Virgin Media O2 opens Gamepad free gaming space at O2 Arena

Liberty Global and Telefónica-owned UK operator Virgin Media O2 has opened the Virgin Media Gamepad, a new, free to use space for gamers to play and build their knowledge, housed The O2 live entertainment venue in London.

Virgin Media O2 customers and members of the public can use the space for gameplay powered by Virgin Media’s gigabit broadband, with technology including 16 of the latest consoles and exclusive areas for live streaming and local multiplayer gaming with friends.

Working with Digital Foundry, Virgin Media O2 has created a game space complete with Elgato Facecams, Elgato Key Lights, Ultra Wide curved desktop monitors and Xbox Series X consoles and wireless controllers.

The space combines Virgin Media’s fixed connectivity with O2’s top mobile experience and enhances the presence of the Virgin Media brand at The O2 following the companies merging in June 2021, according to the company.

Gamepad is step-free and wheelchair-friendly, with lighting that can be adapted to meet a variety of sensory needs.

Over the coming months, Virgin Media will work with leading content creators such as Outside Xbox, resident gamers at Gamepad, to deliver bespoke sessions to gamers looking to build their skills and expand their knowledge of streaming and gaming. Outside Xbox gamers will also stream twice a month from a dedicated streaming lounge in Gamepad – The Stage.

Gamepad consists of three areas: The Playground, The Cave and The Stage, each with their own unique purpose of providing a space so gamers can enjoy in-person gaming with friends, enhance their streaming skills and access professional equipment to build a career in gaming, according to Virgin Media O2.

Gareth Griffiths, Director of Partnerships & Sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, said: “In recent years there’s been a real shift in gaming, with more people than ever coming together to play socially as well as in communities online, and what better place for the ultimate gaming experience than the world’s number one entertainment venue, The O2.

“We’re putting play, people and purpose at the heart of everything we do within gaming, creating a dedicated space that’s free for everyone to use, built with innovation and inclusivity at its core. We want to remove barriers for gamers, whether financial, physical or social, so they can play without limits and enjoy access to hundreds of games, all playable on the latest gaming consoles all powered by Virgin Media’s gigabit broadband.”