Gfinity to open eSports arena

The agreement with Vue, the third largest cinema chain operating in the UK, will see the Fulham Broadway multiplex, in London, transformed into an eSports venue, called the Gfinity Arena, with a capacity for 600 spectators.

Scheduled to open next month already, the Gfinity Arena will host live tournaments every weekend and on selected week days. The venue will also broadcast major tournaments from companies like Activision, Blizzard, Valve, Riot, and others throughout the year.

The Gfinity Arena will open in March

This will be the venue for the four CS:GO tournaments that Gfinity will host throughout the season, each one with a prize purse of $20,000. The first event, called CS:GO Spring Major 1, is scheduled for March 21-22.

"This is a pivotal moment for Gfinity and an exciting time for everyone involved in eSports in the UK," said Neville Upton, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gfinity.

"We are delighted to have signed this exclusive agreement with Vue, a well established international brand, to develop and launch the UK’s first and only dedicated eSports arena.

"The tie-up gives us excellent flexibility while de-risking our expansion plans. Gfinity has proven it can organise and deliver world class events and this agreement allows us to satisfy the booming popularity in eSports as a spectator sport.

"Furthermore, the deal highlights the growing interest from leading brands here in the UK in the eSports market."

The move will allow Gfinity to build upon the success of Gfinity 3, which took place in August at the Olympic Park, in London, and saw Virtus.pro win the top prize of $20,000.

In the future, Gfinity and Vue will also work together to promote eSports events, which could see other Vue locations being turned into eSports venues, both in London and in other cities, in the future.