Gig City Games celebrates birthday amidst global esport popularity
On July 26 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York, $30 million was on the line as a monumental event in gaming history kicked off to an excited and bewildered world. Esport fodder Fortnite attracted gamers from around the globe to compete in head-to-head combat for team, solo, and duo tournaments.
It was a weekend onslaught of pro sponsored gamers against obscure underdogs, and once the dust settled a few kids walked away a few million richer than before. But the Fortnite World Cup isn’t the biggest cash pool for an international esport event. No, at the end of August an international Defense of The Ancients (DoTA) 2 flagship tourney will have $100 million in cash prizes.
I can barely get my head around it, but lo-and-behold I’ve become a believer. Esports is a thing and the promise of wealth and glory for the next level of gamer may be here to stay.
So, if you’re a competitive or cooperative gamer looking to break into the esports community I’ve got amazing news for you. Right here in our lovely city, right off MLK and near the UTC campus, exists a PC gaming haven and quite possibly the doorway to becoming a true contender in the digital sports arena.
Gig City Games is a LAN gaming center geared for plugging clients in to the large world of esports and competitive gaming. For seven days a week, twelve hours a day, you can drop into this gaming café for a quick match or to get in on several tournaments and events happening throughout the month.
Owner Joseph Card has taken a dated form of early social networking and upgraded it to a more streamlined and gamer friendly environment. Twenty-five hotrod PCs are spaciously arranged along sleek counter spaces and each PC is paired with a luxurious swiveling command throne. GCG internet is powered by EPB’s The Gig and from the time I started watching a few gamers square up with League of Legends I didn’t see a hitch or stutter—not for the entire two hours I spent geeking out on the place.
Joseph Card beamed with pride as he showed me around. This is a young man who is clearly in this for the passion of gaming and connecting with the community at large.
“I really felt nostalgic for places that gave social video-game culture a place to live. I wanted to give a place for esports to take hold in the city as well as to offer a chill place for gamers to hang out and connect,” Joseph said.
From Fortnite, DoTA, and League of Legends, Gig City Games runs the full gamut of popular competitive multiplayer games. You can win prizes in the form of expensive game controllers, digital currency, and real-life currency. The last type of prize is my favorite.
When was the last time you played a video game that paid you for your time and effort? Coming up on the 17th, GCG will host a League of Legends tourney that will pay top prize of $250 for 1st place teams.
And if MOBA strategy or PUBG shooters aren’t your speed, don’t fret— GCG have added fighting games to their portfolio. This Saturday, a Street Fighter V event will go down and only the best of the best will walk away with $50 and city bragging rights to boot. So, if you’re at home and know you are an outright badass at videogames, seize the day and take things to the next level.
GCG can also be rented out for events and parties by the hour. Let me tell you: competitive videogames are amazing team-building tools and probably safer than a paintball course. There is also a dedicated team room for serious players seeking to hone their skills for the next big event. With the knowledgeable staff and high-speed tech at the heart of GCG, this is Chattanooga’s esport dojo, local arena, and training center.
For those of you savvy entrepreneurs looking for the next big thing to put Chattown on the map, esports is a billion-dollar baby and GCG is a nice comfy crib to nurture it in. For you regular gamers looking for fun remembering the great times of a true “LAN party” with a few beers, come on down. And if you’re a serious esport hopeful with big dreams to rule the world as a mousepad Mattis, then get connected, build a team, and dominate!
I’ll write it here folks, my vote for Chattanooga’s first esport team: Gig-City Giggitys.
When not vaporizing zombies or leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, Brandon Watson is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.