Gfinity plc and Ove Arup & Partners have announced a partnership to design the world’s most advanced integrated eSports facility.
Both companies aim to combine their expertise to develop a blueprint for a specialist playing, watching, training, learning and broadcast facility. Additionally, the companies hope to unite gamers of all levels as they share experiences and compete.
If the blueprint succeeds, this will become the world’s most advanced integrated eSports facility.
Also known as electronic sports or competitive gaming, eSports is a form of competition using video games. The most common form of eSports is through multiplayer video game competitions.
There has been an increased interest among game publishers, rights holders and sports franchises for dedicated eSports facilities. Indeed, this reflects the continued growth of the gaming market.
From amateur level through to professional eSports, participation has soared. In fact, the global gaming and eSports community total 1.93 billion and 368 million respectively. Additionally, the number of people competing and watching eSports is growing by roughly 17% each year.
Executive Chairman of Gfinity, Garry Cook, commented:
“We are delighted to be working with Arup to design the
world’s most advanced integrated eSports facility. The eSports professional and aspiring amateur learning their craft have similar needs to their counterparts in a host of other sports. Environments that optimise their ability to play and train to their highest potential is the difference between winning and losing.”
Moreover, he added:
“We will draw on our experiences of owning and managing Europe’s first eSports arena in London and engage with our community, which numbers tens of millions of passionate eSports players and fans, to hear what they have to say. The final design will be informed from the ground up. This is another example that the eSports industry is exciting, growing, full of opportunity and is now.”
At 10:38 GMT, shares in Gfinity plc (LON:GFIN) were trading at -2.27%.