Meltdown | Chain of eSports bars
In 2012 the first location of Meltdown opened in Paris. Four years later, the number of Meltdown bars raised to 28 in seven different countries. As fast as the world of eSports grows, the Meltown chain seems to grow as well. The bars are a gathering place for gamers and fans who like to play or watch games together.
The Meltdown chain
Early 2011, a new phenomenon hit eSports namely BarCrafts. The concept of Barcrafts is simple: gaming enthusiasts meet in a bar to watch a tournament of their favourite game, have a drink or two and meet other fans. At that time the concept was too small to attract attention and the community struggled to find locations to regularly host BarCrafts. May 2012, the first Meltdown Bar opened in Paris and within a year Meltdown Bars also opened in Berlin and London. With the goal to go further, Meltdown soon became a franchise, which led to the rapid growth in the last few years.
The goal of Meltdown is clear: proving day in, day out that videogaming can be a social rather than solitary activity. Therefore events are organized on a daily basis: tournaments, launching of a new games or coaching sessions.
eSports market
The eSports market grows continuously, worldwide the revenue has raised to hundreds of millions. In the Netherlands eSports is also getting more popular. On FoxSports, the well-known ‘League of Legends’ is being broadcasted and from this month onwards they start with the Dutch E-Divisie. Premier League football in a FIFA game. Furthermore cinemas are broadcasting live gaming events more often and Rotterdam Ahoy and the Amsterdam Arena have signed contracts which allows them to organize big tournaments.
Website: Meltdown
