State-of-the-art esports studio opens at the Sky Tower

Australasia’s first direct-to-television esports studio will open this week in the iconic Sky Tower, following a partnership between SKYCITY Entertainment Group and leading esports company LetsPlay.Live (LPL).

LPL Studios is a state-of-the-art broadcast studio designed exclusively with esports in mind. The development will enable LPL to film esports events at most major Australian and New Zealand venues whilst producing a world-class broadcast product in 4K or HD to any linear TV or online partner in the world.

The setup includes dedicated PC and console booths, commentary and analysis desks, and an ultra-modern control room. LPL Director, Duane Mutu, says the opening of LPL Studios is a major milestone for the company.

”The opening of LPL Studios will see a leap forward in our ability to create and broadcast esports tournaments in Australasia. It will also provide New Zealand with the infrastructure to develop the esports industry locally and create a platform for emerging professional talent to turn their hobby into a career competing internationally.”

The esports industry’s continued growth presents new opportunities for jobs like esports commentary, event management, and tournament administration. Streamers and community groups will also be able to access LPL Studios for content creation.

 This week’s opening follows LPL’s announcement of its ‘Season One’ programming lineup, featuring a $10,000 Counter-Strike tournament, and nationwide esports tour for Dragon Ball FighterZ.  

SKYCITY Group Chief Operating Officer Michael Ahearne says the partnership sees SKYCITY become the home of one of the fastest-growing entertainment sectors globally.

“We’re proud partners of LPL, and excited that our Sky Tower will be home to these amazing studios. As an entertainment company, we are looking to the future and we recognise the exciting opportunity to invest in the growth of LPL and the esports industry in New Zealand,” says Mr Ahearne.

The LPL studios are near the SKYCITY Theatre, allowing for physical events with a 700-strong live audience and the ability to cater for up to 3000 fans onsite with the opening of the International Convention Centre in 2019.  The LPL Studios will host its first official broadcast on 15th February.