Fortress Australia has appointed Dell brand Alienware as the exclusive hardware provider for its upcoming esports arena in Melbourne.
Alienware will provide PCs, monitors, and peripherals to the venue and assume the role of title sponsor for the main arena.
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Located within the Emporium Melbourne shopping centre, Fortress Melbourne will be equipped with over 150 Alienware Aurora PCs in its LAN Lounge area and its 200-seat main arena will be titled the ‘Alienware Arena.’
Ben Jackson, General Manager of Consumer and Small Business at Dell Technologies ANZ, explained the reasoning behind the local focus: “Our local gaming industry continues to grow with two out of three Australians playing video games and total sales in the retail gaming industry exceeding AUD$4 billion in 2018. Melbourne is at the epicentre of this growing community as it’s home to PAX Australia and the Melbourne Esports Open.
“We’re passionate about making Australia’s esports scene the best it can be, and we couldn’t be happier to partner with Fortress Melbourne. We believe that the venue will become the unofficial home for professional and casual gamers alike.”
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Jon Satterley, CEO of Fortress Australia, also commented on the deal: “We want Fortress Melbourne to become the go-to venue for all Australian gamers, which is why we’re so excited to be partnering with Dell Technologies. By having our venue equipped with Alienware’s powerful gaming PCs and peripherals, as well as infrastructure from Dell Technologies, gamers of all skill levels will be able to experience the best gaming equipment in the world.”
Esports Insider spoke with Satterley about the upcoming venue, which is due to open in March, earlier this month. Fortress Melbourne is part of the Allied Esports Property Network, an affiliate program.
Esports Insider says: While PC cafés are far from a new concept, having a brand provide top-end hardware allows gamers who are curious or otherwise couldn’t afford a high-cost setup to get the experience. With IEM Melbourne on the horizon and numerous esports moves within Oceania happening recently, the region is looking to not just keep up with the rest of the world but cement itself as one of the best.