Gaming Company Creates Biggest US E-Sports Facility

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. designated / ˈdɛzɪɡˌneɪtɪd / (adj) – assigned or created for a particular role or purpose
    Example:

    The center has designated areas for small children.


  2. equip / ɪˈkwɪp / (v) – to provide something with a specific feature
    Example:

    This phone is equipped with an advanced camera.


  3. fuse / fyuz / (v) – to combine something with another thing
    Example:

    He fuses traditional objects with modern themes in his paintings.


  4. stereotypical / ˌsterijəˈtɪpɪkəl / (adj) – describing someone or something that has the expected qualities of that particular type of person or thing
    Example:

    She fits the stereotypical image of a librarian. She has eyeglasses and wears her hair in a bun.


  5. mainstream / ˈmeɪnˌstrim / (adj) – describing something that is recognized and accepted by the majority
    Example:

    Producing independent films is cheaper than producing mainstream movies.


Article

Read the text below.

Lifestyle brand and gaming firm 100 Thieves created the biggest headquarters for e-sports, or competitive and organized online gaming, in the United States.


The facility, called 100 Thieves Cash App Compound, was named after its major sponsor Cash App—a mobile payment app created by financial services company Square, Inc. Jack Dorsey, the CEO and co-founder of both Square, Inc. and Twitter, joined a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new gaming center in January.


In 2019, 100 Thieves raised $35 million from other sponsors to build the compound, which took about nine months to construct.


The whole compound measures 15,000 square feet. It has designated rooms for various online games, such as survival combat game Fortnite and multiplayer battle game League of Legends. These rooms are equipped with expensive gaming chairs and computers.


The building also has assigned spaces for content creators, video streamers, e-sport trainees, and even the company’s management. A basketball court and a TV lounge with some arcade games are also included in the facility. John Robinson, 100 Thieves’ president and chief operating officer, said the whole compound’s design fuses business with recreation.


The 100 Thieves e-sports facility is not the first of its kind. Many e-sports teams have also created dedicated spaces for their players to train, collaborate with other players, and learn from their coaches.


The growing e-sports industry has emerged from the stereotypical setup of being confined to people’s basements or spare bedrooms. According to Robinson, there is a long way to go before e-sports becomes mainstream and widely accepted. However, he is optimistic that the industry changes will continue to be valuable and impressive.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• What additional features would you like to include in this kind of facility? Explain.
• Do you think a similar facility would be useful in your country? Why or why not?

Discussion B

• Do you think e-sports should also be recognized by major gaming events in the world like the Olympics? Why or why not?
• Aside from e-sports, what other games do you think should be given more importance and recognition?