The world of Esports Arenas and competitive video gaming may be new to some, but it’s a burgeoning industry that’s only growing in popularity! Esports, or “electronic sports” games, have been around for years, though only recently has their presence in mainstream media (even coverage from outlets like ESPN) grown to such heights – now, a $1+ Billion industry! With all that growth comes spaces designed specifically to foster gaming abilities and competitive events, and that’s where we come into play; let’s dive deeper into more of what these Esports Arenas are and how Continental Office is creating these unique spaces to help them grow!
If you just heard the term “Esports Arena,” it might be easy to think of a space that's little more than an overgrown arcade focusing on sports-themed video games, but that couldn’t be further from reality. Esports Arenas are spaces designed specifically to provide gamers with an opportunity to compete (together in a space and/or virtually) in teams for notoriety, awards/prizes, and the chance to grow their Esports career. Often, these spaces also include areas for people to practice their games and improve their abilities; many have multiple different zones within the space that focus on different types of game play, from more casual experiences to full-blown competitions, all while enabling people of any age and skill level to improve and grow!
When designing an Esports space, it’s important for us to create a cohesive space that allows for all levels of gaming and is accordingly accommodating. Having a “Central Stage” where the gaming heats up and the competitions take place may be vital to the space, but balancing that with training areas where players (of any level) can hone in their skills, practice, and watch the competitions take place not only creates a more holistic space, but it also allows more novice players to see the competitors in action and better understand what their skills could lead them to – potentially, a career path they may not have otherwise considered.
The Esports Arena at The Ohio State University
This was the thinking behind The Ohio State University and their newly opened Esports Arena, a space we were excited to be a part of and proud to create. “Your spaces need to accommodate the breadth of your audience, from casual to the most competitive gamers as well as supporters and spectators,” said Brandon Smith, Esports Director for the university. “Choose room layouts and furniture systems that allow for privacy for team meetings and practices but also open access to the general public for growing numbers of social events.”
Within this concept, we worked with The Ohio State University to create a breadth of spaces accommodating all levels of gaming proficiency and combining typical “arena” needs. Areas such as a training space to improve skills (including a Virtual Reality section), central stage to compete, press room for announcements and live coverage, and a more relaxed, traditional “open play” area for casual gaming come together to make an Esports Arena that's ready for this newer form of sports!
Door to competitive "Central Stage" area [left], and casual gaming space with custom branding [right]
From tables with built-in power and cable management to custom branding applications, gorgeous flooring, and stations that can be easily maintained and cleaned, our expert team helped to make this space a truly unique and powerful place, and our products and capabilities created something that works well now and will grow with the industry!
Curious about Esports Arenas? Want to learn more about these spaces and see how we’re creating them? Download our FREE Esports Ebook, and discover more about the world of Esports Arenas and how we're creating them!
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