Esports Entertainment Asia (EEA) officially opened the Esports Entertainment Asia’s EXP – Singapore’s largest Esports Experience Centre at Kallang Wave Mall on 8th July 2021.
The launch of EXP follows the press conference held on 11 March 2021 by EEA announcing the inaugural Asia Esports Festival (AEF) to be held in December 2021 in Singapore.
Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law, was the Guest of Honour at the official opening of EXP.
EXP spans across 12,000 Square Feet to house a comprehensive esports ecosystem under one roof. It features an integrated live-streaming-ready esports event space, pro-esports team rooms, esports cafe, luma/chroma rooms, open-concept LAN Gaming area as well as “prosumer” areas with the latest in content-creation technologies. It also offers a comprehensive display of sound and video equipment, gaming laptops and consoles, as well as the latest gaming accessories and gadgets from the top brands in the industry.
The EXP is designed to be an integrated esports and streaming-ready venue for major esports events, tournaments, competitions, as well as the latest esports games and product launches at regional and international levels. The EXP offers the following key features:
• Large Event Hall fully equipped with professional audio video systems, high bandwidth connectivity and fuss-free IT capabilities to cater to the ever-changing landscape in media consumption.
• Open-concept LAN gaming area for gamers and enthusiasts to experience the latest top-notch, fast-paced PCs with super-premium esports peripherals and accessories;
• Retail showcase galore by top brands on the latest games, accessories, equipment and merchandise spanning across the Console, PC and Mobile gaming platforms;
• Prosumer Corner that features professional-grade gear and accessories for professional streamers, influencers, content-creators and tech-connoisseurs;
• Deluxe Pro-Team Room fully equipped with professional gear for esports tournaments, competitions, and for competition teams to train and compete;
• Chroma/Luma rooms fully equipped for webcasting and live-streaming by game-casters and influencers, as well as serve as interactive space for esports content producers in the brainstorming and co-creation of high-quality production and streaming;
• Main Conference Room for game-strategy briefings and game-play analysis;
• Cozy Café area serving food and drinks specially created for gamers!
Co-Chairman of EEA, Johnny Ong, said, “In line with EEA’s vision to build a comprehensive esports ecosystem for Singapore, the EXP was conceptualized to provide an experience-based esports venue for all gaming enthusiasts to touch and feel the best sound and video equipment, gaming laptops and consoles, as well as catch up with the latest trends, games, accessories and gadgets in gaming and entertainment all under one roof at EXP. Up till now, there is no single venue in Singapore that can bring together all the different esports players and gaming platforms in the industry under one roof. With EEA’s relationships with top brands and players in the esports industry, we have managed to set up the EXP to become such a venue. The EXP will be the focal point for esports lovers, amateurs, professional gamers and influencers to come together to catch up with the latest gaming trends, interact and co-create new ideas and content for the esports industry.”
Mr Ong added, “The EXP will be a unique venue and launchpad in Singapore for international brands in esports to connect directly with the local gaming communities and introduce new innovative products by leveraging the entire ecosystem of professional gamers, influencers, streamers, content-creators and tech-connoisseurs, all under one roof at EXP. This will be the place to hang out for youngsters and millennials who are passionate about gaming and entertainment. Many well-known brands in the gaming and entertainment industry are already now present in EXP to reach out to the millennials market. We have planned a series of exciting events with our brand partners to introduce and promote a wide range of top-grade sound and video equipment, gaming consoles and accessories at the EXP over the next few months. Watch out for these events and come to experience the latest gaming accessories for yourselves!”
Co-Chairman of EEA and veteran in the regional gaming industry, Roland Ong further added, “The EXP will become a major hub of exciting activities for the local esports community. Working closely with SCOGA (Singapore Cybersports & Online Gaming Association) and other local esports partners, the EXP will offer its comprehensive facilities to host esports events, gaming competitions, community events, campus out-reach activities, esports skills-training workshops, as well as certificate and diploma courses in esports for youngsters, etc. We aim to promote the local esports industry and help grow its ecosystem to provide valuable job opportunities for youngsters in the new economy. We hope that the EXP will be able to make a meaningful contribution towards this end.”
Dennis Ooi, President of SCOGA, said, “We are delighted with the opening of EXP at Kallang. We believe it would play a key role in growing and supporting our nascent gaming and esports community. The EXP offers a comprehensive set of facilities under one roof, bringing together key players in the esports and gaming scene in Singapore.”
Judy Wee, General Manager of Kallang Wave Mall, commented “Welcoming EXP – Singapore’s largest Esports Experience Centre into Kallang Wave Mall is our long-term commitment to inject vibrancy into the Sports Hub precinct. As we complement this innovative concept with a variety of dining, retail and wellness options, we look forward to welcoming gamers and enthusiasts within our mall.”
“The EXP is part of the larger effort by EEA to work with strategic partners in the real estate industry to build a portfolio of sustainable recreation-centric integrated developments that will become iconic esports entertainment venues across Asia’s gateway cities,” added Johnny Ong.
Mr Ong continues, “The EXP esports experience centre will be a major feature in each of these integrated esports entertainment venues to be developed by EEA. These integrated esports venues will be uniquely designed to house the full spectrum of esports “work-live-play-learn” eco-systems under one roof such as a multi-purpose esports arena; esports business hotel with esports-theme and gaming facilities; esports-thematic retail and F&B, esports training academy, flexible co-working spaces for publishers, developers, brands, platforms and athletes in the esports and related industries.”
Similar with the plan to build a portfolio of integrated esports venues across the gateway cities of Asia, EEA will also be setting up more EXP esports experience centres across Asia’s gateway cities to connect international brands with the local gaming communities over the next few years. Top brands can then reach out in a creative way to the millennial markets through the EXP in each of these cities.
