One of Malta’s renowned shopping malls, the Plaza Shopping Centre in Sliema, has just opened a fully-fledged Esports facility.
Situated on the bottom floor of the shopping mall, the new Esports centre comes with six PS5s, complete with comfortable sofas, where gamers can take on each other in games such as FIFA 22, Fortnite and Tekken 7.
There are also 20 gaming PCs, each with their own set of soundproof headphones.
While the facility is open to everyone, it has also been designed to cater for gaming professionals, and comes with a studio where tournaments, bootcamps and lectures can take place.
Malcolm Saleeb, the director of Esports Plaza, hailed this project as one based on love towards Esports.
“By merging the family entertainment aspect with the professional side, we are ensuring that Esports is easily accessible to everyone,” he said. “Our main intention is to contribute to the growth of the Maltese Esports scene and help place Malta on the map as an ideal destination for Esports activities.”
Plaza Shopping Centre chairperson Charles Farrugia said the €250,000 investment will kickstart a new shopping mall experience in Malta, while Malta Gaming Foundation CEO Ivan Filletti said the island’s connectivity and historical backdrop lend themselves to an ideal Esports destination.
Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said the government’s goal is for the video game development and Esports sectors to contribute to 1% of Malta’s GDP within the next eight years.
