Belong Gaming Arenas’ brand and intellectual property will now be owned by Vindex, but Game Digital will continue to own and operate the arenas with an exclusive licence.

UK entrepreneur Mike Ashley acquired Game Digital last year in a £52 million deal, having hosted Belong arenas since 2018 through his chain of Sports Direct stores.

Game will also see its chief executive Martyn Gibbs join Vindex’s management team as head of Belong Gaming.

Since launching in 2017, 21 Belong gaming arenas have been opened, often next to or as part of Game’s retail stores.

The arenas feature a range of high-end gaming PCs, consoles and accessories like VR headsets, allowing players to try out new games and technology before investing in a purchase.

Vindex plans to open more than 500 new esports arenas in the US and a further 1,000 across Europe.

Image: Belong

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