Gamers, Rise Up! A New Esports Venue Is Opening in Wynwood

Get ready to game.

December 20, 2022

Furia, a new esports venue, is opening in Wynwood Photo courtesy Furia

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Gamers of Miami, your time has come. No longer need you linger in the shadows like a Solid Snake for longer than a Fortnite. Hear the Call of Duty and assemble in a League of Legends at Miami's newest gaming palace. Life Is Strange, but rest assured, this is no Final Fantasy. It's already Among Us. Minecraft.

A new esports venue has opened in Wynwood. Furia, owned by the Brazilian organization of the same name, features everything a competitive gamer could ever want. Though it seems to be primarily a retail storefront, there's a PC area and LAN house in the back where gamers can plug in and enjoy multiplayer games. There's also a stage where the Furia esports team plans to broadcast matches and events.

The space is located on NW 23rd Street near the current Wood Tavern space. PC time is available for free with online reservations.

"Why would I leave my house to play video games?" you may ask. First, it's an excuse to get out of the piddly little efficiency in Doral you're paying $1,200 a month for, so jot that down. Second, the geriatric readers among us may recall the existence of arcades, establishments people would go to play video games, and other amusements before, during, and after consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System made gaming possible at home. (RIP, Boomers in Dania Beach.)

Finally, places like this have existed worldwide for a long time. In South Korea, which produces the best esports athletes in the world, there are around 20,000 internet cafes, or PC Bang, that gamers and other computer people happily patronize to access a fast, stable internet connection and other amenities that can't be found at home.

Esports, which is basically competitive gaming, is becoming a fast-growing trend all over the world, especially during the pandemic. It's also a spectator sport: The 2021 League of Legends World Championship Final was viewed by more than 73 million people worldwide, only 20 million less than that year's Super Bowl. Since we now live in a world where the wildest dreams of everyone who watched the Wizard and wanted to play video games professionally have come true, we should see this as an essential addition to Miami's civil infrastructure.

Finally, gamers from all over the city have somewhere to train and hone their skills so that America the Beautiful can one day become the gaming superpower it deserves to be! Cry Havoc, and let slip the dogs of game! Elden Ring! Genshin Impact!... Pokémon.

Furia Esports. 173 NW 23rd St., Miami; furiawynwood.com. Monday through Sunday 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.

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Douglas Markowitz has covered art and music in South Florida for nearly a decade, with stories published by Resident Advisor, the Miami Herald, the Sun Sentinel, Artburst, Burnaway, and principally the Miami New Times, where he interned in 2017. In 2023 he was named a finalist for the Knight-Esserman Journalism Award. He is a University of North Florida graduate and former culture editor at the Phoenix New Times.

Contact: Douglas Markowitz

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