The team behind the elite facility also secured $10 million in funding to support the development of the first of a global network of esports-dedicated venues
VERITAS Entertainment (VERITAS), builders of a global network of esports entertainment venues, today announced the launch of LVL, a Berlin-based esports and gaming entertainment venue designed for community and competition. LVL Berlin will officially open its doors to the public on March 26, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. CET. Additionally, VERITAS has announced a $10 million in funding, with participation from BITKRAFT Esports Ventures and additional angel investors, to build LVL’s infrastructure, scale the team to manage operations, and expand to additional cities.
Among the largest esports spaces in Europe, LVL spans +2500m² (+26,000ft²) across its two floors and provides a centralized and physical location for pro and amateur gamers to connect, train and compete. In addition to a full-stack production studio and mind-blowing VR experiences, LVL is pushing boundaries with a noise-canceling dome that enables the venue to host professional esports matches in the closest proximity to the audience and casters without impeding the performance of the players through sound interference.
“We created LVL to fill a gap that currently exists in the landscape of physical gaming and esports venues. The esports ecosystem currently has large arenas and glorified internet cafés with a few PCs in them, but not a permanent facility where premium events can be hosted while also serving as a place to socialize with friends,” said Dorian Gorr, Co-Founder and Managing Director of VERITAS Entertainment. “It’s not only a facility for professional teams to practice, but it’s a hub for entertainment, collaboration, and connection. After months of planning and construction, we’re thrilled to finally open the doors and welcome the public.”
LVL Berlin will also be the official Berlin venue and Home of G2 Esports, one of the fastest-growing, most competitively successful and entertaining esports organizations worldwide. As the collaboration partner of LVL, G2’s professional teams and creators will practice and create content from dedicated G2 areas featuring practice and content creation rooms as well as public, community-driven locations within the venue for esports fans to interact with G2 and its stars.
“LVL is the best possible place for being the home of G2’s teams to practice, bootcamp and interact with our amazing fans. It will be the go-to place for us to spend time with the #G2ARMY and interact with our people in Berlin, the capital of esports in Europe,” said G2 Esports CEO Carlos ‘ocelote’ Rodriguez. “We are proud that we can present our world-class partnerships in this beautiful city with Veritas as we both work together to bring highly entertaining experiences to esports.”
LVL will not only be a gathering place for fans, casual players and esports pros, but will also serve as a home for content creators, live streamers, cosplayers, musicians and artists. From the professional level to the grassroots community, LVL provides the infrastructure to support the adoption of esports and gaming on a mainstream level. With the opening of the Berlin-based venue, LVL will also launch a 24/7 esports gaming channel on Twitch and Youtube that will broadcast match highlights from the venue and content created in its full-stack production studio. Focused on the latest innovative technology, LVL plans to put a twist on traditional food preparation by featuring a culinary robotic machine that serves up high-quality burgers for hungry patrons.
“At BITKRAFT we believe strongly in physical experiences tailored to a gaming native and digital-first audience,” said BITKRAFT Founder and Managing Partner, Jens Hilgers. “In particular we believe that esports participation and fandom at scale is contributing significantly to make such new physical entertainment experiences successful. While we have seen many incarnations playing to this thesis, we became truly excited about the vision and approach of the LVL team and are excited to see their vision materialize with the launch of the iconic Checkpoint Charlie Berlin location.”
Situated in the heart of Berlin at the historic Checkpoint Charlie, LVL is strategically located at one of the most frequented Berlin tourist destinations with over 25,000 daily visitors. This home for esports and gaming fans will be accessible year-round, contributing to the growth of the Berlin esports ecosystem. VERITAS expects at least 250,000 visitors per year to visit LVL Berlin and will host around 130 live events annually with plans to expand to other esports-hubs around the world.