Blue1647 is adding eSports to its Chicago innovation hub.
Blue1647, an incubator, tech learning lab and co-working space located at Lacuna Lofts in Pilsen, held a ribbon cutting ceremony last weekend for its brand-new eSports arena.
Located on the fourth floor of its Lacuna office space, the eSports center features 70 gaming stations, including 20 PlayStation 4 Pro gaming consoles. The remaining stations are for PC gaming, Blue1647 CEO Emile Cambry said.
"[eSports] is something that we always wanted to do from the beginning," Cambry said. "It felt like the perfect time to introduce this concept to our community."
Available games include Fortnite, Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League, NBA 2K and FIFA.
Cambry said he sees eSports as another tool to offer Blue1647's growing community, but also as a way to entice younger people to join the ecosystem.
"You can’t just force a 12-week coding program down their throats," he said. "You have to give them the things they like to do and the things they’re learning to do."
Go inside Blue1647's eSports ribbon cutting below:
