- New dedicated gaming space, Virgin Media Gamepad, will be open seven days a week, giving visitors to The O2 free access to game without limits
- Virgin Media broadband and O2 customers can enjoy exclusive first play opportunities, gaming offers and in-game experiences via Priority from O2
- Gamepad enhances the presence of the Virgin Media brand at The O2 following Virgin Media and O2 merging in 2021, as part of O2’s naming rights partnership deal brokered by AEG Global Partnerships
- Virgin Media Gamepad opens to members of the public on Friday, 30th June from 12pm
Virgin Media O2 is opening the doors to Virgin Media Gamepad, a brand new, free-to-use space for gamers to play without limits, housed in the world’s most popular live entertainment, leisure and retail destination, The O2.
Offering a seamless gaming experience, Virgin Media O2 customers and members of the public can enjoy gameplay powered by Virgin Media’s gigabit broadband, with state-of-the-art technology including 16 of the latest consoles, exclusive areas for live streaming, and local multiplayer gaming with friends.
In 2007, AEG and O2 formed a partnership, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships. Now, 16 years on Virgin Media O2 continues to drive that partnership forward, giving its customers access to the biggest music and entertainment events. The new gaming space represents further integration of Virgin Media into the venue following Virgin Media and O2 merging in June 2021, bringing gigabit broadband and enhanced connectivity to The O2.
Virgin Media Gamepad was built from the ground-up with gamers in mind. Working alongside the renowned technology experts at Digital Foundry, Virgin Media O2 has ensured that Gamepad is the most cutting-edge gaming space available in the UK, complete with Elgato Facecams, Elgato Key Lights, Ultra Wide curved desktop monitors and Xbox Series X consoles and wireless controllers. The space also combines Virgin Media’s superior fixed connectivity with O2’s top mobile experience and enhances the presence of the Virgin Media brand at The O2 following the companies merging in June 2021.
Building on Virgin Media’s existing work within gaming, Gamepad is the company’s latest venture in supporting gamers. In recent years this has seen them provide customers with exclusive opportunities to play blockbuster titles including Destiny 2, before they launched, and sponsor the annual EGX gaming expo.
A world class gaming space, Virgin Media Gamepad consists of three areas: The Playground, The Cave and The Stage, each with their own unique purpose of providing a space so gamers can enjoy in-person gaming with their friends, enhance their streaming skills and access professional equipment to build a career in gaming:
The Playground has 16 gaming pods and is equipped with Xbox Series X consoles, all equipped with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate that allow players to immerse themselves in hundreds of games for free across numerous AAA franchises.
The Cave offers an exclusive VIP gaming lounge for Virgin Media broadband and O2 customers to play as a squad with up to three friends and can be booked via the Priority app from Sunday, 2 July.
The Stage is a state-of-the-art streaming studio equipped with industry-leading technology and will house the very best gaming talent who, in partnership with Outside Xbox, will livestream from the dedicated space once a month, with access to watch live on their YouTube channel.
Gareth Griffiths, Director of Partnerships & Sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, said: “In recent years there’s been a real shift in gaming, with more people than ever coming together to play socially as well as in communities online, and what better place for the ultimate gaming experience than the UK’s most iconic entertainment venue, The O2.
“We’re putting play, people and purpose at the heart of everything we do within gaming, creating a dedicated space that’s free for everyone to use, built with inclusivity and accessibility at its core. We want to remove barriers for gamers, whether financial, physical or social, so they can play without limits and enjoy access to hundreds of games, all playable on the latest gaming consoles as well as monthly sessions dedicated to supporting grassroot gamers and those with sensory sensitivities.
Paul Samuels, EVP of AEG Global Partnerships added: “With The O2 at the forefront of music, entertainment and leisure, bringing gaming into the venue feels like the natural next step, and the ideal way to showcase the very best of our partnership with Virgin Media O2. This partnership sets the bar for what a great commercial relationship looks like, and we are excited for this latest phase to begin, with better connectivity enhancing the visitor experience at the world’s best venue even further. “
Virgin Media Gamepad adds to evolving day out offering at The O2, which alongside the world-famous arena, is also home to interactive bars TOCA Social and BOOM BATTLE BAR, London’s largest cinema – Cineworld, immersive dining experience Mamma Mia! The Party, over 30 bars and restaurants, and much more. Virgin Media broadband and O2 customers visiting Gamepad will be able to benefit from extra perks to take their gameplay to the next level with exclusive first play opportunities and access codes, as well as exclusive in-game treats and experiences available – all available exclusively via Priority.
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*Gamepad is open 12pm–8pm every Monday–Saturday and 11am–7pm every Sunday
