BUDEE EQUIPS NEW ESPORTS VENUE

Beijing Pacific Budee has supplied a Martin Audio system to a new venue specialising in one of the fastest-growing markets in the country: esports.

The Match Esport Arena in Shanghai, which is owned and run by Beijing Match-Light Interactive Entertainment, has been set up to accommodate multiplayer videogame competitions that can be streamed live in front of an audience. Competitions can take place between professional players, amateurs playing as individuals or as a team.

The main system, which can be reconfigured depending on the event, consists of eight W8LMI line array enclosures, two W8LMDI vertically arrayable enclosures and four WS218X subwoofers, plus an Avid SC48 control surface. Budee handled system design and installation, and the venue is being run by Chaolong Zhang.

‘We needed a really good quality sound system here as the sound is so important for gaming,’ said Zhang. ‘We have around 10 events a month, including weekly cybergames competitions and larger tournaments, and we also host press conferences, corporate events and government activities. Sometimes there are several teams playing against each other, other times there are multiple players – up to 70. Some of the top gamers are coming to play here.’ Depending on the format of the competition and amount of players involved, up to 1,000 audience members can be accommodated in the hall.

The Match Esport Arena is based in a new business park that has been set up for innovative new companies. Beijing Match-Light Interactive Entertainment built and owns the entire building, which also has 11 VIP rooms where live streaming of events can be watched.