GameWorks announced last week that the 20-year-old company is radically shifting its focus from family-friendly traditional arcade gaming to the growing world of eSports. To complement their traditional arcade offerings, four additional sites will be putting in eSports Lounges. Additionally, by the first quarter of 2019 every GameWorks venue is to become fully equipped with new eSports Lounges.
GameWorks hopes to bring in new gamers, from Millennials to teens to both group’s families. The Lounges have a modern and high-tech feel with an atmosphere meant to put players at ease, each equipped with 20-40 PCs and consoles and an extensive library of 100 games that will be continuously updated. Players are encouraged to play casually with each other or participate in any of the 200 tournaments held in GameWorks locations monthly. The lounges are also equipped with streaming hardware, meaning players can record their play to share with friends later or stream it onto the internet as they play.
“eSports is rapidly gaining momentum worldwide. As an established leader in competitive gaming and entertainment, GameWorks is well positioned to capitalize on this burgeoning space. Our strong foothold in eSports – now that we’ll have Lounges in every location – further strengthens our leadership position and will serve as a springboard for future growth,” said Philip Kaplan, GameWorks CEO.
Look to RePlay’s February issue for a more extensive look into GameWorks’ new strategy, and an exclusive interview with Kaplan.