Video game publisher and esports tournament operator, Riot Games, has lifted the lid on its new hub for operations in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, with the revamped Berlin venue set to open up to the public for the first time this weekend.
Riot initially revealed plans to revamp its existing LEC Studio facility back in November. The venue has been renamed the Riot Games Arena, with the company stating the major upgrade will see it become a “pioneering, flexible and dedicated” esports facility, servicing all current and future Riot Games esports products held in the region.
As part of the unveiling, additional information about key aspects to the venue, including the on-site fan area, have now been revealed. The arena, which will benefit from new cinema style seating and an amphitheatre-style crowd setup, will see a 20% increase in capacity, enhancing the number of on-site seats to 210.
The venue has also improved the player experience, increasing the number of dedicated warm-up rooms to six, as well as introducing an all new player lounge area and dedicated huddle spaces for teams in-between matches.
The venue has been used by Riot Games since 2014, hosting all League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) matches up until the end of the 2023 LEC season. The venue, which aims to fully immerse fans into any Riot Games Esports event on display during a showday, has seen the introduction of an EMEA Esports Hall of Fame, which is able to switch between relevant league brands through digital technology.
It will also introduce a caster viewing area, offering fans the ability to watch their favourite on-air talent team members during showdays through a transparent window. Additional upgrades include a brand-new fan tunnel, as well as improvements to meet and greet, cafe, fan lounge, merchandise store, box office and bar areas.
Beginning in September, the venue has undergone a significant refurbishment to become an arena capable of hosting numerous Riot Games EMEA esports titles, through the use of an innovative infrastructural design and the support of Riot’s Dublin-based Remote Broadcast Centre, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
The Riot Games Arena will predominantly serve as the new home for the LEC and Valorant Champions Tour EMEA (VCT EMEA). Additionally, the venue will be able to remotely facilitate events for other esports events, including Valorant Challengers Ascension, Valorant EMEA Game Changers, EMEA Masters, and Team Fight Tactics (TFT) events.
“I’m delighted to unveil the Riot Games Arena in Berlin to the world, sharing with our fans a first look at this new, world class, dedicated esports facility,” said Alberto Guerrero, head of esports EMEA at Riot Games.
“We’ve innovated both aesthetically and technologically to create the new home for Riot Games Esports in EMEA, improving the experience for fans, teams and their players. The venue sets a high bar for esports in the world, and will set us up for further success in the years to come as we continue to commit to developing the future of esports in the region.”
