New Addition to Toronto eSports Venues is $500M PS5-Lookalike

The future of gaming is bright. The world is witnessing the rise of the next generation of esports venues. New projects are being developed in convention centers, shopping malls, and tech campuses all over the world. Toronto, which already hosts several esports events throughout the year, is now getting a big makeover. Overactive Media Group recently unveiled ambitious plans to build a brand new and gigantic esports arena in Toronto. The global eSports and entertainment company Overactive Media is the owner of global esports franchises such as Call of Duty League’s Toronto Ultra &  Spanish MAD Lions and Overwatch League’s Toronto Defiant.

A new addition in Esports Venues

Currently, yet to be named new “performance venue” will be built on a 4-acre plot and cost $500 million. It will be the first of its kind entertainment venue constructed in the city since the launch of BMO Field in 2007. The venue will be able to host 7000 spectators at a time and is expected to complete by the time 2025 rolls around.

In a message, the CEO of OverActive, Chris Overhold, said,

“We are building a world-leading, 21st-century sports media and entertainment company, and this best-in-class performance venue will be the chosen home for a new generation of fans that think differently about their entertainment choices and experiences”

The project aims to include a theater-style entertainment spot and a unique hotel complex for an incomparable experience for performance artists and esports fans alike.

According to reports, OverActive Media plans to host approximately 200 events in the esports arena every year. Most of them will be music and entertainment bookings. The venue will also facilitate award shows, corporate events, product launches, scientific conventions, and other similar occasions. While the building will serve as the home base of Toronto Ultra and Toronto Defiant, OverActive hopes that the venue will attract other teams and esports organizations.

This makes a lot of sense considering the fact that using half a billion-dollar venue just as a base for two teams doesn’t make any sense financially. Overactive needs to monetize the facility one way or another if intended to use it on a long-term basis.

Overholt was quoted as saying OverActive wants the venue to become an international hub for esports contests. “It has always been our intention to develop a venue and hosting strategy and to build a facility that could not only serve as an iconic home for our two franchises but ultimately emerge as a global hub for major international esports events. We are already in active discussions to attract some of the biggest esports events in the world. This venue will redefine Toronto’s event hosting opportunities in every way,”

Location

The park will be located north of Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto’s 192-acre Exhibition Place grounds.

Design

The venue’s architectural design is being done by Kansas City-based firm Populous. The design firm has an impressive resume which includes working on events like the Super Bowl, the London Olympics, the Hard Rock Stadium Miami, and Yankee Stadium, to name a few. Take a look at the insane concept art below, showing how it will look from the inside and outside.

Design of the giant PS5 like eSports Arena

Project’s Current Status

The project is still in the very early days of development and the plans for the building are still being finalized. Moreover, Toronto’s Exhibition Place Board and city council are yet to provide their final approval to the proposal. However, OverActive hopes to “soon wrap up discussions to everyone’s satisfaction” and start construction to meet the deadline.

Conclusion

This is the dawn of a new era for eSports, video gaming, and live events. And while it seems insane to open a new esports arena under these circumstances, considering the current vaccination drive, the pandemic will surely be over within a year or two. People will be able to physically participate in such tournaments. In such a scenario, OverActive media’s giant structure if completed by 2025 will put Toronto at a much better place to capitalize on the growing electronic sports market base.