London’s best eSports bar? Red Bull Gaming Sphere stakes its claim

After launching its premier eSports event space in Tokyo in February this year, Red Bull is following it up with an all new space in Shoreditch called the Red Bull Gaming Sphere. 

The new venue will primerily serve as a venue for eSports tournaments and events, but Red Bull also promises that its modular design will allow it to be reconfigured for a variety of purposes, including workshops and one-on-one opportunities for players to interact directly with their fans.

This isn’t Red Bull’s first forray into the eSports scene. The brand has previously been involved in the Red Bull Kumite and Red Bull Battle Grounds tournaments, both of which are focussed on the fighting game Street Fighter V.

The venue has been put together in collaboration with a number of different partners to ensure the hardware available is ready for tournament play. ASUS has been named as one of the PC hardware suppliers, while Noblechairs will be providing a number of gaming chairs to delicately cup the posteriors of the nation’s premier eAthletes.

“Working along side Red Bull as the official gaming chair partner for the London Gaming Sphere is extremely exciting, and I’m looking forward to contribute towards the UK esports scene to grow and develop,” said Steven Levitt from Noblechairs.

Red Bull Putting London on the eSports map

The Red Bull Gaming Sphere will join a number of fledgling eSports arenas that have been popping up with a variety amount of success across London. Back in 2015, Gfinity reached a deal with Vue Cinemas to repurpose one of their Fullham Broadway cinema screens as an eSports venue. It hosted the European qualifiers for the Halo world championship back in February.

The Silvertown Partnership also hope to renovate a site in East London’s Docklands to include an area they claim will make London the European centre of eSports, while London’s resident Overwatch team, London Spitfire, plan to have an arena built for the 2019 Overwatch League.

But anecdotal experience suggests that its the smaller scale gaming spaces that are having the most success in London at the moment. After running a successful bar in East London, Loading Bar is planning on opening a second branch in West London, while other popular bars include Meltdown in Islington and Four Quarters in Peckham. Who would have thought that beer and games could be such a winning combination?

Having more places to hang out with our fellow nerds is one thing, but we’ve got our fingers crossed that Red Bull doesn’t forget the alcoholic side of the equation.

Would you ever attend eSports in person, or do you prefer streaming it from the comfort of your own home? Let us know @TrustedReviews.