the globe to our transforming city.”
A new immersive attraction is also set to open in the UK with indoor racing track and ‘top secret’ games.
Plus, the ‘world’s greatest’ music attraction hoping to open in the UK – with plans for massive live shows.
The arena is due to open next year[/caption]
