Gamers battle it out as Dundee aims to become established Esports hub

Gamers in Dundee are battling it out as part of a four-day Esports extravaganza.

The Scottish Esports League 4 (SEL4) finals event is utilising state-of-the-art 5G technology.

And there’s an £11,000 prize pot on offer as some of the best gamers in the country vie to win.

The event has been designed to help raise the profile of Dundee’s Esports scene ahead of the opening of a 4000-seater bespoke Esports arena in the city in 2024.

It is one of a series of trials within the Tay Cities Region Deal 5G project and is being supported as part of the Scottish Government’s £2m investment in fifth generation mobile communications.

James Hood, owner of Esports Scotland, said the finals will be a “key milestone” towards Dundee being established as a hub for competitive gaming.

“Supported by state-of-the-art 5G technology, the SEL4 grand finals will display Scotland’s capability of spearheading the rise of domestic Esports events,” he said.

“Next month’s finals will be a key milestone on our journey towards establishing Dundee as a hub for competitive gaming prior to the opening of our first bespoke Esports arena in 2024.

“I would like to thank our partners for playing a major role in enabling us to host an event of this calibre and I encourage gaming fans across the nation to book their free spot at the finals to gain a first-look at the future of competitive Esports exhibitions.”

Mark Flynn, convener of Dundee City Council’s City Development Committee, said: “Long-term investment, years of planning and the vision to anticipate the next big thing makes Dundee almost the perfect location for what will be the nation’s largest competitive gaming competition to date.

“The Scottish Esports League Season 4 will help to cement Dundee’s place on the map as a key centre for competitive gaming, and I am sure that its success will make it the first of many such events hosted in the city.”