So this is pretty big for grassroots esports, right? You may not have heard about them before, but Vindex has acquired Belong Arenas in an effort to bring Esports to more locations across the U.S. and Globally following their development in the U.K.
Grassroots Esports is a pretty big deal and should be made more of a big deal when you consider the growth of competitive gaming in today’s society. It helps so many around the world start their journey into the industry, providing more than just a fun competition to those hoping to make it big. Belong Gaming Arenas are the leading grassroots esports company in the U.K., and now it seems like they’re going global!
Vindex has acquired the Belong Gaming Arenas brand and all associated IP from GAME DIGITAL LIMITED, the U.K.’s largest video game retailer. This is an important step for Vindex in supporting their vision for a global esports industry that supports amateurs across the world.
Martyn Gibbs, CEO of GAME Digital, will be joining Vindex as CEO of Belong Gaming to oversee the immediate rollout of US Locations and initiate a larger expansion strategy. GAME will continue to be an officially licensed operator for the Belong Arenas.
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Vindex Belong Arenas Partnership Aims To Bring 1,500 Gaming Arenas To Locations Globally
Yeah, it does seem like a lot right? Well, Vindex plans to invest $300 million into the idea over the next five years, so I guess you’d want a lot for that kind of money.
“Vindex plans to invest $300M over the next five years to open more than 500 Belong locations in the US and an additional 1,000 locations globally through licensed operating partners including GAME.”
prneswire.com
Will This Make Esports More Accessible?
Ideally, yes. Simply put, more locations will offer more opportunities to those who want to compete in professional esports competitions. Currently, Belong Arenas operates a number of limited-time tournaments. These are labelled as ‘Cups’ and hosted alongside a seasonal league entitled ‘Arena Clash’. These all have varying skill levels and are open to everyone, bar some age-restricted titles. They are also hosted on a variety of platforms, too, so it isn’t just restricted to PC players.
Personally, I have met so many fantastic people through Belong Gaming Arenas. The tournaments are a fantastic experience, even if you don’t want to press for a career in the industry on a long-term basis. Not only that, but the Arenas themselves provide a fantastic hub for local gaming communities. They bring people together over their love of gaming.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Belong Arenas have moved their tournaments into an online format. While this means there have been some organizational changes, their facilitation of these events only helps to bring grassroots esports to even more people.
Belong Arenas currently operates 24 physical gaming arenas in the U.K. They are used for hosting esports tournaments, as well as casual competitions and gaming.
Check out their site to see more: Belong Gaming Arenas
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