ESpot, the concept store dedicated to gaming just a stone's throw from the Louvre

Parisian gamers have found THE new place to indulge their passion... Discover ESpot, a brand new space dedicated to gaming in the heart of Paris, in the rue de Rivoli, open since June 2021. A 2000 m2 establishment that also gives pride of place to eSports, and imagined by Robin Leproux, former director of PSG and former vice-president of M6.

ESpot is "a physical place where you can come for a drink, meet other players, watch a competition", he explained last April to our colleagues at BFM Business. The goal: to make video games accessible to the widest possible audience. The establishment offers, from its entrance, many stations with consoles - PS5 and Nintendo Switch - to be able to play with friends or family, with two or four people, or even more. On the first floor, there is another gaming area, identical, but also a VIP area for intimate gaming or for events.

The basement is whereESpot really comes into its own: it houses a television studio, but also a 150-seat arena for e-sports competitions. And for gamers, 90 PCs are available for a moment of gaming between professionals or not.

• To be read
• Video games: our selection of gaming releases for September 2024
• eSport: competitions and tournaments to follow in France and in the world
• Video game shows and gaming events 2023 in France and around the world

For those who love the thrill of driving, there is a space dedicated to driving, designed in partnership with Alpine F1, where you can climb into a chair, steering wheel in hand and pedals on your feet, and drive around the many Formula 1 circuits on a large screen. An experience located on the first floor that we tested and that we particularly appreciated: concerning the gameplay, it is adapted to your level, according to the characteristics that the staff of the establishment offers you. And as for the handling, everything is extremely well controlled, allowing an interesting immersion in the car races.

In terms of price, the establishment works a bit like the VR centers, with subscriptions or prices per time slot: "When a customer comes to ESpot, he pays 5 euros for the entrance. This entitles him to a drink or half an hour of play time.Then, they can recharge their play time individually, take out a subscription for the weekend, or buy 10 hours of play, which they can enjoy on any machine," Robin Leproux also explained. For parents too, a dedicated area with drinks and sweet treats is available at the entrance. And if you want to celebrate your child's birthday, you should know that it's also possible since the spaces can be privatized with drinks and cake, for a unique gaming moment with friends.

A new Parisian address to discover urgently, whether you are gamers or not!