Queen’s University Belfast opens esports centre, will host tournaments and aim to nurture Northern Ireland’s future esports talent

Queen’s University Belfast has opened a new esports and gaming hub that hopes to nurture Northern Ireland’s future esports talent.

The Reboot facility will cater to casual and retro gamers, as well as fans of competitive esports.

Partnering with Geek Retreat, Reboot’s ground floor offers retro arcade classics like Pac-Man and Street Fighter, alongside a board gaming suite featuring over 100 games, including Dungeons & Dragons and trading card games such as Pokémon and Magic the Gathering. 

The mezzanine level features consoles such as the Nintendo Switch, Xbox S, PlayStation 5, and virtual reality (VR) setups, plus the exclusive Red Bull Formula One Racing Simulator in Ireland. Games include Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat.

On the first floor, Queen’s University Belfast said there’s a ‘state-of-the-art Esports Centre with 30 high-performance PCs hosts major titles like Valorant, League of Legends and Fortnite, perfect for individual play, group sessions, or competitive events with spectator screens’. 

Reboot also hosts events such as birthday parties, team-building sessions and nationwide tournaments, featuring a menu with pizzas, smash burgers, hot dogs, vegetarian and vegan options, and Fairtrade coffee. 

Liz McLaughlin, Director of Student and Campus Experience, from Queen’s University Belfast, said: “We are delighted to bring this new venue to our students and to the public. Esports gaming centres are becoming more popular as competitive gaming continues to grow and this centre offers a dedicated space for players to compete against others, as well as a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for gaming. But we also cater for a range of abilities and interests.”

Tim Chan, a final year international student at Queen’s, said: “Reboot is a fantastic alcohol-free venue where students can relax and have fun. It’s inclusive and community-focused, constantly evolving with student input. With top-end gaming PCs, Reboot will be key in nurturing Northern Ireland’s future esports talent.” 

Northern Ireland has produced a mix of esports talent in recent years, including gold medallist Emzii, streamer and lecturer Rezone Games and more.

Queen’s University Belfast is the latest institution to open new esports facilities, following the University of Salford’s new esports lab and Staffordshire University’s revamped esports facilities.

Reboot gaming hub is located at 92 Lisburn Road and is open to students and the public. Initial opening hours will be Monday – Friday 11am-11pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-11pm (times are subject to change).

Dom Sacco

Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.

As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.