Fortress Esports announced that it was developing the Souther Hemisphere’s largest esports venue in Melbourne. To be located at Emporium Melbourne, Fortress Melbourne, as it will be known, will span more than 2,700 square metres across two floors. While Fortress Melbourne won’t be open until 2020, there’s still plenty to get excited about.
The venue will have 160+ gaming PCs, console gaming areas, streaming pods, RPG and tabletop areas, function rooms, restaurant, bars and a 200 seat esports arena. Why would you ever leave?
To help get Fortress Melbourne off the ground, Fortress Esports has partnered with the US company Allied Esports. Allied Esports is “the world’s leading network of esports venues and production facilities and operators of the famed HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor in Las Vegas.”
Melbourne Esports
In addition to working with Allied Esports, Fortress has partnered with ” global architectural design firm Populous, the designers of ANZ Stadium and the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London” to create the Fortress Melbourne stadium.
The stadium will be located in the current basement and lower ground space in Emporium and will have a separate entry from Caledonian Lane. The features of Fortress Melbourne are;
- Purpose-built, dedicated esports arena with retractable 200 seat grandstand on the lower ground
- 50+ networked PCs within arena when seating is retracted
- Esports “sports” bar to complement arena
- Broadcast and production facilities
- 400+ sq/m themed basement “tavern” bar and restaurant
- Dedicated 56 PC LAN lounge
- 4 streamer pods
- 200+ sq/m function room with 40 extra PC’s for private events, birthday parties
- Dedicated area for RPG and tabletop gaming
- Professional esports boot camp room & training facilities
- 5+ big screens across both floors of the venue, broadcasting live tournaments and international playoffs year-round
- Purpose-built “casual console” gaming suites throughout the venue
- Merchandise store with esports apparel and tech
Jon Satterley, CEO at Fortress Esports said;
Melbourne has become the epicentre for video gaming and esports culture with major events like Melbourne Esports Open and PAX Australia, so we’re excited to be opening our first flagship venue in Melbourne and offer Australians a unique entertainment space that they can enjoy all year round.
We want to make Fortress Melbourne the ultimate ‘home away from home’ for everyone, from casual gamers, competitive gamers and esports fanatics, to families and after work crowds. Fortress Melbourne will offer the best video gaming experiences and entertainment, with the newest tech, fastest internet, comfortable decor, great food and drinks, and a rich calendar of events and tournaments, plus more.
Fortress Melbourne certainly sounds like it’s going to be an epic place to visit and hang out.
It’s planned to be open in early 2020.
