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Seattle’s Best Esports Venues

Esports—organized, competitive video gaming—is attracting more and more fans. Here’s where to catch or play a game in Seattle, and what to expect

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This article originally appeared in the May 2019 issue of Seattle magazine.

This article appears in print in the May 2019 issue. Click here to subscribe.

Northwest Esports (SoDo, 1941 First Ave. S; 206.429.5464), a gaming organization operated “by gamers, for gamers,” has been the Emerald City’s grassroots esports organizer for more than a decade, hosting competitive tournaments of all kinds—from Rocket League to Super Smash Brothers—around the area. Its SoDo headquarters, which opened in 2017, now offers additional, dedicated space for private meetups and game broadcasts.

GameWorks (Downtown, 1511 Seventh Ave.; 206.521.0952), a super arcade, recently converted its second floor into an esports lounge. The venue features 60 high-end fixed gaming stations for walk-ins, group reservations, gaming leagues and tournaments.

The Husky Union Building Esports Arena & Gaming Lounge (University District, 4001 E Stevens Way; 206.543.8191). At press time, this new, 1,000-square-foot esports arena in the basement of the University of Washington’s student center was scheduled to open on April 1. The community gaming center and lounge is open to the public (with reduced rates for students), offering virtual reality and live-streaming systems to welcome casual players and create esports networking opportunities.

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way. 

What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common?  According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot.  “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.

The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture.  This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.

Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).

WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…