Posted in: eSports, Games, Video Games | Tagged: eSports, gaming, london, stratford, wanyoo, westfield

Walking Around Wanyoo – Esports Comes To London's Westfield Centre

Published Thu, 20 May 2021 07:10:11 -0500

Wanyoo is a growing chain of Esports arenas in the UK – the new outlet in London's Westfield Stratford Centre opening tomorrow – is its fourth such venue, but they tell be they have been learning and growing with each, taking demands from one outlet and implementing and testing them in the next. And this one is their most public-facing outlet yet.

Their Westfield location is on the first floor of the centre, right next to SportsDirect which is a coincidental touch (and makes directions from Westfield staff a little easier). I got a little pre-opening tour, without the socially distanced throngs that will be attending tomorrow with the League Of Legends event to launch the venue, but what I got to see impressed. I was already pumped with adrenaline, having cycled here from Putney, through the changing ebbs and tides of London's architecture twinning one area with another as I pedaled, noting reflections from East to West.

It could be that their fruit teas and so-very-comfortable gaming chairs impressed upon me even more than usual, but I reckon it would be the same as if you got the tube here.

Becausem, yes, walking through the doors, on the left is Yi Fang, a Taiwanese fruit tea bar that emphasises the social aspect of Wanyoo from the get go, as well as their plush whale mascots. A large projected screen will show examples of play in the venue, but also their Twitch stream and streams from other gamers streaming them in from elsewhere, with the aim to stretch their reach out across the community.

Yes, there were press goodie bags, we'll get that to a minute. I like to be transparent.

A gateway divides the lobby from the gameplay, Tron-like neon-like tubes at angles intended to make a separation from the outside, everyday world to the world of gaming, of Esports, of play. Okay, yes, it sounds a bit wanky, but I'll be damned if I didn't work. Blue lighting, who knew?

And then there are the banks of gaming PCs, the most comfortable of chairs…

…curved screens, lush headphones, high-end mice…

… and a special button.

The Wanyoo Esports button for when you just can't bring yourself to go to the Yi Fang bar mid game. Press that button…

… and a Wanyoo waiter or assistant will rush to aid you in your time of need. Oh and don't worry about kicking the PC under the desk.,,

…they're not there. Instead, it's all wired in from a special server room. Glass walls of course so you can at least see where it's all happening.

And yes, because man does not play on PC alone, there are Xbox and PlayStation set-ups too.

Now, these are the general play area. There are other booths to book with your besties…

…away from the glare…

And then there are glass booths for teams of six players.

Side-by side, these places are soundproofed, with temperature and climate controls and music choice, so you can pipe your own in for your crew.

And for slightly more social affairs, there are glass booths where three players face the other three.

Wanyoo is working with gaming publisher for upcoming events, including for tomorrow's opening, and they are certainly intending tohis to be a flagship arena for competitions, for events and for game launches. … and the livery of the place reflects this.

But there is clearly also more scope for more mainstream appeal. This is their most public location yet, with tremendous footfall, handy for parents to drop off the kids. Or for spouses to drop off their other spouse. So while it may be a mecca for gamers, it will also be a spotlight to the rest of the world of what Esports gaming is – or could be.

The other branches in Charing Cross and Canary Wharf are opening again today after lockdown, but they are moving forward with this new location as well. All distancing measures are expected to drop in June, but they will be keeping social distances and masks until then. Now, how to get them to open a location in the other Westfield in Hammersmith? I would have to cycle a lot less.

And, oh yes, the goodie bag, why not? A plush Wanyoo mascot whale for the youngest daughter is a must, and I just know this will make her even keener to get me to take her and her besties along at the next available opportunity.